into the black abyss.
“Yeah.” God, she needed to get off the phone. Guilt washed over her like a mudslide down the Appalachians. Any minute now, she’d need to hurl. Violently. With gusto. No, she hadn’t relished lying for cheaters, but all in all, lying to strangers hadn’t seemed so bad. Lying to someone who’d been her best friend as a teenager, on the other hand, was a different story entirely.
“I’m glad to hear it’s a reputable business. When Erika told me she had to spend a week in Tampa to train for her new job, I admit I had my doubts about whether the company was on the up-and-up. She has a tendency to act first and think later.”
I’ll say. She’s definitely not thinking now, or she’d be truthful with you.
“Glad to help,” Colette said, her insides churning miserably. Lying to Bill Brannon hadn’t been on her list of things to do today. Hadn’t been on the list of things to do this lifetime, truth be told, and she was ready for it to be over. And was he going to bring up the last time they saw each other?
Amy touched her hand. “It’s just one week,” she whispered. “And she’s really in love.”
As if that would make Colette feel better.
She decided to keep the charade moving and get off the phone before they traipsed down memory lane. “If you need to contact her, you can call the number I gave you.”
It’s completely bogus, you’ll be talking to me and I’ll be lying through my teeth. But, yeah, call it. And pray for me, by the way. I need all the help I can get.
“Wait. Lettie?”
Why the devil wasn’t he hanging up the phone? Probably because they’d been so close before and hadn’t talked in, oh, twelve years. Surely he’d want to play catch-up, even if their last conversation had been less than pleasant.
“I’m leaving Sheldon, Bill. I have to.” She took his hand and held it tightly. “And I—I don’t think of you that way. You’re my friend.”
And his response . . .
“It’s not enough.” Then he slid his hand from her grasp . . . and walked away.
“Lettie?” the deep voice on the phone repeated.
She swallowed. “Yeah?”
“How are you?”
How was she? She was making a living lying for frauds, one of which was his niece. In other words, she was pretty dang crummy, thank you very much.
“I’m fine,” she said. Another lie. What was one more now?
“That’s good. I always hoped you’d end up happy, with everything you ever wanted.”
Guilt, a mighty heavy emotion. Right now, she’d estimate its weight at two tons and climbing. She knew the truth. Her years at Sheldon could’ve been sheer hell if Bill hadn’t been there, the shoulder for her to cry on when her mother’s reckless antics had caused those telltale whispers whenever Colette neared. In response, she’d smiled, flirted, acted as though it didn’t matter. But it did. And she had dreamed of the day she could leave. Start a new life and pave the way for her sister.
The day after she graduated, she did. But in following her plan, she left behind the two people she cared about most. Amy . . . and Bill.
“I guess I’ll let you go now,” she said, while Amy sat beside her with her hand over her mouth.
“Lettie?”
Colette closed her eyes. Why did that name sound so sweet when coming from his mouth? She’d always thought “Lettie” held a hint of sordidness. But with Bill, it sounded almost angelic.
“Yeah?”
“Do you ever get to Atlanta? Does your work at Integrated Solutions put you traveling at all?”
Her eyes slowly opened. “Atlanta?”
Well, sure she got to Atlanta. Every day. When she drove down Interstate 85 toward the My Alibi office in Marietta. Or when she bought her groceries. Or when she slept in her apartment. Yep, she sure enough got to Atlanta.
“Right. You ever travel here?” he repeated.
“Sometimes.” Shoot, she was already heading to hell in a handbasket. What was another fabrication filling the lining?
“Next time you’re coming to town, give me a call. We could get together for old times’ sake. You know, go out to dinner or take in a show. The Fox Theatre puts on quite a few Broadway productions throughout the year.” He paused, while her heart started a slow, steady thump; then he exhaled thickly. “We shouldn’t have let things end like that.”
Colette smiled, recognizing the tone of her teenage friend in the husky male voice. He was right, after all.