Dirty Lies

SPILL

"Skylar. Skylar. Did you bring a story to critique? Hello? Skylar?"

I snapped to attention.

"Um, Jill. I'm sorry. Let me look. I think I have one at my desk."

I jumped up and ran back to my cubicle. I couldn't concentrate on anything, and all because of Luca. Usually I loved the paper's weekly writing critique session, but today it had slipped my mind. Jill did this every Friday at lunch in an attempt to make us better writers. Us reporters read the first five paragraphs of our stories aloud and we'd critique each other's work, and then Jill would talk about what worked and what didn't.

I grabbed a recent story and went back to the meeting.

"Sorry." I slipped into a chair next to Emily, who kicked me under the table, gave me a side-eye followed by a shit-eating grin. I ignored her and doodled in a notebook while Jill talked about crafting a good newspaper intro.

After the meeting, Jill asked me to stay behind.

Hell.

"Skylar, you did an excellent job with the Rossi story, but lately you've been a little distant. Disengaged. Anything wrong?"

Jill's green eyes were searching, and I shook my head. Would she understand if I admitted to being lovesick over a beautiful, secretive Italian man? No, that definitely wasn't a conversation I should have with an editor.

I needed to get my shit together. That's all.

"Sorry. Nothing's wrong. I've got some good stories in the works."

Jill nodded. "Good. I really want to see you succeed, Sky."

"Thank you," I said softly. "I'll step it up."

I walked back into the newsroom, dread settling in my stomach as I sat in my tattered, sagging office chair. Luca had worked his way into every fiber of my body, all while admitting that our relationship couldn't go anywhere.

I needed to unravel him from my life. Being a journalist was all I'd ever wanted, and I'd be damned if I would let a man screw it up. I was stronger than that.

Emily sidled up and leaned against my desk, shoving aside a stack of papers. "Sky, wanna come with us to the Iguana tonight?"

I shook her head. "Luca and I—"

Emily interrupted and held up her hand. "Say no more. I saw you spacing out during the meeting and doodling in your notebook. Were those little hearts?"

"Oh God, was I that obvious?"

Emily nodded and cackled.

I groaned and steeled my resolve. "I've gotta get a handle on myself. I think tonight I'm going to tell him I need some space. I have to focus on my job."

Emily rolled her eyes and put her hands in a yoga prayer gesture. "Skylar. Balance. No one's telling you that you can't have hot sex and a good job."