Page 130 of The Bronze Garza

“Well, they say not everyone in your life is meant to be there forever. Maybe your friendship has run its course.” He leans forward and snatches up the remote from the coffee table. “Are you up for someThe Boys?”

“Silly Patrick.” I pfft. “When am I evernotup for villainous superheroes?”

Chuckling, he powers on the TV, and we settle in.

The Boysnever disappoints.

~

Patrick shakes meawake.

Blinking into consciousness, my bleary eyes settle on Dad standing in the small living area of the pool house. He tells me it’s time to get ready.

A grumble forms on my tongue but I bite it down. No, I don’t like that we’ve been eating out all week. But this sudden change in Dad not wanting to dine at home must be for a reason. And since he’s now roped me into his “therapist’s advice” lie, I’ve no choice but to go along with it.

“Are you coming?” I ask Patrick, rubbing my eyes.

He’s all cleaned up and dressed to go, flipping his keys. I’d dozed off at some point during The Boys and he’s apparently been busy primping.

“No, I’m heading over to Keri’s,” he replies. “To apologize for being adurakearlier.”

“For being a what?”

He frowns. “A jackass, I mean.” He laughs and shakes his head. “A foreign colleague at work uses that term all the time. It is stuck in my head now.”

“Oh. Well, yeah, youarea jackass.”

He mocks strangling me.

“Are you good on cash?” Dad asks him, getting out his wallet.

“Put your wallet away, pops,” Patrick says with a wave of his hand. “You spoil me enough already.”

“All right. Well, drive safe, son.”

Back at the house, I shower and dress in a floral maxi skirt and a wine-red bandeau top that exposes a bit of mid-drift. Showing skin isn’t my usual style, plus my belly isn’t toned or flat, but Torin bought me this top, and I like wearing the clothes he got me not only because they make me feel sexy and confident, but because they make me feel closer to him.

After I’ve done up my hair and face, I go to toss some dirty cosmetic wipes in my bathroom bin but pause when I notice an entire sub sandwich inside it.

Why on earth would someone dump a whole sandwich like this in my bathroom—oh.Oh. This must be the sandwich Eloise fixed for Dad today. He must have dumped it in here so she wouldn’t see it.

So weird. Why doesn’t he want to eat from her anymore?

Albeit confused as all hell, I roll off a huge amount of toilet paper and lay it around in the bin until the sandwich is no longer visible. Just in case.

I’ve no idea what’s going on with them, but I willneverbe team Eloise. I’m still that selfish little girl who dreams of her parents getting back together. So if Dad and Eloise’s relationship is on the rocks, as far as I’m concerned, that’sgreatnews.

Dining outis as it usually is; Eloise gabbing incessantly about her rich housewife friends’ drama, Dad barely paying attention, and me picking at my garden salad as I try not to think ofhim.

Him, who I’ve not seen or heard from since he left me in Red Cage’s waiting room. Who doesn’t answer my calls or respond to my texts.

I’d known our fling would be short-lived, but hadn’t adequately prepared for the end, and that’s on me, not him. A fling is a fling. But what do I know about having a fling? He’s my first, in more ways than one.

Not only did I not anticipate falling for him, I also didn’t expect this giant, gaping hole left behind from our abrupt ending. It all just feels…incomplete.

Without Holly to talk to about it, that hole gapes even wider. I feel so lonely. Soalone. Losing her friendship sucks. Losinghimsucks. Over the past week, I’ve been doing my best to suppress the sadness I feel from losing them both, trying to fill that void with writing or hanging out with Patrick whenever he’s around. But writing, though therapeutic and cathartic, is alsoverysolitary, so relying on it alone is not sustainable.

There’s been a relentless nudge at my psyche, warning me to take preemptive actions and start seeing my therapist again before I implode. But said therapist would be the first to point out that one of my biggest traits is obstinacy.