17. Francesca

17

FRANCESCA

I have the take-out menus on the coffee table, ready for us to make our choice for tonight. It's been a long day, and I don't feel like cooking.

Tonight's the night I'm going to tell Theo everything— about my real name and about the job offer from the Red Ravens. I'd like to tell him how I really feel about him— that I'm falling for him. I want to talk about a long-distance relationship, which I believe we could make work.

There's a tap on my door and when I open it, I enjoy the view of my man. He has on jeans and a tight T-shirt.

"Hey," I greet as he steps into my apartment.

He sits on a chair and points to the couch. "We need to talk." His brows furrow, his mouth a straight line.

I take a seat on the couch across from him. "Everything okay?" I wipe my hands down the front of my jeans. "You have a bad day?"

"My day was fine. How was your day?" He hesitates for a moment. "Fran Russo." His eyes bore into mine.

My stomach drops and I swallow hard.

My worst nightmare has come true. He found out before I had a chance to explain everything.

I bite my bottom lip.

"Don't deny it. I know it's true."

My hands shake and I feel like I'm being swallowed into a hole. "Yes, it's true," I whisper. I look down at my lap, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

Theo rises from the chair. "Why? Why would you lie to me?" He paces back and forth across my hardwoods.

My lip quivers. "I know you think I lied but?—"

" Really ?"

My eyes sting as they fill with tears. My heart pounds in my chest and I struggle to take a breath.

He continues with the pacing. " Think you lied? I think you lied? No, I know you lied." He stops in front of me and glares down to where I'm seated on the couch. "You were engaged to fucking Jesse Lefty Lawrence from the Red Ravens. You worked for the Red Ravens. Fuck, why the hell didn't you tell me?"

My eyes dart around the room. "It's complicated."

"Complicated? That's your answer? You told me you were engaged to someone named Jay? Have you been engaged more than once?"

"No, Jay is Jesse."

"What else haven't you told me?" He plops down in the chair across from me. "As if this wasn't enough," he mumbles to himself.

"I know you're angry and I don't?—"

"What, you didn't think you could trust me or something?"

I shrug. "It's a lot."

"I found this out at work, by the way. I overheard a conversation with your friend Megan and that skank from HR."

"Megan?" I suck in a breath. "And Tonya," I whisper.

"Unlike me— the guy I thought you considered your boyfriend— apparently they know it all."

I can't hold back my tears and they flow freely down my cheeks. I suck in a breath. "I'm sorry." I wipe my cheeks. "I do think you're my boyfriend. I care about you so much. You know I do."

"Honestly, I don't know anymore." Theo rises from the chair and turns toward the door.

"Don't leave." My voice sounds a little desperate. "Please sit down so we can talk."

"If you're lying about this." He points his index finger at me. "How do I know what the hell else you've been lying about?"

He turns to the door and lets himself out. The door shuts firmly behind him and I sit the silence. Alone.

My lip quivers and when the tears flow freely down my cheeks, I bury my face in a pillow. How did I let this happen? How did I let my secret destroy the best thing that's ever happened to me?