Life After Love: Part 14

MARLEY

Food was the only thing I had gotten right this week. I made the perfect carne asada with some rice that just soothed my anxious soul and after the lousy seven days I just had, it hit the spot. The recent payment I had received for an engagement photo session that was supposed to be featured in my magazine had to be refunded, only due to the fact that my new camera had been on the wrong setting the entire time, and I had to take the complaints along with the loss of funds for the week. On top of that, the printers weren't working for three days straight, so I had to run down to the local hardware store, which was the only place with a decent printer in this area. That alone had occupied half of my mornings, which left me no time for laundry, or to change the oil in my car, or to even go to lunch with my damn boyfriend.

I was stressed to say the least. I needed a break. Maybe a mini-vacation this weekend with Michael. Just us two. I was starting to warm up to the idea until I saw a text message from him pop up on my phone screen, saying he was going out of town for the weekend to visit some family in San Antonio. I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me that he didn't even think of inviting me. But this was Michael we were talking about. He was just as oblivious, if not worse than Danny.

Maybe Jesse was available. Yes! Now that Danny was back at his shop, and they hired a few extra hands, Jesse was due for some vacation time. I would've invited Serena if we weren't on a weird time out. She also had the twins to take care of, so it wasn't as if she could just pack her stuff and head out for the weekend. Freddy had Giselle to think about. And since he was stressing out about her heading off to daycare and all the boys who would no doubt want to get to know her, I knew he wasn't an option either. Jesse it is then!

"Hey!" I greeted her excitedly as she joined me on the corner of the coffee shop across the street from my office. I was surprised she had cut her long hair and it was now dyed a pretty light brown color, sitting just below her shoulders. I guess I was so used to having a best friend who obsessed over her long hair and would rather die than cut it that short.

"I'm glad you called. I wanted to talk to you about something," Jesse claimed gravely, as we finished hugging and made our way towards the entrance of the coffee shop. The aroma of coffee beans and baked goods enveloped me as soon we entered the crowded place and found an empty spot near the front windows. I placed my purse on my lap as I studied Jesse's pensive expression. Whatever she wanted to tell me, it didn't look like it was good news.

"What's going on?" I asked, waving over the waitress who usually took my order when I dropped by. Once we ordered our usual, I leaned in when Jesse looked like her words needed to be whispered.

"I saw something. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to say anything, but I thought you should know," she began, and waited for my nod so she could continue. "I think I know who bought that beach house on Sylvan Beach," she added and bit her lower lip as she looked around suspiciously. She was a Texas native. She knew how fast news spread around here.

"Well, go on," I encouraged and felt my hands start to fidget underneath the wooden table. I hadn't thought about that place in months, but now that she had mentioned it, my curiosity had gotten the best of me. My heart had been set on transforming that place and turning it into a coastal oasis for the locals and tourists alike. When Freddy had broken the news about someone else beating us to the punch, I had let that dream die along with a few other ones I had drummed up to do in that space.

"I was jogging on the beach just this morning and I saw Serena's company logo on one of the moving trucks," Jesse started and although I was kind of upset Serena hadn't told me she was the one designing the place, I couldn't stop her from doing business because of my sentimental attachment to the beach house.

"She has alot of projects going on. I'm not surprised that beach house is one of them," I countered and smiled at the waitress when she brought us our caffeinated beverages along with some napkins and set them in the middle of the table. Jesse went ahead and paid for both drinks and waved it off when I tried to pitch in.

"That wasn't the only thing I saw," she muttered as she took a sip of her mocha cappuccino and licked the foam off her top lip. I raised an eyebrow and wondered what she was getting at.

"I saw Michael there too. They were there together," Jesse informed, and I couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculous statement.

"Michael is out of town for the weekend. Maybe you saw someone who looked like him. Although, no one really looks like Michael." I bragged with pride at my handsome boyfriend, especially since I got to witness him doing push-ups when he came over to my place occasionally. That man could bench press a horse at this point, and I wouldn't be mad at it.

"I took a picture. Just in case," Jesse argued, and my smile faded as she pulled out her phone and showed me the picture. It was a bit blurry, but I could definitely point out Michael and Serena, who were standing just a bit too close to each other for my liking, while Serena pointed to something in the background.

"He's supposed to be out of town..." I trailed off, trying my best not to get upset at him for lying. I mean, why the hell would he lie about something like this? It wasn't as if he was having some weird affair with Serena. Right? Serena wasn't his type anyway, and Michael wasn't hers. Then again, Michael wasn't mine either...

"Look, I don't want to start anything, but if something is going on between them, I want you to know I have your back," Jesse promised, reaching for my hand across the table. I nodded, too distracted to even register what she was saying. I had two options. One, I could call them both and ask them what was going on. Or two, I could continue to trust my best friend and my boyfriend. I was about to make the decision when I saw Serena enter the coffee shop, the twins tucked into their stroller, pacifiers in their mouths as they glanced around quietly, while their mother staked her place in the long line of people waiting to place their coffee order.

"Oh, boy. Are you going to say something?" Jesse inquired, as she glanced back towards me and I shook my head in response. I couldn't picture myself making a scene in the middle of a busy coffee shop. Besides, I didn't want the babies to witness an ugly conversation between me and their mom.

"I'll deal with it later. I called you to see if you wanted to head down to Mexico for the weekend. I know an awesome hotel we could stay in and the spa there is practically heaven. What do you say?" I offered the wide eyed beauty in front of me and she smiled as she nodded.

"Sounds good to me," she sang as she took another sip of her drink, and I avoided looking as if I hadn't just heard the unsettling news that my best friend and my boyfriend were sneaking around behind my back.