We fall silent again. He’s right, I know I need to let this go. But for some reason, I can’t control it.
“I don’t like you there without me, feeling like this.”
“You think I want to feel like this?” I snap. “You think I like feeling betrayed?”
“Lize.” He sighs sadly. “I didn’t betray you, babe, and I know how this sounds. I would be angry, too, if I were you. But I swear to God, there is nothing between Stephanie and me. I’m in love with you, and this all happened before we started. It’s purely platonic between her and me. I would never betray you.”
I hate sounding insecure and whiny, and I know I do. My eyes well with tears. What’s wrong with me? This isn’t who I am.
“I’ll call you tomorrow.” I sigh sadly.
“I love you.”
I frown through my tears. “Goodnight, Nathe.”
He stays on the line, unable to hang up.
“I love you,” he whispers again.
“I love you, too.” I sigh sadly. Before he can reply, I hang up the phone.
I exhale heavily and switch the television off. I can’t even stay mad at him.
Sleep, I need some sleep.
* * *
I walk into the breakfast restaurant, feeling a lot better with some sleep under my belt.
A new day and all that. “Morning.” I smile at Henry as I take a seat beside him.
“Hello,” He says as he butters his toast. “I should have gone to bed when you did last night,” He mutters dryly. “I’m suffering this morning.”
I giggle. “Sucked in. I feel great.”
He rolls his eyes.
“So, what’s today’s agenda?” I ask.
“God, do we have to go?” He sighs.
I giggle and pour myself a coffee from the pot. I look around the restaurant and notice a heap of men in business suits. Many have women with them that are in work clothes, too. “Are these people all from the plastic’s industry?”
He sips his coffee as he looks around the restaurant. “Pretty much.”
“Do you know everyone?” I ask as I serve myself breakfast from the platters.
“Yes, but if I don’t know them personally, I know who they are.”
“You come to conferences often?”
“There’s so many new developments in the industry that we have to constantly attend to be able to keep up.”
“Like products and things?”
“Yeah, and techniques. Take this afternoon, for example. It’s a surgical tutorial on a new method of lower rhytidectomy.”
“Neck lift?” I frown.
“Yeah. When someone is using a new method in surgery and getting good results, they are asked to give a class at one of these things. I imagine Nathan is always teaching at these. He’s very respected in his field.”
“He is,” I agree.
Nathan didn’t call me this morning like I thought he would, but he had his rounds so…
“Anyway, you have the afternoon off,” Henry says.
“I do?”
He smiles. “You do. Get a massage or whatever it is that women do in their spare time. But we have a dinner on tonight.”
“Where’s that?”
“It’s in the restaurant here-nothing fancy. Just drinks and dinner for opening night.”
“Okay.”
“There’s a black-tie ball on Friday night for closing of the conference, but I said we wouldn’t be attending. We both want to get home as soon as possible. These things are long enough, I’m happy when they’re over.”
I smile. “Okay, great. Sounds good.”
* * *
I take a look at myself in the mirror, I’m wearing black pants and a cream silk shirt. I didn’t feel right putting on a dress to go for drinks tonight. My hair is down and full, and my makeup is natural.
I had a wonderful afternoon. I had a massage and went shopping. It felt good to just be me for a while, with nothing to do. I put my phone into my bag and roll my eyes. Nathan still hasn’t called and I know he is waiting for me to call him.
I’ll get it over with. I dial his number, and he answers on the first ring.
“Hi, there,” he purrs, and I can tell that he’s smiling.
“Hi.” I smile at the sound of his deep voice.
“How was your day?”
“Good, I only had to be there in the morning. I had the afternoon off, so I had a massage and went shopping.”
“Ah, working hard, I see,” he teases.
“Yes.”
“What’s on tonight?” he asks.
See…. this is normal….. this is a normal conversation, why can’t he be so chill all the time?
“A welcome dinner.”
“Where is it?”
“Just here at the hotel.”
“Okay.”
I smile. It makes me miss him when he’s like this. “I’ll call you when I get home.”
“Okay, babe. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I hang up feeling happier, and I make my way down to the bar. It’s packed with people from the conference. Henry waves when he sees me. He’s standing with a group of people near the bar. I smile as I approach them.
“Hello, Eliza,” Henry says in a husky voice. Boy, is he tipsy already? How long have they been here? He turns to the men he is standing with. “This is my wonderful office manager, Eliza.”
“Hello, Eliza.” They all smile. Henry goes around and introduces me to everyone, and I shake all of their hands. They are all around Henry’s age or a little older. They are also heavy in conversation. Henry gets to the last man in the group. He’s very good-looking with dark hair. He’s tall and well built.
“And this is Zavier,” Henry introduces.
“Hello, Eliza.” He smiles as he shakes my hand. “Lovely to meet you.”
“Hi.” I smile. Zavier has a really lovely feel about him. I instantly feel at ease.
“Zavier is from San Fran, too,” Henry says.
“Oh, you are?” I smile.
Zavier holds his drink up. “Best city in the world.” He laughs.
“Actually, you might know Eliza’s boyfriend,” Henry says.
“Who’s that?” Zavier smiles.
“Nathan Mercer.”
Zavier’s brow furrows and his eyes come to me. “Nathan… Mercer?”
“Yes.” I smile.
“The heart surgeon?”
“Yes.” I chuckle. “That’s him.”
Everyone continues on their conversation, and Zavier raises his eyebrows, as if surprised.
“Do you know Nathan?” I ask.
“Um.” He pauses. “Yes, he… dated someone I know for a while.”
“Oh.” My eyes hold his. The only people who know who Nathan has dated in the past are the people he dated.
“How long have you been together?” Zavier asks.
“It’s only new; just recent.” I sip my drink.
He smiles as if relieved, and my stomach sinks.
Nathan has dated Zavier. I can feel it in my gut. “When did your friend date him?” I ask.
“Last year.”
“For long?” I ask.
“Couple of months.”
“Oh.” I force a smile feeling suddenly weirded out. Zavier is a beautiful looking man, and although I already knew it, the concrete evidence is hard to swallow. Nathan Mercer can literally have anyone he wants. Male or female. The thought is unsettling.
“He’s an excellent doctor.” Zavier smiles as if to change the subject.
“He is.” He rocks on his toes awkwardly.
I point to the bar. “I’m going to get a drink.”
“Okay.” He smiles. “Have fun.”