Chasing Him - Kat T. Masen Page 0,27
what you had to do.
Great. Now I feel like shit. I contemplate sending him a text, but with my brother watching me, I decide to send it later. He must have seen my face change and immediately starts questioning me.
“Something wrong?”
“Was just waiting on some news from a supplier,” I lie.
“What news?”
Nosy bastard. “About some new fabric. I’m tired, Lex.”
He tickles Andy and asks him if he wants a piggyback ride. Andy happily agrees, and before they have left the room, the last thing I remember is the click of the door.
It takes me four days to recover and get back into the routine of things. Andy is extremely clingy, which is understandable, so I decide to keep him home to spend some time with him. Getting back into our normal routine is a lot harder than I expected.
Julian hasn’t texted me after that, and I don’t know how to broach the subject. I miss him a lot, I know that much. I want the Julian I know, the one who sends me random texts in the middle of the night making me laugh in stitches. We both need space, I guess. The days I spent with him were surreal and feel like a dream. We were both on vacation. Now, the reality of every day is a different scenario altogether.
On Friday night, Charlie invites everyone for dinner. I’m not going to refuse since it’s Mexican-themed, and Charlie makes the meanest enchiladas I’ve ever tasted. Andy and Amelia busy themselves watching Nemo in the playroom, giving us adults some time to eat in peace.
Seated at the end of the table is Lex, beside him is Charlie, Rocky, and Nikki. Eric, Kate, and I sit on Lex’s other side, hogging all the cheese while Charlie places the food on the table. She swats our hands, but poor-mannered Eric sticks his finger into the cheese erupting in a mini argument.
“Have I told you lately how much I love LA?” Rocky says, chomping on a mouthful of food.
“You spent the day at the beach. All you did was look at fake tits,” Nikki huffed.
“Is that what you did at the beach?” Charlie turns to Lex.
Lex shoots Rocky a fierce glare. “I wasn’t involved in that.”
Rocky roars in laughter. “Dude, you were the one who pointed out that famous porn star.”
Our heads turn to Lex, who not even with his smart mouth can talk his way out of that one.
“Oooh, which one? Is it the one with all the tats and the piercings on her hoo-ha?” Eric asks.
“Yeah… which one, dear?” Charlie quizzes Lex.
He pulls Charlie into him. I turn away, not wanting to witness their display of affection. It only reminds me of what I don’t have.
“If you have something to say, you need to share it with the table,” Eric chides.
Lex begins to open his mouth, but Charlie covers it with the palm of her hand. “He doesn’t need to share it. Besides, you’re eating tacos, Eric. Need I say more?”
“Dirty bastard.” Eric turns to Lex. “Lucky we aren’t eating fish tacos.”
“Did I tell you about the time in college when I dated this girl, and her beaver smelled like—”
“Oh my God, Rocky, we’re eating,” Charlie moans. “And yes, you’ve told us that story before. You still have the full feast despite feeling like you were deep-sea diving in the docks.”
Everyone at the table laughs, including Nikki. My laughter is short-lived as everyone happily chats away. I find myself spiraling into a funk, and the worst part yet, I can’t even vent. Except with Eric, only now noticing that Tristan is absent.
“Where’s Tristan?” I whisper to Eric.
“Oh, he had um… some errands to do.”
“At eight o’clock in the evening?”
He nods, then swiftly changes the subject.
The sound around me drowns out as I swirl the food on my plate, unable to concentrate on anything but Julian. Why hasn’t he called me?
“You okay?” Charlie mouths over the table.
“Just tired,” I lie again.
Kate wipes her mouth, directing her conversation to me. “So, Adriana, tell us all about your trip to Sydney.”
All heads turn my way. Lex places his fork down, giving me his undivided attention.
“It’s a beautiful country. The weather is warm, and the people are friendly. The shop I looked at was to die for, just waiting on Charlie to read the fine print, and if all is well, I’m ready to sign.”
“What else did you do?” Charlie asks.
Julian, I want to say. My sadistic side is laughing like a lunatic at the thought.
“Spent