Believing lies

chapter 23

3 years later.

"what are you doing?" I ask River as I glance away from the hotel bathroom mirror, my hair and makeup were fine and I was now running late.

"I am about to grab some dinner with Stanley," River says. I see him with his phone pointing to the sky, he had on a pair of sunglasses.

"Right I forgot it's nearly dinner in New York," I say as I turn off the lights in my bathroom and enter the main area of the hotel room, Aurora raises her eyebrows at me and I nod. We were running late. "But that's nice, dinner with the bro," I joke.

"Oh god beauty," River laughs, and I smile as I grab my hotel key, and soon Aurora and I were leaving the room. "You two seem to be in a hurry, running late?" He asks as we enter the elevator.

"Aren't we always?" Aurora scoffs. I roll my eyes.

"Aurora's starting to get annoyed with me now that the book tour is nearing its end," I tell my longtime boyfriend.

"I've spent nearly two years with you Belle, I'm done," My agent jokes as we exit the elevator and I laugh.

"Oh Aurora, you love me! I keep you employed," I say nudging her as we walk down the street. Portland was sunny but when we got here yesterday afternoon it was raining. On this book tour, I'm having two events here in Portland, one at Barnes and Noble and the other at Powell's which is the largest independent bookstore and I absolutely loved it, I mean who wouldn't.

Today I had the book event at Powell's "so how was work baby?" I ask.

"Oh you know, same old, same old. Meeting after meeting, completely boring. Not compared to your current workdays though," he says.

It's been almost four weeks since I've been in New York, seen River and we made it work, it was hard on my second book tour but now we were somewhat pros at it. But four weeks is a long time and I miss him.

"Ha, Ha, Ha," I mock and I look down in time to see him smile. "Do you know if you are going on that work trip to Boston?" I ask hopefully.

When he had told me about that work trip a week ago, I was hopeful that he would get picked because it aligned with my book tour schedule and we'd be in Boston at the same time.

I watch my boyfriend sigh heavily, "they told us who would be going today at my first meeting and I'm sorry baby," he tells me.

I nod slowly and glance at Aurora who was doing the same to me, "it's okay," I say giving him a forced smile, "I'll be in New York soon so."

"I know," River says, running a hand by his curly blonde hair, "there was no use fighting on it but I really wanted to go. I'm so sorry baby," he says softly.

"No it's fine," I immediately shake my head. "I just miss you that's all," I shrug.

"I know love, just two more weeks," he assures me.

"God that'll be the hardest two weeks ever for me," Aurora says as I see Powell's bookstore up ahead. I chuckle.

"I've got to go, we're just coming up to the bookstore. Tell Stanley I say hi and I'll text you later so we can call?"