The Truth About Air & Water (Truth in Lies #2) (31 page)

“Well, I’m so glad you all can
see
that, but I can’t. And remember, they say you can’t go back.”

“
Forget
what they say,” Marla whispers. “Look, he’s wallowing today in that great big ol’ house all by himself wishing his life wasn’t so screwed up, and that he could be with his daughter on her birthday. I think Charlie should call him and invite him down.”

“There’s the no-contact thing.”

“When has a lawyer had the best idea for solving your problems? Get over it, Cinderella. Do it for Cara. Do it for the guy she remembers as Daddy—the superhero in that pink cape she keeps drawing. She’s trying to tell you something in her own sweet little Cara way. She loves her daddy, and she wants to see him. She remembers him, and that should be enough. It’s her
birthday
.”

“Sometimes I really want to hate you when you play the guilt card like that.”

“I don’t have a card. I don’t have any guilt. Do you?” She laughs and then asks, “have I ever consciously steered you wrong, Tally Landon? Like ever?”

“No.” I hold my breath and then exhale slowly. "What about Sam, huh?”

The knight in shining armor is coming down the steps. He stops and looks around. We can see him, but he can’t quite see us yet from where we stand on the side of the house. Marla watches him too.

“I’m pretty sure Thor can hold his own. But let’s find out; shall we? That’ll really liven up things around here.”

Marla saunters off with a fresh purpose. I watch her in action still hidden from Sam’s view as she goes up to Charlie and gestures toward Sam.

“You’ve been awesome, Sam.” I hear her say loud enough for my benefit. “Thanks for all your help today. I know Tally appreciates it.” She turns to Charlie. “Linc’s going to be able to make it after all. Can you call and see when he’ll be here, babe? Tell him he has clean-up duty.”

She laughs at Charlie’s astonished face, as he dives for his phone on the party table and makes the call.

“Prez? You’re in. How long before you can get here?” Charlie says with a wide grin into his phone.

As I walk up to them, Charlie looks over at me and subtly nods his approval.

Suddenly, on edge at the idea of seeing Lincoln Presley again, I concentrate on Cara. She’s excitedly pointing to her cake, indicating she wants another piece. I go into mommy mode, maintaining complete and utter focus on my child, and avoid looking at Sam altogether.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Come On Get Higher -LINC

I’m on edge battling this general foreboding in seeing Tally Landon again. I practice what to say on the drive over. It’s not working.

Hi, I’m Lincoln Presley. I know I don’t remember you at all, and I know I fucked up big time a month ago in LA, and the world knows you as my fiancée, and I called you baby the last time we saw each other, but will you forgive me? Can we at least be friends?
”

Tally Landon aka
Miss Cloves and Vanilla
would probably like to slap me instead.

I know everything about her now, and if I can’t remember I can look it up. Kimberley and Brad set me up with an iPad that contains photographs and profiles and time lines on just about everyone I’ve ever encountered in my life. This proves to be good and bad. I now know the history of Tally and me, but I still don’t remember any of it. Kimberley warned me three weeks ago it wasn’t pretty, not all of it anyway, and that has held true.

I stare at the
Sports Illustrated
cover. It’s my favorite photograph of her of the ones I’ve seen so far. I’m lifting her up in the photograph like the actors Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey did in
Dirty Dancing
. Tally’s looking directly at me and the photographer got the angle just right from below us to capture her breathtaking smile. It’s a surreal moment in that movie, and it’s seems just as surreal for the two of us in this photograph.

I just wish I could remember it. I glance at the headline,
The Surreal Life of the Ballplayer & his Ballerina
. It’s a play on words, and the interview was a bit of a hatchet job on Tally, but I can’t stop looking at her photograph. I’m captivated by it.
Her.
I have a feeling every guy subscribed to
Sports Illustrated
feels the same way I do.

I glance through Kimberley’s latest text. She sent it about ten minutes ago when I sent her the message that Tally had okay-ed me coming to Cara’s birthday party.

“Focus on the birthday girl. A four-year-old child loves you unconditionally. “Daddy”.

Moscow. Don’t bring this up; not good. We still need to go over that one.

Okay. She’s human; be sensitive to what she’s feeling and where’s she’s coming from.

You’re going to have to explain LA and I’ll leave that up to you.

You are so SORRY. Bowing at her feet might be in order.

DNA results=not yours. Negative. Do with that 411 what you will.

You’re lucky is all I’m going to say.

I don’t want to talk about LA anymore.

You’re a great guy. She remembers that.

No temper tantrums.

Avoid alcohol. Have some cake.

Stay a few hours at the most. Give her space and time to think.

Let her decide how things should go with you two in going forward.

And I KNOW about the flowers sent to ‘Miss Cloves and Vanilla,’ Elvis.

Brad approved. OK. Me too.

Good luck.

Call me later.

Call. Me. Later.

Is this the longest text, like ever?

xoxo Kimmy

Charlie meets me in the front yard as I’m getting out of my rental car. I need to buy a car. It’s been a bizarre week on many fronts already. I plan on signing the papers to put the house on the market tomorrow before I leave for Fresno. And it’s now official; I’m being sent down.
What else can happen to me in the space of forty-eight hours?

Charlie grips my hand hard. “You okay?”

“Think so. How’s the party?”

“It’s a kids’ party. We’re low on booze.” Charlie laughs. “But I’m on call anyway so who cares, right? So. You ready? Just know, Cara is crazy about Elsa in
Frozen
so that’s what she’s dressed up as. That’s a Disney princess movie thing. Just pretend she can turn things to ice, and you’ll be good. She’ll love that. Elliott is Olaf. Okay, I realize you don’t even know who the characters from the movie are, but in about five minutes you will. Welcome to parenthood,
again
.”

I run my hands through my hair and sigh, overwhelmed by all he’s just said. “I don’t know. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

“It’s Cara’s birthday, man. That’s all that matters. She’s going to be so happy you came. Trust me. It’ll be fine.” He goes over to his SUV, unlocks the back and reaches inside. Then, he places a huge pink box into my arms. “Here, Marla wanted me get this for you. It’s the unicorn you bought for Cara.
Relax.
Just have some cake, watch her open her gift. And, Prez, I think if you just smile at Tally, she’ll be fine. Her boyfriend’s here anyway.”

“
Boyfriend?
”

“Well, he’d like that role. His name is Sam. He’s cool. Not as cool as you, but he’s been helping Tally out. Obviously, Marla tells me way too much.” He hesitates. “Tally’s still getting those panic attacks, and Sam’s been helping her through them. It’s been a rough go.”

“Tally gets panic attacks?” I’m strangely cheered. I smile a little but then it fades as my mind lasers in on the word
boyfriend
. “Sam, the boyfriend,” I say irritably. “Great. Just great. Holding her hand and everything, huh?”

“Hey Prez,” Charlie says with a huge sigh. “The whole LA thing is fresh in all of their minds so watch the attitude, okay? You’re not exactly in their good graces again yet.”

“Wait, her
parents
are here too?” I ask incredulous. “I didn’t study up on them.”

“Yeah. I thought I told you that.
Everybody’s
here.”

“I can’t do this.”

“You can and you will. I’m your wingman, remember? You’ve got this. You do. Come on. Let’s go watch Cara open her present. That’s what you came for.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Forever And For Always -TALLY

It’s been twenty-two minutes since Charlie made his phone call.
I’m on edge. I can’t breathe. I can’t look at Sam.

All my defenses are down. Inside, I’m screaming, “the shields are down, Captain, prepare for an attack!” I’m definitely in a time warp, up in space. Or, I’m Sandra Bullock in
Gravity
and unable to find air of any kind, and I’m drifting fast away from George Clooney, which is never good.

I think I’m going to pass out.

Marla’s gone around and informed the
need-to-know
crowd that Linc is coming.
My parents. Tommy. Her parents. Charlie’s parents who I begrudgingly invited at the eleventh hour.

“Act normal. Remember, he doesn’t remember you so don’t ask him about the past. Just make small talk with him,” she says to the gathering group. “Tell him who you are. Fill in the gaps if he asks, but only then. Got it?”

I’m not sure when she picked up her degree in psychology, but she is so together that I take solace in just watching her work the
need-to-know
crowd that now flock together like birds and tweet at the news.

Of course, I am a mess, an emotional wreck incapable of finding air of any kind. I lean against the kitchen counter, technically in hiding, and study the refrigerator manual flailing about trying to find a sense of calm and can only pray to miraculously mimic Marla’s
cool-girl
persona.
It’s not going well.

“You okay?” Sam asks handing me a bottled water as he returns from outside. In the next, he’s smoothing the worry lines that must appear on my forehead.