“And that surprises you?”
“Yeah.” He wouldn’t understand, but yes…finally kissing someone you’d longed to kiss for so many years and actually having him kiss you back with just as much passion…it was indescribable. The only thing I could say was that it did something to your heart, something that knocked you on your ass with the unexpected force of it.
“My heart is beating just for you, Jason,” I whispered against his lips as I made sure to look into his eyes. Did he understand how much I loved him? How long I had loved him? Because I could almost feel it pouring out of me.
The door opened and the connection between us broke.
Lucy’s head appeared in the doorway. “Is it okay if we come in?”
I took a step away from the hot body that was plastered to my back and went to open the door wider so the girls could get in. Lucy had the biggest grin on her face, but managed to keep her mouth closed.
Two tequila shots and one and a half Long Island Iced Teas later, Char pulled me away from our little group to the small bar at the corner.
“I know Lucy told you that she saw us, but it’s not what you think, Olive,” she said, putting down her pink cocktail on the glass surface.
“Honestly, I’m not thinking anything. I’m trying not to. If you guys have started something, I’ll be happy for you.”
Her eyes hardened for a moment, but before I could even guess what it was that I saw in her eyes, it disappeared. “You don’t understand, Liv.”
Again with the name…
When Lily let out a big laugh that reached across the room to us, I looked over my shoulder to see her laughing with Jason and Lucy. I smiled when Jason caught my eye, took a sip of his drink, and gave me a wink.
Char touched my arm so I turned back to her again.
“Marcus and I…” Stopping mid-sentence, she picked up her drink and took a big swallow. “We might have slept together…while you were still with him.”
My stomach dropped and my eyebrows reached almost up to my hairline. I swallowed and gently put my drink down.
“Please say you didn’t do that.”
She gave me a small, sad smile. “I don’t know how it happened, Olive. I swear to you, it wasn’t more than a few times, but I know that doesn’t make it any better. I’m sorry I haven’t told you before today.”
A few times?
“You slept with Marcus while I was still with him? When you knew I loved him? No way Charlotte. You wouldn’t do that to.”
“You guys were growing apart.” She took a deep breath. “Remember the time you went back home to San Francisco for a week, after one of your fights?” I didn’t say anything, didn’t even nod. She sighed. “It happened then. We were both half-drunk the first time it happened—not so drunk that we didn’t know what we were doing, but you know…it made it easier to overlook the fact that you were together, I guess.”
How nice of them.
“I’m assuming not so drunk the other times it happened,” I said in a stony tone.
She shook her head and looked down. “I’m sorry, Olive. I never thought this would happen to me.”
“To you? What happened to you, Charlotte?”
“You’re my best friend, Olive. Do you think I was thrilled to realize I had feelings for my best friend’s boyfriend? Can you understand how much it hurt to see him with you after what happened between us?”
“Wow. Should I say sorry for the inconvenience?”
I took a step back.
She grabbed my arm and stopped me before I could get away from her.
“Please don’t be angry with me, Olive. You didn’t love Marcus. We both knew it. You never loved him like you love Jason.”
“How can you decide that for me, Charlotte? Of course I loved Marcus. Maybe I should remind you that he was the one who dumped me, not the other way around.” I pulled my arm back and she dropped her hand. “Why did you think it was a good idea to tell me this now? Why bother? So much time has passed and you can actually have Marcus all to yourself. Why not just keep it to yourself?”
“I think Marcus is holding himself back because he thinks you’ll go back to him. Whatever you decide I wanted you to have all the facts. We got together—”
I lifted my hand up and cut her off. “I don’t think I want to hear anything more Charlotte.” I shook my head in disbelief. “Are you about to tell me that I should talk to Marcus and tell him that we are never getting back together? Is that why you told me this? To make sure I would never go back to him if Jason dumped me?”
“Girls? What’s going on?” Lucy came up behind us. I hadn’t realized that our voices were carrying over to them.
“Olive,” Charlotte said, ignoring Lucy. “It’s not like that. I didn’t think you—”
“That’s the problem, I don’t think you are thinking at all,” I said and turned my back to her. “Can we go down to the bathroom or something?” I asked Lucy. I was just realizing that my hands were shaking. She looked into my eyes and nodded without asking anything.
My eyes were starting to water.
I glanced at Jason, but he was in a conversation with Lily, his brows furrowed, so I slipped out before he could see the state I was in. I didn’t want him to think that this was about Marcus.
Lucy grabbed my hand as soon as we were out of the room and steered me downstairs.
We found a bathroom one floor down that was just for the private rooms, so as soon as we got in, Lucy guided me to sit down on the bench in front of the mirrors. If my mind hadn’t been reeling with what Char had just told me, I would’ve enjoyed the décor in the bathroom, but unfortunately, I could barely see Lucy kneeling in front of me.
“What’s wrong, Olive? What did Char say?”
A few tears escaped my eyes and slid down my cheeks before I could wipe them away. “She slept with Marcus while we were still together.”
Lucy straightened up then sat down next to me. “Say that again?”
I nodded and wiped away more tears. Why was I even crying? Was I really sad because Marcus had lied to me, had cheated on me with my friend? I thought about it, but it didn’t take hold. It wasn’t what Marcus had done that was breaking my heart. It was Charlotte.
I got up and started to pace in front of Lucy. “Why am I even crying? This is so stupid.”
“Can you start from the top and tell me exactly what she said to you?”
I nodded and told her everything Char had said.
“I’m sorry, Olive. I don’t know what to say. All I can think is where the hell was I when they were sneaking into each other’s rooms?”
“Looks like I was wherever you were. I would never have thought Char would do something like this.”
“Are you going to talk to Marcus?”
A girl stumbled into the bathroom, heading straight toward the stalls.
“Why would I?” I asked, getting out of the way before she could take me down.
Lucy’s phone started to vibrate in her hand, so she held up a finger to me and answered her phone.
“Jameson, where are you?” Her brows drew together and she shot up from her seat. “What? Which hospital?”