Let Me Love You

Chapter 10

"So, it was just a kiss. What's the big deal?" Lucy said nonchalantly when I told her what happened at the café this afternoon.

"What are we having for din—"

"It's not nothing, Lucy. Lisa didn't kiss her; the woman initiated the kiss. Do you think she's being forced?" I interrupted, the thought emerging in my mind out of nowhere.

"I'm hungry, Rach. Can we order falafel for dinner?" she whined, tapping the TV remote furiously and changing channels. Clearly, she wasn't listening to me.

"Lucy, are you hearing what I'm saying?" I asked, slightly irritated by her behavior.

She let out an exasperated sigh, muted the TV, and faced me. "I heard what you said, Rach. She kissed a woman. What's the big deal? She's interested in women, and in her words, older women," she said, making air quotes with her fingers. "Do you like this Alex guy you're going out with?"

I nodded.

"Good, then nothing should bother you about what she does or who kissed her. I guess Lisa is moving on from you," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

Moving on from me? What does that even mean? And moreover why hearing her say that sentence pinches my heart.

"Don't be so naive, Rach. I specifically told you she likes you. And by the way, I'm happy she's not still stuck on you. I bet she saw you and Alex kissing in your house. She visited to hand over a robot she promised to Henry and she made chicken alfredo for you. But I guess she must have seen both of you kissing, so she didn't ring the bell and walked away. She was leaving when Henry spotted her and called out from my front yard."

She saw me kissing Alex. She brought something for me and Henry. I groaned, raking my hands through my hair.

"She was clearly heartbroken. Anyone could have noticed. Apparently, she lied to her best friend, saying you were out. That's why she came back. I guess he didn't know, and she lied to him. But now it's good that she's trying to, you know, get over you," she said and went back to watching TV.

She was heartbroken because she saw me kissing Alex.

I know this type of pain; I felt it before in college. I understand why she's feeling this way, why she didn't even look at me when I entered the café. I knew she heard me. She didn't dare to meet my eyes until I went over to talk to her. I wanted to know the reason behind the sudden smile that appeared when she talked to that blonde woman.

"Oh, and just so you know, she probably saw the hickey on your neck when you came to have lunch together," Lucy said, making me choke on my own spit.

"Hickey? What hickey? We just kissed and nothing else."

"One feisty woman you are, such pent-up frustration you had that you got a hickey on your first date," she said, shaking her head slowly and clicking her tongue, making a tsk tsk sound as if she were disappointed.

"What the hell, Luce, no. We just kissed and nothing else. The mark on my neck is from my straightener. I got burned while straightening my hair for work, stupid ass," I huffed, annoyed. These assumptions—one thing I hate about everyone, including myself, is making assumptions.

"Oh, well too bad. If you knew, you would have noticed the change in Lisa's behavior. She smiled at you, but it faded the moment she glanced at your neck," Lucy explained.

I groaned inwardly, realizing the misunderstanding. No wonder Lisa was so distant. I had unknowingly hurt her.

She must have been devastated. But it's okay, right? I'm happy with Alex, and she'll hopefully be happy with that woman. Story over. "Let's order falafel. And just so you know, Lisa is a great cook—the pasta she made was delicious," Lucy said, smiling at me as she called the restaurant to place our order. "Should I order something for Henry?" she asked, covering the phone with her hand.