Today the museum had more life in it. The party planner gave out orders while the cleaning staff, caterer and decorator scurried to do her bidding.
It was a little after two when Albert said I could go home. We were to be back here by six and I would be expected to mingle and answer questions about the items in the exhibit. I was also told I could bring a plus one, but Griff had finally called me this morning on my drive to work to tell me he was sorry but he wasn’t going to make it tonight but that he swore he’d come visit on Sunday. I doubted that and it made me feel guilty for being pessimistic. I’d wanted him to see my job and stand beside me at tonight’s event. I was silly to get my hopes up that he would make it. He was stressed with his load at med school and I knew it was hard on him. I shouldn’t have asked him to come.
By the time I was home, I’d convinced myself that it was best I didn’t have a date. I needed to give my full attention to the guests tonight and answer all their questions. They were the reason the art museum existed and I was thankful for my job. I also loved talking about art and tonight I would get to do a lot of it. My thoughts were deep in everything I needed to remember for tonight that I missed the thin brunette coming across my yard and straight at me until I looked up to put the key in the door.
“Hello!” Rachel called out, raising her hand in greeting. Long red fingernails wiggled at me. Apparently, she wasn’t mad at me about keeping Creed all night.
“Hello,” I replied with a smile.
She reached me and put a hand on her curvy hip. “I’m out of shape,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Anyway, I’m Rachel, Creed’s cousin. I wanted to come introduce myself and be nosey. “He told me about you and I remember Cora talking about the two of you when we were younger. She loved teasing him about you during the holidays, which was the only time we ever saw each other. I just hope you can get him to want more than sex. That man and his inability to have a real relationship is sad.” She rolled her eyes as if exasperated.
What had Creed told her? Did she think we were sex buddies? And if so why would he tell her something like that? Couldn’t we just be friends that didn’t have sex? He had enough real sex buddies or whatever the many females he dated were called. Annoyance at Creed overcame the warm fuzzies I had been feeling about his staying last night and warming up the house for me.
“Oh, uh, yeah, well you know Creed,” I finally replied after a pause. Why was I covering for his lies? I was, though, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth. What was wrong with me? I needed therapy again. That was it.
“He’s a good guy who loves women but you know that. You’ve been his Sailor Moon forever,” she said with a bright smile. “Well, I’m headed to the spa. I need a massage and some relaxation. I’ll see you around. We can do tea one afternoon,” she said, looking excited about the idea. I didn’t share in her excitement.
“Okay, yeah.” I managed to agree as she turned and hurried back across the yard in her high heeled knee-high leather boots. Which I had to admit were kind of fabulous.
Opening my door, I went inside and realized then that I was frozen. It was below freezing today and I’d just been forced to stand out in it. Hurrying to the fireplace, I hoped it would light quickly. Sometimes it did and sometimes it didn’t. Today was going to be one of those difficult days where I struggled and cursed the cold.
Just before I gave up and went to light the wooden stove in the kitchen, the fire took and I sighed in relief. I was tempted to go get my electric blanket and wrap it around me and my coat. First, though, I went to get my phone and sent my first text to Creed.
“Did you tell Rachel we were sex buddies?” I was getting angry again just thinking about it as I hit send. There was no reason to lie about something like that and it was embarrassing for me. I was not and would never be one of Creed Sullivan’s many females. The idea was insulting.
“No. She assumed it. Why? Did she come visit?”
I read the text and immediately replied. “Why didn’t you clarify the situation? Why let her think that?” Was he so desperate to get away from her, he couldn’t take five minutes to tell her we were just friends? No sex involved.