by Leddy Harper
I held my breath the entire time the dots danced on the screen, indicating that she was typing out a response. The longer they bounced, the higher my heart rate climbed. And by the time her blue speech bubble popped up, I was on the verge of a heart attack.
Tasha Lewis: That makes sense. It doesn’t mean that I’m any less hurt than I was before, but I do understand what you’re saying. And I can even agree with that. My sister would lie to her own shadow if she thought she’d gain anything from it. But you do know now that I wasn’t making any of this up, right? Do you believe that I’m not Tiffany, or do you still question that?
Me: I believe you.
And I did. I never truly thought that she’d spent the last month and a half lying to me; that was just something the voices of my past tried to convince me of. And by the time she finally called, my head was so twisted that I didn’t know which way was up. However, I couldn’t explain that to her. If I tried, it would look like I was contradicting what I’d said before, and I didn’t need to give her another reason to doubt me.
Tasha Lewis: Thank you. I appreciate that. What are your plans for the weekend?
Me: Now that you’re busy with what’s his face, I guess I should use the opportunity to get all the landscaping done around my sister’s place. She’s only been asking me to do it for months. This seems like the perfect time to do something that’ll occupy my mind for a bit.
It was true; I needed something to keep my mind off what Tasha would be doing with Adam. Not that I thought Tasha would get too cozy with her sister’s fiancé, but they would have to act in a way that would convince others that they were together.
The other issue I had with this whole thing was the fact that I didn’t know Adam. I had no idea what type of guy he was. For all I knew, Tiffany had stepped out on him because he’d set the precedence first. And it’s obvious that he found Tiffany attractive, so there was no reason he wouldn’t feel the same about Tasha. Honestly, it was impossible to differentiate between the two in pictures.
However, I’d pretty much just told Tasha that I trusted her, and this would be my chance to prove that to her. So to make it through the stressful weekend I had ahead of me, I’d have to give my sister the yard of her dreams. The things she needed done would take me one day, if that. I needed something to occupy two full days, from sunup to sundown, which meant Jessa and Marcus were about to get the works.
My phone chimed with one last text from Tasha.
Tasha Lewis: Well, if you can, keep your phone on you, or at least check it from time to time. I’m sure I’m going to need your voice of reason to get me through this stupid event tomorrow. G'night Jacoby.
I smiled as I replied with: goodnight to you too, Tasha, followed by a purple heart emoji.
“You’re such an idiot,” Jessa said with a laugh and dramatic eye roll.
I finished packing the soil around a freshly planted hibiscus shrub and then leaned back on my haunches to look at her. Her only job today was to keep me hydrated and offer me a little bit of company, not sit around and call me names like we were kids. “We’ve established this already, but thanks for your valuable input.”
“Sorry, Coby. I just don’t see why you’re stressing about this.”
“Any fool can see that this plan Tiffany concocted will blow up in their faces. I can’t afford to be around when that bomb detonates. That’s what I’m stressing about.” I continued to dig another hole to transplant another shrub from the pot to the ground.
“You’re being incredibly selfish, do you know that? You’re worried about the very unlikely chance that you’ll somehow be involved if this plan of theirs falls apart. You’re completely removed from the situation, so how do you think you’ll be impacted? The one you should be concerned about is Tasha. She’s the one who’ll be crucified for her sister’s sins.”
Jessa made a valid point, which annoyed me. She was always putting things into perspective for me, which I always appreciated after the fact, but sometimes I wondered what it would be like to hear her take my side on things.
“I get that you’re paranoid of the media; I am too,” she continued in a softer, more sympathetic tone. “But I don’t understand how any of this could possibly affect you. During a time when Tasha needs you the most, you’re contemplating adding more distance between the two of you. That just doesn’t make any sense.”
I’d still had trouble falling asleep after texting with Tasha last night. There were way too many things crossing my mind to allow me to rest. And by the time I got up this morning, I’d decided that the best course of action was to give her some space to deal with Tiffany’s drama. However, it seemed that my sister disagreed with me.
“If the press gets wind of Tiffany’s infidelity, what’s the first thing they’re going to do?” I held Jessa’s stare, waiting for her to respond. When she didn’t, I carried on with my argument. “They’re going to start digging to find more skeletons. And what do you think will happen to me if the paparazzi come around and snap photos of her leaving my place or me leaving hers?”
Jessa nodded, but she took a moment before saying anything. “I get that, Coby. I honestly do. But it’s not like they’ll just appear out of thin air. You’ll know ahead of time if that’s the case. You’ve played it by ear, taking it one day at a time since the beginning, so why put on the brakes now?”
“What do you suggest I do? Wait it out and hope I don’t wind up on the front cover of a tabloid?” I was fully aware of how paranoid I was, but that didn’t mean I could snap my fingers and break the spell that I’d been under ever since I was twelve years old.
“I suggest that you continue to take it day by day until there’s a good enough reason to let her go. Pulling away too early is more damaging than playing it by ear. Doing so, you run the risk of nothing happening yet losing her for good anyway. Sticking around at least gives you the chance to explore a relationship after this is all over. And that’s what you want, right?”
“Yeah,” I said quietly, almost to myself. “You’re right…like always.”
“That shouldn’t come as a surprise, really.” She laughed and took a glance around her front yard. Gesturing to the trays of potted plants and shrubs that still needed to be placed into the ground, she asked, “You’re really going to do all of this by tomorrow night?”
Jessa seriously underestimated how badly it bothered me to think of Tasha pretending to be engaged to Adam. “That’s the plan.”
“Well, then I guess I better make more lemonade, huh?”
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
With a smile, Jessa headed inside, leaving me alone to be haunted by my thoughts.
17
Tasha
I’d never suffered much from anxiety, yet right now, I could’ve used a handful of Xanax.
It was the grand opening of Seven, the newest high-end steakhouse on the outskirts of town, where the majority of the rich lived. Trent and Nicole Rigger were major investors, so they had invited us all—cameras included—to the soft opening. To make matters worse, all the ladies brought their husbands, which meant that Michael Yates, Jeannine’s husband, and the man my sister supposedly cheated on Adam with was here.
The part that struck me as odd, though, was how Michael only looked at me a couple of times, never longer than a glance. So either my sister was telling the truth when she said their affair was over, or she had told him what was going on. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tiff had informed him of everything; that was pretty much the only way to cover her tail. That also meant the affair was likely still going on.
I just wanted somewhere to hide until the event ended.
“I’m really shocked to see Adam here,” Shari said as she sidled up next to me along the far wall. Nothing about her gave me the impression that she was digging for information or trying to create drama. She genuinely seemed sincere in her observation. “I didn’t think he was interested in being on the show.”
I just smiled and regurgitated
what Ty had told me to say. “He isn’t, but it was either come with me to this or be alone for most of the day. And he certainly didn’t come all the way to surprise me just to spend the time by himself.”
“Where’s he been?”
This question was a little more challenging, because I really wasn’t sure what Adam had been doing this whole time. While I assumed he’d spent a good amount of his time in Mexico with Tiff, I couldn’t very well tell them that, and I wasn’t entirely sure about the rest of his time. So I gave a one-shoulder shrug and played it off like it was no big deal. “Training mostly.”
“Is he excited for the new season?”
I figured a nod would suffice, so that’s what I gave her.
Thankfully, Adam came over, saving me from the innocent interrogation. I was thrilled at first, but that quickly faded when more and more of the group made their way to us. I’d chosen to stand against the far wall to keep away from the crowd; unfortunately, that didn’t work out so well for me. Before I knew it, Shari’s husband had joined us, followed by Lauren and her husband. Just as long as Jeannine and Michael stayed far away, I’d be fine.
While Adam wowed everyone with his tales from the field, I slipped away to get something to drink. So far, I’d managed to avoid alcohol while filming. Not that I wasn’t allowed or that anyone was worried I’d slip up if I became tipsy. Avoiding it had been my idea. Given a choice, I would’ve enjoyed an ale, but considering Tiffany was too good for beer, that option was off-limits. And while I didn’t mind liquor, it had a tendency to hit me harder, and the last thing I wanted was to be intoxicated on camera. So, needless to say, I’d avoided it altogether.
But not today.
I needed a drink, and I needed it to be strong.
I had no idea what the bartender had given me, but it was fruity and barely tasted of alcohol whatsoever. Once I finished it—which didn’t take me long—I asked for another. Unfortunately, I was halfway through the second one when I began to feel the effects of the first.
“Hey, girl.” Nicole startled me when she came up from behind and touched my elbow. In hindsight, it probably had more to do with the situation and the liquor than actually being taken by surprise. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“I really am, thank you for inviting us. I just can’t get over how nice this place is.” Apparently, being tipsy made me forget that I had to be rude. Oh well, they could only ask so much of me and expect to get it.
“Just wait until you try the food. It took them almost a year to get the head chef to agree to come here. He’s unbelievably amazing in the kitchen.”
“Speaking of food…when will that be? If I don’t get something in my stomach now, someone’s going to have to peel me off the floor. Whatever this is”—I held up my glass that was half-filled with a pink liquid—“can knock anyone on their heinie.”
Nicole seemed a little uncomfortable when she giggled. “I don’t mean to be rude or anything, Tiffany, but I kind of prefer you more after a couple of these cocktails.”
“I’m sure you’re not the only one who feels that way.” I knew I’d get an earful about this later, but right now, I didn’t care. I had too many other things to worry about than being a nasty chib to everyone.
“Well, you’ll be happy to know that the food will be served shortly.”
She wasn’t wrong. Ten minutes later, we were all asked to take our seats, which had been assigned ahead of time. Adam and I made our way to a round table in the middle of the room. We were the first ones there, leaving the remaining four chairs open. My heart hammered away in my chest as I waited for those seats to be filled.
Jeannine and Michael approached us with their name cards in their hands. “Oh, thank God it’s you guys. I was so worried I’d have to sit with people I don’t know. There’s nothing more awkward than finding things to talk about with people I’ve never met before,” Jeannine said as she took the seat next to me, Michael taking the one on the other side of her.
As if sharing the table with the man my sister had slept with and his wife—who happened to be one of the sweetest, nicest people in the entire world—wasn’t bad enough, the other two chairs were quickly occupied by none other than Serenity and whoever she brought with her. Honestly, I didn’t care enough about her to even learn if she was married, engaged, dating…anything. I wasn’t interested in learning anything personal about her.
It was small talk while the appetizers were passed around. Adam knew enough about the situation—well, minus the fact that it was true—to be on alert during lunch. He seemed a little fidgety, but it didn’t appear to be noticeable to anyone else. Jeannine and I carried on a conversation between us about the restaurant and décor while Serenity’s date talked Adam’s ear off about sports. From what I could tell, Michael listened to their conversation as a spectator, and Serenity observed everyone around the table in silence. That was the part that worried me the most. It was almost like she was plotting my demise.
Still, the main courses for lunch came and went with no issue. Serenity even participated in our table’s discussions about the food, atmosphere, the chef, and the menu. I began to relax a little, even though I knew we still had dessert to get through.
Regardless of how full we all were, everyone was served a small bowl of fresh berries alongside one scoop of ice cream that was clearly made in house. I’d just tasted a bit of the frozen treat, trying to figure out what flavor it was when I heard Serenity say, “I think it’s wonderful that you all can be together like this despite the rumors going around.”
Adam and I stared across the table, likely waiting for the other one to react first. Except Jeannine beat us to it. “What do you mean? What rumors?”
“Oh, about Tiffany and Michael having an affair.” The way she said it was akin to the way someone would mention the weather. Very nonchalant, as if completely unaffected by it. Then she waved us off with a coy smile and breathy giggle. “You know how things get spread around this crowd.”
Jeannine turned to her husband, then glanced at me before settling her attention on Michael again. “What rumor?”
Feeling the need to step in, I patted her thigh under the table and leaned toward her. I wanted her to feel as if I were solely talking to her while making sure the entire table could hear me. “Think about the credibility of the source. That’ll tell you all you need to know, but to ease your mind, I swear on everything I own that I’ve never slept with your husband.”
Even though I didn’t want to cover for my sister, I couldn’t sit there and do nothing while a woman’s heart was on the verge of breaking. Did I think she had the right to know the truth? Absolutely. But I didn’t think it needed to be a public matter, played out in front of the cameras. This was something that could be dealt with in private, which was why I steadfastly denied it all.
“Then why did my friend see your car at their house if Jeannine claims you’ve never been there prior to the other night?” Serenity just wouldn’t let it go—not that I’d expected her to. I guess I hoped she’d at least back off a little.
“Like I’ve already told you, I have no idea. I can’t explain that because it wasn’t me.”
“So you’ve said, except everyone knows you’re the only one with—”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m the only one who drives that car.” I couldn’t even say what it was, other than something that cost more than most houses. “I don’t have an explanation, because I don’t know anything about it.”
Serenity crossed her arms with her elbows set on the table and turned to face Michael, who was sat right next to her. “Do you know anyone who drives a Bugatti Chiron?”
All eyes were on Michael. Since I literally knew nothing about him, I had no idea how he was at lying on the spot. I hoped for the best but prepared for the worst. There were two incredible people at this table who would be devastated by the truth, and because of that, I just wanted it to go away.
Unfortunately, Michael didn’t do anything to help. But at least he
didn’t do anything to hurt the situation, either. “No one that I can think of off the top of my head. Maybe it was an interior designer, I don’t know. We had several people in and out while we were fixing up the place. Right, honey?” he asked, turning to Jeannine to back him up.
Which, of course, she did. “I don’t know what you’re trying to gain from this, Serenity, but whatever it is, you won’t get it. Tiffany denied being at my house, Mike just explained the car being there, and it seems you’re the only person who’s heard this rumor. I refuse to play along.”
“I’m just the only one who’ll bring it to your attention, Jeannine. That doesn’t mean others haven’t heard about it. Trust me, plenty of people have been talking about it. I’ve seen pictures of them both coming out of a hotel. It’s kind of hard to explain that.”
“Until I see those pictures, I don’t believe you.”
Without responding to Jeannine, Serenity pulled her phone out of her purse, as if waiting for this very moment. She didn’t even have to search long before locating the photos in question. However, she refused to hand over her cell. Instead, she held it out for everyone at the table to see at the same time.
On the screen were two side-by-side images of the entrance to a building. It could’ve been a hotel, but it could’ve also been a grocery store. Since I didn’t know the area too well, I couldn’t be sure what building it was. However, after staring at the picture long enough without anyone else pointing out the nondescript entrance, I assumed that it was at least a recognizable landmark.
“Those are two different pictures.” It seemed Adam finally woke up and joined us in this debate. “You’ve got Michael in one and Tiff in the other. They aren’t together, so I don’t know what you think this proves, but it doesn’t even insinuate an affair.”