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Only, I don’t think it’s because I’m cold. I think it has more to do with the fact that he’s leaving so he can take another woman that isn’t me out for the evening.
I’m supposed to be okay with this. It was partially my idea, after all. I agreed to it.
But it still stings every damn time, and I’m not sure how we ever move past this phase of our relationship and onto the next one.
CHAPTER 25: JOLENE
Pictures of the happy couple make their way to the internet quickly. It’s an appearance, so anyone who’s there is snapping photos and tagging Lincoln on social media. Given my profession, I don’t even have to do research to find them.
I study the first one I come across. They’re both smiling, but neither smile quite reaches their eyes in a way that tells me they’re happy together. Plenty of other people will study these photos, and some will be experts in body language. Frankly, I’m surprised they haven’t been called out yet for their interactions with each other given how they look together.
Maybe it’s the perfect way to transition to the break-up since they already look like they’re sort of uncomfortable together.
But I know people like Rivera are studying their every move, and it’s only a matter of time before someone starts up the rumor mill.
Which tells me we need to get a move on with this break-up.
I study the way Sam is leaning a bit away from him. She told me not so long ago that she was exhausted and that faking this has been hard on her. I see it in her face, in her eyes, in her fake smile.
I study Lincoln next. Handsome as always, of course, because it’s Lincoln, but not quite as happy as a guy who just got his dream job should be if he’s strutting around town with his supposed dream girl on his arm.
Neither one is quite the actor they think they are.
They’re only gone a couple hours, and they’re both quiet when they walk through the front door. I glance up from the article I’m reviewing. After studying them in detail, I threw myself into work so I wasn’t focusing on the fact that it’s yet another event I didn’t get to attend with Lincoln.
“Anything exciting happen?” I ask.
They’re both subdued when Sam says, “We played up the couple in an argument act again at the end.”
“We agreed on the way home our end game should be in the next week or so,” Lincoln adds. “I don’t think this is working for either of us anymore, so we just need to plan how we’re going to do it.”
“Publicly?” I ask. “Or could you just issue a private statement in the next couple days saying the typical, you know, we’ve decided to part ways but will remain friends and we’d appreciate privacy during this difficult time thing?”
“Something like that,” Sam murmurs. “I want to tell Cade first, of course.”
“Of course.” I nod. He should hear it from his mom before one of his friends hears it from his parents or social media or whatever.
“You ready?” he asks me.
“Let’s go.” I pull the hood of my sweatshirt up over my hair. We bid goodbye to Sam and he grabs my duffel bag for me before we head out to his car. Tomorrow is one of the last free Saturdays he’ll have until March, so the plan is to spend all day together at his place.
I just hope it’s as happy as I want it to be.
Thoughts swirl in my brain the entire ride over as I think about the things we need to discuss this weekend.
By the time we pull into his driveway, I feel a heavy weight settling between us. I’m both dreading and ready for the conversation I know we need to have.
He shuts the garage door before we get out of the car in case any photographers are around, and we sit in the car an extra beat.
“You okay?” he asks. We’re both staring out the windshield at the garage wall.
“Yeah.”
“Ready to go inside?”
“We probably should.”
“What’s wrong?” He reaches over and takes my hand in his, and he presses his lips to my knuckles.
