Page 121 of Heartsick & Lipsticks
SKYE
The setting sunshone through the kitchen window as I opened the fridge and grabbed the chicken breasts I’d had marinating since yesterday.
I can’t stop thinking about you.
I miss you so much.
Since you moved out, I’ve been miserable.
Move back in.
Nick’s words were playing on a constant loop in my head, and the only person I had to blame for it was myself. Last night shouldn’t have happened. I knew better than to accept a ride home from Nick. He’d asked me to move back in. Not just me, but Callie and Lola. And after telling him that couldn’t happen, did I ask him to take me home? No. I had sex with him.
Things were getting out of hand. I needed to make things right, but I had no clue how to do that.
“What’s wrong?” Lola asked as she reached for a glass in the cabinet beside me.
I hadn’t even heard her come into the kitchen—that’s how distracted I was.
“Nothing.”
“You got home late last night.”
“Did I?” I wasn’t sure why I was playing coy about the time I came home. I was an adult.
“You love him, don’t you?”
My head spun toward her. “What?”
“Nick. You love him.”
“Why would you…? What are you…?” My mother and I had never had the sort of relationship where we talked about men. Actually, scratch that. We did; they were just always the men in her life, not mine.
I hadn’t told her about Tim the entire year we’d dated. She’d asked who the father was when I told her I was pregnant with Callie, but I’d just said he wasn’t in the picture anymore, and she’d left it at that. It wasn’t until Callie was four that I told her who he was, and that was only because I’d told Callie.
“I know you don’t think that I pay attention, or maybe even care, but I do. I’m not blind. I see the way you two look at each other.”
The front door flung open, and Callie dropped her bag on the couch. “Hey!”
I gave my mom a look, indicating that this conversation was over, as I called out, “How was the sleepover?”
“Good. What’s for dinner?”
“Chicken and rice.”
Callie headed down the hall, and I heard the bathroom door close. I turned to Lola to make it clear there would be no talk of the L word or Nick, and nothing was going on between us. Before I had a chance to say anything, my phone vibrated on the kitchen counter, and my heart skipped, hoping that it was Nick. I should be crowned Queen of Mixed Signals.
When I looked down and saw that it was Jada, my heart dropped.
Why would Jada be calling me on my day off?
“Hello,” I answered, fearing what she would have to say.
"Naomi’s having a bad day, and so is Bella. They both asked if you, Callie, and Lola... Is there any way that you guys could come over?"
“Sure, if that’s okay with Nick.” Since he’d asked me to move back in the night before, I figured he was probably alright with it.
“He’s at an appointment, but I know it would be fine with him.”
