Second Lies (The Second Life Series) Read online

  For the remainder of our meal, Angela and I dropped the subject of Nick. It turned out we had a lot in common, so it was an easy transition. Angela was twenty-one, and a senior at Boston University with Nick. She grew up right outside of Boston with her parents and three brothers. She was the only girl and the youngest. I loved all the stories she told me about growing up with such a large, connected family. It was so different, yet it was so similar to the way I grew up.

  We also spent a good bit of time talking about fashion and hair. It was another shared obsession. For the length of a meal, it was nice to have someone fill the void left from the absence of my best friend, and after the blowout and makeup between Nick and I last night, it was just good to relax.

  The waiter returned with the check, and I slipped my credit card in immediately, sending him off. Angela contested, “No, please, this should be my treat. You’re the guest.”

  “No way, I was already here. I’m the one who stopped you from going wherever you were going,” I waved her off as she hunted through her purse for some money. “Seriously, it’d be my pleasure. You saved me from lunch by myself.”

  “Are you sure?” I nodded, and she reluctantly closed her purse.

  “So were you on your way up to Nick’s room?” I asked as the waiter returned with my card and receipt to sign.

  She nodded and blushed, “I wasn’t sure when you would be leaving, so I wanted to see if I could spend some time with you before you left. Mission accomplished.” She grinned. “Nick kind of just sent me off yesterday, and like I said before, this was my first opportunity to meet anyone from Nick’s family. I’m really glad I did.”

  “Me, too,” just as I said this, my phone started ringing. I dug through my purse, and when I found it, Wes’s name lit up the screen. Shit, it felt like forever since I’d last spoken to him. I shook the ringing phone in my hand. “Why don’t you go upstairs to wake up Nick? I have to take this phone call, and then I’ll meet you up there in a few minutes.”

  “Good, once I wake him up, maybe I can coax him into taking you on a tour of the city or something fun like that. I’ll see you in a little bit,” she went upstairs and left me to the phone call.

  “Hey,” I greeted into the phone as I found an empty seat in the lobby. It was still pretty busy in the hotel but surprisingly quiet.

  “I’ve been worried about you,” Wes said with an edge to his voice. “You haven’t talked to me once since you got to the city.”

  “I’m sorry,” I breathed. I knew I should’ve probably found time to call Wes. If the roles were reversed, I’d probably be nerve ridden, too, but I was so drained. None of my normal steps were taken during this very long day. “It’s been crazy up here. Nick and I got in a huge fight last night, and by the time I got to bed, I just passed out. Then, I had lunch with his girlfriend today, and I completely lost track of time. She’s really great.”

  “What about Nick? Is everything okay with that?” He asked. “You said you guys were fighting.”

  “Yes, as in past-tense,” I twirled my hair around my fingers, watching the people walk by. “We made up quickly. We got a lot figured out. I’m glad I came.”

  “I’m glad to hear you’re okay. I’ve been worried about you,” his velvet voice cooed in my ear. It made me miss him more than I even knew was imaginable. It was like my brain and heart were on hibernation mode, but as soon as I was reminded of my delectable boyfriend back home, they both woke up with a ravenous fury. “Did you decide when you’re coming back home?”

  “Yeah, I’m leaving late tonight. Nick has class early in the morning, and he’s insisted on being able to take me to the airport,” I answered. “I guess I’ll take a cab home since it’s going to be really late when I arrive back in Philly.”

  “Don’t be crazy,” he said. “You’re not taking a cab in the middle of the night. Just text me before you get on the plane, and I’ll meet you at the airport.”

  “Thank you,” I had to admit I was thoroughly excited to have Wes pick me up. After spending some time apart, it would be more than welcomed to sleep in the same bed together. It still amazed me how quickly I latched onto him, but no one had ever gained my trust so fast before. “I’ll see you later tonight. I miss you.”

  “I miss you too, baby,” I cringed at how much I loved hearing him call me that. I still couldn’t believe I was in a real relationship. “Enjoy the rest of your day.”

  “Thank you, bye,” I clicked off the phone and returned back to the world of Boston. Here I didn’t really mean anything to anyone. I was just another face in a sea of people. Once I got back to Jersey, I’d run into Wes’s arms where I belonged. Tonight couldn’t come fast enough.

  Angela got the idea to take a bus tour of Boston, so I could see as much as possible in a reasonable amount of time. Nick and I didn’t have the heart to tell her I’d been in the city plenty of times in the past. She was just so excited to show everything off that we couldn’t take that away from her.

  After the tour, we ate a huge dinner and went out for drinks at a couple of bars. I met a few of their mutual friends who welcomed me with open arms. The day was amazing. Seeing Nick so affectionate with another person was better than I could have imagined. He was so careful and considerate of Angela now that he opened up to me about last year that I was slightly envious. I only hoped Wes and I looked as good together.

  Once the festivities were over, we swung back to the hotel to pick up my things. Angela decided to stay in Nick’s apartment while he drove me to the airport. As he inched his way through heavy traffic, I stared out the window, completely happy with my short trip to Boston. We had confronted some huge obstacles in our lives, but the good thing was we were now facing them together.

  “You should come back when I go on Thanksgiving break,” Nick switched lanes and took the exit towards the airport. “We’ll have more fun. I’ll make plans to do stuff.”

  He pulled into a parking space and shook his head without saying anything to me. In his eyes, I was still his baby sister that followed him around everywhere he went. He still felt like he needed to watch after me, and hell maybe he did. Ever since he left, I did things in my life that I never thought I’d ever do.

  “We can talk more thoroughly about everything the next time you come to Boston. I just think we need a break, clear our heads, deal with life first,” he said. I nodded in response. “Be careful when you get back there. Call me if you need anything, and don’t forget what I said to you about Dennis. You can’t trust him…and, just so you know, I was serious about Virginia. I think it might be better if you got away and lived with Dad. I don’t want you doing coke ever again. You hear me?” I nodded my head solemnly. He shook it off as if he remembered that I had a flight to catch, and, as he said, we should probably continue this conversation another time anyway. “I love you.”

  “I love you, Nicky,” I gave him a hug and grabbed my bags. Once I got my things together, I made my way into the airport and prepared myself for a flight home.

  When I got back to Philly, a steady, freezing rain fell. Wes texted me to meet him at the drop off in front of the airport, so as I mentally prepared myself to head outside and make a run for his car, my beautiful boyfriend was already waiting for me inside by the doors with an umbrella in one hand and a dozen roses in the other.

  Seeing him made me freeze in my tracks. He was smiling so wide. His eyes were lit up like a little kid on Christmas. Something came over me. I dropped my bags and ran for him. I jumped into his arms, laughing and almost crying, so overcome by emotion. It was one thing to miss him from afar, but when he was standing in front of me, I couldn’t help but realize how strong that feeling actually was.

  Wes nuzzled my cheek and then set me back down to the floor. He kissed me long and hard. It was heaven running my hands through his rain soaked hair. It was amazing being reminded of his luxurious smell. I couldn’t let him stop hugging me. I latched onto his body, refusing to let go for several long minutes.


  He laughed into my ear, “Let’s get your stuff. You left it in the middle of the hallway.” Finally, I let go of him. He handed me the roses and gathered my things

  Once we got out to his car and loaded everything up, we both sat inside and embraced each other one more time. His kiss was long and wanting, like I’d been gone a year not a day and a half. He ran his hands over my skin, like he couldn’t believe I had actually returned to him. It was the closest I’d ever been to heaven until someone banged on the window, bringing me back to reality.

  An airport worker shouted into our car, “Keep it moving guys! We’ve got other people wanting to park here!” Even through the heavy rain, his voice echoed loud and clear. We both erupted into laughter as Wes pulled out of his space and drove off to my apartment.

  “I’m exhausted,” I said while pushing open the door to my place. Everything was just as I left it. As much as I adored seeing my brother, I was looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. “Planes always make me sleepy.” I stretched my arms into the air. “Thank you for picking me up.”

  “Of course,” he smirked. “I missed you while you were gone. I kept grabbing for you in the middle of the night, and you weren’t there.”

  “Well, I’m here now,” I wrapped my arms around his neck, “and tonight, I expect you to let me pass out and then later drool against your chest.” I yawned and regarded him through hooded eyes.

  “Sounds like a plan,” he scooped me up into his muscular arms and dropped me into my bed. Laughing the entire time, he tore off my shoes, and then followed suit, removing his own footwear and climbing into bed with me. He kissed my temple. “Tell me about Boston. How’s your brother?”

  “He has a girlfriend!” I shrieked. “I know you don’t know Nick, but he’s never had a girlfriend before. He always looked at himself like some sort of playboy.” I rolled my eyes. “I like her though. I promised to come back when they go on break, so we can hang out more. Maybe you can come with me next time? I didn’t want to stay much longer. I know he has a heavy workload at school.”

  “I’d love to go. What’s he studying?”

  “Neuroscience,” I scrunched up my nose at the prospect. “Yeah, he got my dad’s brains. I never understood how that kid could do a keg stand one night and then ace a biology test the next morning, but that’s Nick for you. Thanks to my dad’s recommendation, he landed a sweet internship at the hospital across the street from his apartment. He’s doing well up there. I’m proud of him.”

  Wes made a face and exhaled a sigh of relief, almost like he was expecting me to recount my travel in a different light. He’d been doing little weird things like that since right before I left. At first, I thought I was making them up, but they seemed to come frequently whenever I talked about my time with Nick. It made me suspicious, but I didn’t have enough of any real substance to question him.

  “How’s it been here?” I asked, choosing to dismiss that detail for now. “You had a party to work Sunday night.”

  With irritation laced in his voice, he answered, “It sucked. It was like everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong. I don’t think I lost business over it though. I’ve hosted other events for the guy in the past, so we have a relationship. It just annoyed me ‘til no fucking end. I gave him a discount to make up for the stupidity of my staff.” I traced my fingers along his stomach feeling the tightness of his muscles, yawning as the seconds ticked away. “Look at me going on. You’re exhausted, and it’s late. Go to sleep. We’ll get breakfast in the morning and talk more about your trip later.” He kissed my hair. “Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight,” and with that final word, I drifted into a sound sleep.

  Chapter 4

  Yes, I must really be crazy about this guy to have woken up this early for him after coming in from a late flight. We were at a diner in Medford, New Jersey. Wes had told me about it in the past. It was one of the restaurants he purchased after the bar became successful. To get me here, he practically yanked me out of bed and forced me in the shower to wake me up. Even that hadn’t seemed like enough though, so he crawled in with me and really gave me a good morning. After wrapping myself up in a thick sweater and scarf, I was ready to face the damp, cold weather outside.

  “This is really good,” the sensational taste of banana nut waffles made this trip totally worth it. I slathered it with butter and syrup, knowing I’d have to run for hours later to work this off. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever eaten.”

  “Isn’t it?” Wes pushed his empty plate away, and the waitress immediately collected it from our table. He had scarfed down a stack of pancakes with a side of bacon and sausage. It was like watching a lion devour an antelope. Nick was the same way. I didn’t understand men sometimes. There was no counting carbs for them. They could eat what they wanted, lift some weights, and stay looking perfectly fit. “What do you want to do today?”

  I sipped my coffee and then patted my mouth clean with my napkin, “Don’t you have work? I don’t want to keep you from anything. I was just thinking about going to the gym later. I haven’t seen my trainer in forever. I’m sure he’s pissed.”

  “You have a trainer?” Wes raised an eyebrow. “What does he train you in?”

  “Sometimes, I wonder if you ever listen to me,” I laughed, but I couldn’t blame him. I hadn’t visited my gym in so long that it was easy for anyone to forget that I actually worked out there. My time had been preoccupied lately though. “I took up kickboxing a while ago. I just haven’t made an appointment in a while for a session.”

  “How long have you been kickboxing?”

  I shrugged my shoulders, “Maybe a six months, I think. My dad thought it would be a good idea to help control my temper.”

  “Good, I’m not the only one who sees it,” he laughed. I smacked his arm in response. “See, you just proved my point.”

  “Kickboxing is really good for me. I think it’s the only thing that’s been truly affective,” I took one more big bite of food and then decided I was too full to eat anything else. “It helps me take control.”

  Something Wes didn’t know about me was that I used to take medication to help control my mood and temper. It was embarrassing though, and I hated admitting this to anyone. My doctor said it was nothing to be ashamed of, but I didn’t want to be known as the girl with problems, especially when my esteem was already so low.

  About six or seven months ago, I quit my medications pretty much altogether. They weren’t working as well as they once had, and I hated being so dependent on them. Since I had been taking medication for so long, I had already had to switch to new ones several times in the past.

  It was always such a draining process when one wore off, and I’d have to start experimenting with others to find something else that would work in the meantime. Sometimes the side-effects were exasperating, and then, I’d become immune to that down the road, too. I was done with the process, so once the withdrawal symptoms stopped, I stopped seeing my doctor, too, keeping this as a secret from both Nick and my dad. I knew they would be thoroughly against it, but I just wanted to live a normal life without relying on a pill to keep me somewhat sane for my daily activities.

  Now that I thought about it, that is probably why I loved doing coke so much. I was never truly addicted to it and knew my limitations. I could relish in a high without being shackled to it. That combined with a demanding workout schedule kept my endorphins pumping. For once in my life, I felt normal, but that was starting to wear off. I clearly wasn’t doing drugs anymore like I used to with the exception of the occasional slipup, and I hadn’t been working out as hard either. I needed to get back to kickboxing. I couldn’t risk falling into depression. It could be extremely dangerous for me.

  “I guess there are a few things I could catch up on. How about I drop you off at your gym and then you come over for dinner? I’ll make tacos.” That sounded fantastic even after I felt so full of waffles that I could burst.

  Wes ended up dropping me off at
my apartment, so I could change into a tank top and yoga pants. Once I got the gym, my trainer, Craig, eyed my physique. Without him saying a word, I already knew what he was thinking. Running had always been a passion of mine. It kept me lean, but Craig had a mission to bulk me up. He wanted to see muscles on my arms like the ones in the pictures I showed him from when I pitched in high school.

  He pinched at the sleeve of my shirt, raising my arm and glared at me. He shook his head, “Let’s get to work.”

  No amount of excuses worked with Craig, so I didn’t even bother explaining why I hadn’t been in the gym in so long. He had me doing pushups until I was soaking with sweat, and then I was on the bag, hitting until my knuckles were raw from the punishment. I lost count of how many sits ups and squats I’d done. Once I thought I was finished, he handed me a jump rope and told me to keep going until he came back. It was grueling.

  “How are you feeling?” Craig finally returned wearing a menacing grin on his face. If I thought I could, I’d knock him out for putting me through this hell.

  He threw me a water bottle, and I guzzled it down. After I caught my breath, I shook my head, “I feel like shit.”

  “Yeah, running doesn’t work out your muscles like a trip to my gym does. Does it?” I flipped him off while I chugged water until I got to the last drop. Although brutal, Craig was an excellent trainer. He knew my limitations and tested them. That’s what I needed. “You keep surprising me though, Ward. I never thought you’d make it through the workout. Have a good stretch and get out of here. Finish that water bottle. You were sweating a lot, and remember to get some proteins in. I expect to see you for another three sessions this week.”

  I nodded my head and started stretching as Craig left for the front desk to meet his next client, a chubby girl that always gave me dirty looks for no reason. I rolled my eyes and shook off her glare. Every joint in my body was stiff. My muscles felt rubbery, and I wanted to go to sleep. If it weren’t for all the other people hovering around me, I could just pass out right here on the padded, gym floor.