Keeping Secrets in Seattle - By Brooke Moss Page 0,65
sighed contentedly. “You are too good to me.”
“Only because I love you,” he said.
“I love you, too.”
I hung up my cell phone and stood in place, relishing in the warm fuzzy that talking to Landon gave me.
The day after our fight in the Indian restaurant, he’d taken the day off work and brought flowers and a picnic into The Funky Fox for me. We’d spent my lunch hour on the top of the building looking out over Capitol Hill while we ate gourmet cheeses and a baguette. The notion of loving someone and someone loving me back fit me like a toasty sweater. Landon was just what I needed.
Kim knocked on my bedroom door. “Are you ready?”
I scooted off the edge of my bed and opened my door. “Yup. Ready.”
Kim and Betsy were standing there, all gussied up.
“Lookin’ good, Violet,” Kim said.
I put on my earrings as I shuffled past them in my vintage dark-purple dress. “You two look great.”
“Well, it’s not every night we’re invited to the philharmonic.” Betsy smoothed down her blouse.
I swallowed back the wad of guilt that was rapidly expanding in my throat and ducked into the kitchen to hide.
Okay. So Kim and Betsy didn’t exactly know why I suddenly asked them to go with me to a Seattle philharmonic performance. And well, Landon didn’t know the real reason I told him that I needed a girls’ night with my roomies. So I was technically lying to three of my favorite people in the world, and I totally realized how horrible that made me. I intended to tell Kim and Betsy the truth after I had a chance to speak to Gabe. I knew that I was asking for it, but I simply couldn’t help myself. Gabe needed to know everything about Alicia before he made the biggest mistake of his life. And my secret about Cameron needed to come out once and for all. No more pussyfooting around.
“So are we going or what?” Kim’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Let’s go,” I said. “Our tickets are waiting for us at the box office.”
“I’m so excited. This is going to be fun,” Betsy squealed as we bounded down the stairs. “It’s time for a little culture. You sure you don’t want us to pay you back for the tickets?”
Shaking my head, I said, “No way. It’s my treat.” I excluded the fact that I’d had to put it on my credit card—the same credit card that my overpriced bridesmaid dress went on.
Kim laughed. “Well, thank you. I just hope the three of us can keep it civilized for two hours.”
“I’m sure we can.” I followed them out of our building. “We’ll have to go to The Lotus afterward to act like our normal wild selves.”
Betsy gave me a sideways glance. “You just want to cut loose with the girls before Landon whisks you away for the romantic weekend.”
I grinned contentedly. “Maybe.”
Kim looped her arms through both of ours. “You guys are getting serious, huh?”
I swallowed. “You could say that.”
“He’s a good guy. This is so much better than sitting around pining for Mr. Playa Gabe Parker.” Betsy scoffed, her vintage heels clicking on the sidewalk.
“Well, I guess, but—”
Betsy gave me a pointed look. “But nothing. This is good. Let it ride.”
“She’s gonna let it ride all over their hotel room.” Kim winked at me.
My cheeks blazed. “Good grief.”
“Landon is a catch. This is a good thing. Let it happen.” Betsy bumped me on my other side. “Go away with him this weekend and forget about everything…and everyone. Including You Know Who.”
I looked down. I didn’t want to discuss my romantic weekend getaway with Landon just before I saw Gabe. It didn’t feel right. We approached Betsy’s car, and I hopped into the backseat, tuning out the sound of Kim’s chatter.
The performance hall was overflowing with people when we arrived and retrieved our tickets from the box office. We found our seats with just moments to spare before the lights went down, and a hush fell over the audience.
I scanned the crowd in the dark for a sign of either Gabe or Alicia, examining the back of each head for Gabe. The orchestra struck up its opening number, and I decided that I wasn’t going to find him sitting down, so I whispered to Kim that I needed to use the restroom and stood.
“What?” She grabbed my hand. “It’s just starting. You’re going to miss it.”
I squeezed her fingers to reassure her. “Bathroom emergency. I’ll be back.”