Tell Me No Lies

by C. Morgan/Chloe Morgan

  I had to call the guys, but when I walked to their rooms, they were not around. I decided that while waiting on my flight, I should reset that fucking camera app.

  I got it up and running, and the first thing I got was an alert. I watched the stored footage of the bitch doing her damage. She not only broke her way into the house through the side window, but she had gone all through the house, including my daughter’s room.

  Thank God she wasn’t home. I still couldn’t believe my parents had headed back without telling me. But I should have warned them about Heather being out. I had made the decision not to, and if I had, then maybe they wouldn’t be on their way back. It was too dangerous for my daughter, and I could only hope that my father wouldn’t think he could handle her on his own.

  As I finished with the app, I heard a commotion outside. Was it the guys returning? I hurried out to find Nick and Rylen, but Clay wasn’t anywhere to be found.

  “Hey, I’m going home,” I said.

  Nick froze in his tracks. “What happened? Is it your parents? Mila?”

  “No, it’s Heather. She trashed my fucking house last night looking for her. The neighbors called my parents, who are on their way back home already.”

  Nick’s eyes widened. “Shit, you don’t think Heather would hurt them, do you?”

  “To get to Mila, anything is possible. I just can’t believe I didn’t notice my fucking house alarm app needed updating or else I’d have seen this last night.” I took the phone and held it up to show them the footage.

  “Damn,” said Rylen. “That’s fucking bad.”

  “Where’s Clay? I wanted to tell him that I’m going home. He’s expecting us to fly back together in a couple of days.”

  “We’ll tell him if you leave before he gets back, but honestly, I’m not sure where he is.”

  “I’ll call him,” I said, dialing his number.

  Nick frowned. “Man, I’m sorry about all of this. And just when you and Tara were hitting it off. That went well, didn’t it?”

  “Yeah, it was perfect until my parents called. Look, man. I have to leave in less than an hour. I should get my shit together and go see Grady on my way to the airport.”

  “I’ll ride along,” said Nick.

  “Me too,” said Rylen. “We’ll see you off.”

  “Thanks.” It was nice to know I could depend on my friends, even if I couldn’t depend on Tara.

  I felt horrible that I had kept Mila from her, and from then on, I vowed to never hold back from her again, if I could ever get her back.

  First things first, I had to make sure Heather didn’t get away with what she’d done.

  Chapter 26

  Tara

  I hurried from the restaurant and back to my house, where I turned up the music and went on a cleaning spree that would make a germaphobe proud.

  I had to get him out of my head, and the only way to do that was to work through everything that had happened between Zane and me. Then I could accept that it wasn’t going to happen again.

  Not only had he broken my heart, but he had lied to me. There had been some secret he’d been holding on to, and just when he was getting the balls to tell me, he had to take off? I wasn’t buying it. I had a feeling he’d had one of his stupid friends call and try to make something up so he could bail on me.

  I should have known from the start that he was too much for me, too good to be with me, and out of my league.

  I wiped away my tears and kept dusting, taking aside each and every little item in my house, which surprisingly was much more than I’d realized, and wiping them clean.

  With each new item, I thought of the ways I liked him, and I dissected them, picking apart what must have been the truth all along.

  He had to be in a relationship.

  What else could have him rushing back home in such an angered state? All of those precious, sweet things he’d said to me were just to get into my panties.

  And I had fallen for it. I was so stupid to think it could have been real. Las Vegas romances rarely were.

  Just as I was about to kick the walls down and live in the back alley, I decided I needed to get out of there. I grabbed my bathing suit and sunscreen and hurried out to the car. I was going to get in some fun if it killed me.

  I drove the short distance to the Golden Flower and went directly to the pool. I found my favorite spot and tried to think of anything but Zane as the sun beat down on me.

  I put on some sunscreen, and it was a good thing. I ended up falling asleep, and it wasn’t until I heard Karen’s voice that I roused.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” she asked, taking to her chair. “I came here to sulk, and I didn’t think I’d find you here. Where’s Zane?”

  I made a face, and her eyes lit as if she understood. “What did he do? Do you want me to go kick his ass? Because I will.”

  “He’s gone.” I waved my hand dismissively as if it wasn’t a big deal.

  “Gone? Oh, he had to leave today, or did something else happen?”

  I debated playing it off as if nothing was wrong, and he hadn’t broken my heart. “Both,” I said, not sure if I could talk about him without crying.

  Karen sighed. “You’re going to have to explain. What happened, Tara? Did he hurt you?”

  “Just my heart,” I said. “He wasn’t who I thought he was. It turns out he had some secret he needed to tell me. And he got this call from his parents, and he took off. I’m so stupid. The way he talked to me last night—calling me baby and telling me how pretty I was and how he didn’t want it to end—it was all a lie.”

  “What a dick,” she said. “So what was the big secret?”

  “I don’t know, and I don’t care. He got a call and had to take it privately. He said it was his parents, but who knows?”

  Karen grumbled. “Why do men do shit like tell lies, knowing we’re going to learn the truth sooner or later?”

  “Why do they wait until we love them to spring the truth on us? Why not let me down days ago?”

  “I’m so sorry,” she said. “You love him?”

  “Sadly, I do. It’s okay. I’ll be fine. I just have to get him out of my system.”

  “The best way to do that is to start dating someone else. Fall off one horse, and you get back on another. Which is why I’m going to go out tonight and find me another man.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s not how that saying goes, and I thought you were happy with the latest tourist?”

  She rolled her eyes. “He was a liar too. Turns out, he’s not rich, he’s married, and he has kids.”

  “Poor kids. They’ll be the ones to suffer.” I hated to see kids dragged into the middle of adult problems. I’d lived my entire childhood that way.

  “Poor kids? Poor me.” She flagged the waiter and ordered herself a drink. “Do you want anything? It’s on me.”

  “No, thanks. I seriously can’t think about food or eating or anything. I just miss him already.”

  “You miss the idea of him, that fake idea you had of who he was. He’s not that person and never was.”

  No, he hadn’t been. Was any part of what he told me true? “Then I’ll be mad at myself for falling for a fake person.”

  “Hell no, you be angry with him today. But you go out with me tonight. We’ll find you another man.” She patted me on the leg like it was all set, and that was how it should be. Like I was just supposed to move onto another man like I hadn’t ever met Zane.

  But Karen didn’t get it. “I don’t want another man. I want Zane. He said he’d call me, and I told him he didn’t have to. I’ll probably never hear from him again, and if so, it’s my own fault.”

  “Longing for him isn’t healthy. You just determined he’s a liar, a bad guy, and yet, you miss him.”

  I knew she wouldn’t get it. She moved from man to man as often as she shaved her legs. “Leave me alone. I’m not used to this.” He had really made me fall for him.

  “Fine,” she said, cl
osing her eyes. “I’m going to soak up some sun. You sit there and cry, and it will all be a memory soon enough.”

  We stayed in the sun for a while longer in silence as I thought of how final things were. Over and done, just like that.

  My phone rang, catching my attention. I held my breath as I glanced at it, and I nearly tossed it in the pool when I saw Ben’s name across the screen. “Dammit.”

  I didn’t know whether to ignore him or not. If he wanted me to work, I could use the distraction and the money.

  “Who is it?” asked Karen. “Is it him?”

  “No, it’s Ben. He’s probably calling me into work, and I just don’t know if I want to.”

  “Tell him no.” She made a face and adjusted her sunglasses to stare at a man across the pool. He was older and balding but had a nice body.

  “I don’t know. I may just go in and get the extra money. I could use it for rent.”

  “No,” said Karen. “Take the day to heal. Besides, you don’t want to run into Zane while he’s leaving.”

  “He’s probably already gone.” My phone stopped ringing, and I let out a breath, realizing I’d just missed the opportunity to earn money. Zane really had messed me up.

  “Let’s find out if he’s left,” she said. “What name is his room under?”

  “Zane Ballard, maybe? I not sure. It was one of the special suites, and his friend paid for it.” Unless that too was a lie. Who knew what Zane had lied about? If that was, in fact, his real name. Maybe it was something else, and his friends had all used aliases.

  Karen called the front desk anyway. We knew the lady who worked it, and Karen came right out and asked her about it. “Did a man from the special suites check out this morning?” She went quiet, waiting on the woman’s response. “I see, thanks.”

  She ended the call and gave me an apologetic look. “She said he checked out about twenty minutes ago. I’m sorry, Tara. I know you really liked him.”

  “It’s okay. I just gave him my virginity and my heart. It’s not like I married him.”

  “It’s bullshit. He stole them both with his lies. You deserve better.”

  My phone began to ring again. “It’s Ben. He’s not giving up. I should just answer it. What’s the worst it could be? Do I have to go to work? It isn’t as painful as losing Zane.”

  Karen shook her head. “You didn’t lose him. He missed out. You dodged a bullet. Think of it as a good thing. You know better now. And if he does call you, you can tell him off.”

  I gave her a hard look and answered the call. “Hey, Ben. What’s going on?”

  “I need you to come up here this evening for the dinner crew,” he said in a demanding voice. “Melinda is sick, and you’re the only one I know who can hustle the way she can.”

  “Okay, fine.” I needed the money too badly to turn down the chance. As tired as I was, I had no choice but to work when called. “But I am not staying after closing. The others can clean up. I want to be home in bed early for my shift tomorrow.”

  “It’s a deal. I’ll see you later. Be here at five.”

  “Okay, fine.” I hung up the phone, and Karen shook her head, giving me a look that said how unimpressed she was.

  “I can’t believe you caved in and are going in to work. You are overly emotional right now, and then you’re going to pack on a load of work on what’s the first day off you’ll have for days?”

  “Look, some of us have to pay our own bills. I’m not going to scam every tourist in town to do it. So, give me a break, okay?”

  “Fine.” She turned her eyes to meet mine. “More for me.”

  “You can have them all, thank you. I don’t ever want to fall in love again.” I got up from the lounger and grabbed my bag. “I’m going to go. I need to shower off this lotion and do my laundry before my shift.”

  “I’m really sorry about what happened. I hope you know that you can always talk to me when you need to. It hurts now, but it won’t hurt for long.”

  I knew she meant well. She was trying hard to be a good friend and was saying all the things a good friend should. “Thanks, I’ll see you later.”

  She smiled and got to her feet. “Wish me luck. I think I just found my next meal ticket.”

  I glanced across the pool where the older man was smiling at Karen. I shook my head and walked away.

  After walking to my car and looking for Zane along the way, hoping he’d stuck around to see me, to talk things over, I gave into reality and headed home.

  As I walked into my shitty apartment, I realized that maybe I hadn’t been honest either. I hadn’t let Zane see the real me, and maybe all he had to tell me was something simple?

  “Nah, it couldn’t be.” And even so, if that were the case, he would have called me by now if he really cared. I glanced at my phone, still finding no new messages.

  Chapter 27

  Zane

  While waiting on my plane, Rylen, Nick, and I went to Grady’s house for a quick goodbye. Even though I wasn’t ready to leave, I couldn’t wait to get home and give Heather what she had coming.

  When we arrived at Grady’s house, we were relieved to find that Clay had crashed there.

  “What happened to you last night?” I asked as he came out to the kitchen from his shower.

  They had all gathered there for a bite of breakfast, and even I was up for the fancy omelets Grady was whipping up.

  “I had a blast, but I also had too much to drink. I ended up passing out in the car, so Grady just brought me here. I slept on that lumpy sofa, and I’m pretty sure my back will never be the same.”

  “It was as far as I could carry you,” said Grady, who plated an omelet with onions for Nick. “Be lucky I didn’t leave your ass in the car or on the floor.”

  “Thanks,” mumbled Clay. He turned his attention back to me. “What’s up with you?”

  “I’m going home.”

  “Oh man, did your night with Tara suck that bad? Did she make fun of your tiny dick?”

  I saw his eyes move to Nick, who was standing behind me. When I glanced over my shoulder, he was shaking his head and giving Clay a warning glance.

  “It’s Heather. But yeah, I’m pretty sure shit is all fucked up with Tara too now. I hadn’t told her about Mila. Not because I was ashamed to be a father or anything, but she was a stranger, and I didn’t realize I’d fall for her. When I was going to tell her, my mother called about Heather’s latest stunt.”

  “What did she do now?” asked Clay

  “She trashed my house.”

  “I thought you have security?”

  “No, I have cameras, but they were updating, so I missed it. I was with Tara, and let’s just say my phone was the last thing on my mind. I knew Mila was safe with my parents, who, by the way, are already on their way home and will probably be there before me. And who will most likely not take my advice to stay away from their house.”

  “Shit,” said Clay. “I’ll come with you, man. You shouldn’t see Heather all alone. You’ll kill her.”

  “No, I’m going alone. I’ll be fine. You just stay and enjoy yourself.” I was liable to kill him on the way if he kept up his shenanigans. “I’m not going to kill her. I’d never hurt her, though God knows I’ve thought about it. She’s Mila’s mother. Besides, I can’t hurt her any more than she’s already hurt herself.”

  “That’s the truth,” said Grady. “She’s going to keep fucking up until they lock her away for good.” He flipped another omelet off the griddle and onto Rylen’s plate.

  “She’s done it. Trashing my house, disobeying a restraining order, on top of other things. She’s going back in for a long time. I’m making sure of it. I bet she’s already high.” It made me sick that she had her freedom. She didn’t deserve to be out.

  “Man, I’m sorry,” said Nick. “I don’t know why people can’t just do right for their kids.”

  I glanced at Clay.

  “I hear you, man.” Clay hadn’t been there for his own kid. “I�
��m going to try to do better for mine.”

  “That’s good to hear,” I said. I was afraid he was really going to screw things up and lose his rights. Beth wasn’t the type of woman who played around.

  Grady pushed a plate in front of me, and soon, there was no talking, only lips smacking.

  “That was so good,” said Nick, breaking the silence. He had gobbled his up in a matter of bites.

  “Yeah, thanks, Grady.” I took another bite of mine.

  Rylen finished his next and got to his feet. “Come on, Nick. Let’s play a game of nine-ball. I’ve got five bucks that say I’ll beat you my first round.”

  “You’re on,” he said. “I’ll break.”

  They left, and Grady finished making his own omelet and joined Clay and me at the table. “So, did your girl end it?”

  “She just came up while I was on the phone with my mom, and I told her there was something I had to tell her. I don’t know what she heard of my conversation, but I was talking about Heather and Mila, so I know she’s probably putting shit together in her head. Add that to the tattoo on my chest, and I’m pretty sure she thinks Mila is my wife or girlfriend. She didn’t even give me time to explain, and she told me not to call her. I was so dumbstruck with everything going on that I didn’t try to stop her.”

  “Damn, you should have gone after her,” said Clay. “I mean, you do seem to care about her.”

  “Yeah, but at that moment, all I could think about was my house and Heather trying to take my kid. I didn’t have time to worry about anything else.”

  “Shit,” said Grady. “That’s understandable. I mean, she could have waited around to see. Maybe she isn’t worth it.”

  “Maybe I think I’m in love with her.” I knew I was. Pretending I wasn’t sure was a way to make it not hurt so badly.

  “Seriously?” asked Clay. “You just met her. You don’t even know her.”

  That didn’t make any sense to me. No one knew anyone until they did. What difference did it make how long it took to fall in love with her? It only took a moment to realize it, and after that, it just was.