Crushing on my Billionaire Best Friend - Jolie Day Page 0,22
were delivered. I also got a cute, pink shirt for Lisa (she loved pink and rocked it!), and a pair of fluffy house shoes for Oliver. I bought matching ones for myself. I seriously thought of pink furry bunnies, but I figured Oliver wouldn’t wear them. It’d be freaking funny, though, if only for the pictures I’d take!
I thanked Natalie profusely (for real this time), and she handed me her business card on my way out. After our little chat, she’d been such a huge help, I’d definitely be going back.
I settled on a park bench with my bags in tow, sucked in a deep breath, and dialed the number I was dreading the most.
“Hi, Dad.”
“Elaine! Great to hear from you! It’s been long enough. I’ve been worried about you.”
“I just called you last week.” I sighed. “Listen, Dad…I need to tell you something.”
His voice dropped to a dead-serious tone. “What is it? Where are you? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I promise you I’m safe…and I’m fine. Okay?” I said slowly. “I need you to tell me you understand before I say anything else.”
“But Laney…”
“Dad! I know how you are. So, please. Just say you’re hearing me when I say, ‘everything is fine.’”
There was a long pause before he finally replied, “Okay. I’m hearing you. Now…go on.” I could hear the tension in his voice as he tried to contain his freak-out before he even knew what was up.
“There was a small…very small, tiny…insignificant,” I squinched my fingers in the air as if that would help. He couldn’t even see me, “fire in my apartment,” I blurted the last words out in a jumbled mess, hoping he both could and couldn’t make them out.
“What was that? Honey, I couldn’t—”
“My apartment caught fire, and I lost everything,” I croaked, ripping it off quickly like a Band-Aid.
“Laney! Are you okay? Are you safe? Oh, my God! Come home! I knew you should have stayed here all along and—”
“Dad! Dad! Listen to me. Remember what I said? I’m fine. I’m okay. I’m safe. I wasn’t even there when it happened, and I’m staying at Oliver’s.”
I heard him exhale over the line. “Phew, okay. I’m glad you’re with Oliver. He has always taken such good care of you.” There was a suggestive rise in his tone—one that I was all too familiar with. My dad had been banking on the two of us tying the knot since high school. That dream had yet to come true for either of us.
“Well, actually, Daddy, I would say I’m taking care of myself just fine. But yes, Oliver is a good friend, and everything is all right. I just wanted to let you know what was going on, and I’ll call you back later.”
I tried to get off the phone as quick as I could, but of course he put me through the ringer before he would let that happen. Was I eating? (Had he ever seen me not eating when I was supposed to?) Had I heard from NYU yet? (I wished! Soon, hopefully!) He wished I wouldn’t work so much (same, but I truly loved it). He wished I would just come back home to live until Oliver and I came to our senses and walked down the aisle. (Universe, hi there, it’s me. Yep, still me. I know you’re probably kinda busy, but can you listen to my dad on this one? Only the walking down the aisle part, though. Thanks! Bye.) My head was spinning by the time I was finally able to hang up, and I swore I heard him spring one final question as I disconnected the call. One that I would pretend I was oblivious to. “Are you and Oliver sleeping together?” Dear God in heaven. Glad I hung up.
I was feeling amazing by the time I made it back to Oliver’s apartment. The call to my dad had gone much better than expected, even with his interrogation. And the shopping! Who knew it would be so freaking exciting? I couldn’t wait to tell Lisa what happened when she returned from her trip. It was so freeing and exhilarating. It felt like finally, something was going right for me. My confidence had soared today. I’d stood up for myself, and I was proud of the outcome. But, after the long day I’d had, I wanted nothing more than to curl up on Oliver’s big comfy couch with a glass of wine and laugh at stupid movies with my old friend.