Girl Gear 1: All Tied Up (6 page)

Mmm?
That was it? She forced her frown to relax. What had she expected? A declaration of love? Why would now be any different than before?

Anton rarely spoke of his feelings at all, a trait he shared with many men. He’d actually confided more tonight about what he thought important, what he wanted from their relationship, than she could remember him ever sharing before.

It was foolish for her to need more in order to settle the unease she’d been feeling for a while now. Words were just words. She’d never hungered for them in the past, so what was the difference tonight?

This time, foolish girl, his silence doesn’t make you question his honesty and commitment,
an inner voice jeered.

It makes you question your own.

I
T WAS THREE DAYS
later before Macy, curled up on the sofa waiting for Lauren to finish her shower, had access to quality girl talk.

Lauren hadn’t been home since leaving the loft with Anton after Saturday’s game night. She kept enough of her things at his place to stay for weeks at a time if she wanted. Her rule of thumb was never to stay more than two or three days.

Years of roommate experience, not to mention the
faux roommate contract she’d been forced by Macy to cross her heart, hope to die and sign, had persuaded Lauren that prolonged peace, quiet and solitude would send Macy over the edge.

Macy knew this, and when she counted her blessings, Lauren’s name topped the list. Not many people, not even everyone Macy considered a friend, would have the patience with her quirkiness that Lauren never failed to show.

Macy had to be the only living person she herself knew who considered private time the equivalent of solitary confinement. She hated being alone. Hated the sound of silence. Hated the depressing sense of isolation, the unnatural withdrawal from the outside world.

Okay, she’d heard enough psychobabble to know her reaction was textbook classic. That of a party girl, searching “out there” instead of “within” for peace. The quintessential live-for-the-moment extrovert. But one who well understood an introvert’s moments of loneliness and despair, the unparalleled depression, the accompanying tears.

Which is why she no longer cried.

Well, there was the occasional bout of PMS. And her sappy addiction to romantic videos that coincided with the blues brought on by those days. She’d sobbed her heart out when Hugh Grant came back for Emma Thompson at the end of
Sense And Sensibility.
When Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood told Maid Marian, “I would die for you.”

And how could she forget Niles finally telling Daphne he loved her? If not for Lauren, Macy would never have gotten so wrapped up in watching
Frasier.
The sitcom’s nightly reruns had become a Hollister and Webb evening tradition—one Macy had gotten too used to.

The way things were going between Lauren and Anton, Macy knew her best friend’s loft-living roommate days were numbered. Macy couldn’t panic. Wouldn’t panic. Not just yet. Not until the very last minute…when she’d probably do something stupid like take in boarders.

But now that it was Tuesday evening and Lauren had managed to find her way home, catch up on her laundry and fix herself a bean sprout to eat, Macy was ready to get back to their normal routine…starting immediately, with the two weeknight back-to-back reruns of
Frasier.

Right on cue, Lauren breezed in smelling of citrus shampoo, plopped down on the sofa and scrubbed her wet hair with a towel. She tucked her feet between her cushion and the one on which Macy sat, then frowned at the television. “I’ve seen this one.”

Casting a sideways glance at her roommate, Macy scooted onto the next cushion and off of Lauren’s feet. “What are you talking about? You’ve seen all of them.”

“I know. They quit being as funny when you already know every punch line.”

“You always laugh at every punch line no matter how many times you’ve seen the episode.” Macy gentled the tone of her reminder. Lauren often returned moody from Anton’s, wanting to stay, knowing she had to go. “Do you want me to turn it off?”

Twisting her hair into a topknot and her mouth into a foul-looking grimace, Lauren shook her head and reached for the bag of pretzel sticks she’d set on the floor with a can of diet soda. “I need the noise. Keeps me from having to think.”

Having
to think? Interesting development from the woman who prided herself on always thinking of everything. “If you’ve seen this episode, then I have a feeling
you’ll be thinking instead of watching, whether the television is on or not.”

Lauren didn’t reply, just shoved a dozen or so sticks into her mouth and smiled with pretzel teeth.

Undeterred by her roommate’s antics, Macy said, “That teeth thing works better with an orange wedge, you know.”

Lauren chewed, then swallowed. “Fine. Slice me an orange. And while you’re at it, bring me a banana, an apple and a vat of dipping chocolate.”

Macy muted the television, leaving Niles with his mouth wide-open. “Quit obsessing and speak to me.”

“Can’t talk,” Lauren mumbled. “Food in mouth.”

“That didn’t stop you fifteen seconds ago.” Macy leaned forward to grab her roommate’s can of diet soda from the floor, handed it over and waited until Lauren had washed the pretzels away before asking, “Now, what’s going on?”

Lauren sank deeper into the sofa cushions and curled up into a long-legged ball of cropped khakis. “I don’t like your stupid scavenger hunt.”

Yes and hallelujah!
sang the devil on Macy’s shoulder. “Why not? I figured you and Anton spent the last few days packing for the trip.”

“What trip?”

As if Lauren’s sarcasm could throw Macy’s bloodhound nose off track. “Hello? Sydney’s trip? The scavenger hunt prize?”

“Why would you think we’d be packing for that?”

“The game should be a piece of cake for you two.”

“Yeah. You’d think so,” Lauren said, punctuating her comment with a snort.

Oh, but it was hard to keep a straight face, a level tone, the appearance of being an innocent bystander.
“You mean you and Anton don’t know everything about each other?”

“No we do not.” Lauren slid a narrow-eyed, sideways glance at Macy. “And I have a feeling you knew that.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“Don’t give me that crap, Macy Webb.” Lauren demanded Macy’s undivided attention. “I dare you to deny that this scavenger hunt wasn’t some grand master plan to set me up.”

Uh-oh. Not quite the reaction Macy had anticipated. “Set you up how?”

“The list. You knew I wouldn’t know all those things about Anton.”

“Now you’re being paranoid. I mean, yeah. I made up the lists. But it’s not like I had any control over who would know what about their teammate. Or if the lists would cause problems for anyone,” she added, though she probably shouldn’t have gone quite that far. Too much curiosity was rumored to be deadly.

Lauren crossed defensive arms over her retro peasant blouse of embroidered white cotton. The long red draw cords hung over her wrists. “Uh-huh. Right. Sure you didn’t.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“What I believe is that you couldn’t wait, that you
can’t
wait—” Lauren pointed an accusing finger “—to find out how much trouble you’ve caused for me with Anton.”

“That’s a load of crap.” Macy hooked her finger around Lauren’s and twisted until she cried uncle. “The scavenger hunt is work. It’s for my gIRL gAMES column. It’s not about you and Anton. Or Eric and Chloe. Or Sydney and Ray. You know that.”

Sitting back to sulk, Lauren rubbed at her reddened
skin. “Yes. I know that. I’m just trying to avoid facing up to the fact that I didn’t make much of a dent in my list.”

“Duh. You’ve only had the list for, what? Three days? I never intended it to be
that
easy. And you’re way ahead of me. I haven’t had a chance to learn a thing about Leo.” Except that he had the love ’em and leave ’em game down pat…not that Macy planned to share those particularly humiliating details.

“If you can’t think of it as fun, then think of it as a job. My job. Which effects your job. Do I need to do the gIRL-gEAR song and dance here?” Macy threatened to get up and shake her booty.

Yanking her back to the sofa by one of the dozen zippers on her cargo pants, Lauren trumped Macy’s trump card. “This scavenger hunt goes above and beyond my gIRL-gEAR duty.”

Lauren left her no choice. Macy pulled out the big guns. “What about your best friend duty?”

“I don’t remember anything in the rule book about you being allowed to turn my life upside down.” Lauren reached for the pretzels again.

“It’s not upside down.” At Lauren’s look of incredulity, Macy extended a trembling hand. “Okay. Maybe a little shaky.”

“A little?” Lauren shrieked, tossing pretzel sticks at Macy’s head. “The only thing I knew for sure was Anton’s type of underwear.”

Funny, but Macy hadn’t wondered until now what Leo wore beneath his corporate uniform of crisp whites and pressed grays. “Well? What does he wear?”

“Ha! Like I’d tell you after the hell you put me through.”

And she’d only just begun. Macy started picking bits
and pieces of pretzel from both the cushions and her lap, and building a small log cabin on the back of the sofa. “It wasn’t really as bad as all that, was it?”

She was met with another telling sideways glance. Another volley of pretzels.

“Okay. I believe you. It was really that bad.” Now, of course, she was dying to know the details.

“Yes it was.” Lauren chewed and thought. “Are you sure you don’t remember what was on the list you gave me?”

“There were ten lists. No, twelve, since Kinsey and Doug didn’t show.” Lying by evasion. How harmful could it be? “I don’t remember all the items on every single one.”

And that remark was the absolute truth. Of course, Macy might remember more of the grueling torture she’d assigned her best friend if she wasn’t having so much trouble dealing with her own list.

She shook off thoughts of Leo Redding. “So, give me an example.”

“Okay.” Lauren turned her body and her attention toward Macy. “What characteristic found in a woman, whether physical, emotional or intellectual, plays the biggest part in his decision to commit to a long-term relationship?”

“Hmm. Wow. That is a toughie. I’d forgotten about that one.” And bears didn’t poop in the woods. “Do you know the answer?”

“No.”

“Did you at least guess?”

“It didn’t do any good.”

“Why not?”

“Because Anton doesn’t know the answer.”

“Whoa! What? You’re kidding.” Macy’d wanted
Lauren and Anton to connect on a deeper spiritual level. But to score a touchdown at kickoff? “You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope.”

“You mean, he couldn’t decide on one? Or he’d never analyzed your charms individually?”

“He just doesn’t know.” When Macy remained silent, Lauren emphasized, “As in, he doesn’t know. Because he’s never consciously decided to pursue a long-term relationship.”

“Until now.”

“No. Ever.”

Macy wasn’t sure exactly what to say. She’d expected her questions to cause both Lauren and Anton to think about their relationship. But she hadn’t entertained the idea that what the two had together wasn’t a relationship at all.

That had to be Anton’s male denial. Because Macy knew exactly how Lauren felt about her man.

Didn’t she? “So, what are you going to do?”

This time Lauren picked up the remote control and flipped off the television. She scooted forward on the sofa, sitting cross-legged, her knees only inches from Macy’s feet. “I wanted to talk to you about that.”

Macy felt the first stirrings of uneasiness as Lauren nervously studied her nails.

“I don’t know Anton as well as I should, after being with him for a year. We never have any quality time, what with both of us working like we do.”

“That’s not so unusual. It happens that way for a lot of couples.” Enough attacking for one night. “But you’re right. It’s tough when you can’t find the time.”

“It is. I mean, how are we supposed to make a go of
this if we can’t even get to know each other? I mean, really know each other, the way a couple should.”

“Maybe this scavenger hunt will be a good thing for the two of you.” And hadn’t that been Macy’s plan all along? “You can dig a little deeper and win a fab vacation in the process.”

“Well, that’s only going to happen if we have the time to work on the hunt. Which is why I’ve decided—” Lauren took a deep breath “—I’m going to move in with Anton.”

“What?” Really, Macy
had
been meaning to get her hearing checked. There was no way Lauren would leave her living all alone. “I don’t think I heard you right.”

Lauren nodded. “You heard me right. Anton asked me a few months ago to move in with him. I put him off then. I wasn’t sure I was ready. That
we
were ready.”

“And now, because of the scavenger hunt, you’ve changed your mind.” What was the saying?
Be careful what you wish for.
Oh, this was not at all what Macy had wished for. “Whose idea was it this time? For y’all to move in together?”

“It was mutual.” When Macy responded with a skeptical look, Lauren added, “Okay. I broached the subject. But Anton agreed. We have to do something. Otherwise how can I trust what we have to be real?”

“But doesn’t moving in together seem to be drastic? What if you’re there a week and decide you want out?” And who was Macy going to get to take Lauren’s place?

Oh, good panicked grief.

Lauren bolted to her feet and paced the length of the sofa. “Oh, thanks for having so much faith in our relationship.”

“It’s not that—”

“Maybe not. But try to give me a little credit. If any
thing feels wrong, I’ll move back out. Even if I have to find a new roommate.”

A new roommate. Where was Macy going to find a new roommate? “I don’t think I’ll replace you in a week.”

“I know you better than anyone, Macy. And I’ll bet my entire share of gIRL-gEAR stock that in the last thirty seconds you’ve already made a list of potential replacements.”