Me, Love, & Secrets

Trust Me, Darling

Melinda and Renée were back from their shifts when Roberto and I returned to the house. Melinda was in the kitchen with Sarah, tasting whatever was being prepared for dinner tonight. She informed us that Renée was on the phone with a friend. Not like I cared anyway. Renée and I would never be on good terms. She likes what she likes and I like what I like.

"Join me," Melinda suggested. "Sarah hace la mejor Tarte Tatin. Pruebalo." She held up a spoon with the pastry on it. I tasted it haphazardly. "¿Esta bien?"

"Mhm, sí." I took a seat beside her. "¿Hay más?"

"Ella tiene un poco en el horno ahora y está terminando un lote solo para la cena." Melinda pulled out a seat for Roberto. "S'asseoir. Je sais que tu meurs probablement de faim."

Roberto smiled. Of course, he was staying here. Why won't he go home? Melinda noticed that I didn't look too excited to have Roberto staying here. The more she forced us to do things together, the less I actually wanted to be in his presence. Yes, we did get to know a little about each other today, but I can't stay with him. Not when there's someone at home I'd rather be with for the rest of my life.

"¿Qué pasa, Ruby?" she asked.

I took a seat next to her, grateful Roberto was going to have a hard time understanding us. Not unless he was lying about knowing how to speak Spanish.

"¿Cómo puedo seguir fingiendo que me agrada cuando estoy enamorado de otra persona?" I asked quietly. "I get that he must be amazing under...all of that, but I can't keep doing him like this."

"¿Haciéndolo como qué?"

"Lin, piensa que estoy enamorado de él."

Melinda pursed her lips and took a look at Roberto. He wasn't even paying attention to us. He was conversing with the kitchen staff. I doubt they wanted to speak to him, but it did keep him away from us. He seemed happy, but I knew he wasn't. It was only a matter of time before he saw through me and he really snapped.

"Deja de preocuparte tanto. Incluso si solo te preocupas por él como un amigo, eventualmente mejorará," Melinda assured me. "Créeme, dudo que crea que estás enamorada de él. Si lo hiciera, entonces no seguiría mirando hacia aquí como si supiera que estás hablando de él."

I looked up just in time to see Roberto turning back to the girl he was speaking to. Oh, so he does know? Or is he just being cautious? Either way, whatever is really up with him, I want it to go away. I want my best friend back. No, I need my best friend back.

"I still have yet to look at the files Dr. Alexy loaned me. What if I never have time away from him to do that? I'm supposed to meet with him next month. It's like Roberto knows I have the files and he's trying to do everything in his power to keep me from reading them."

"Where did you hide them?"

"In your closet. I knew he wouldn't dare go in there."

"Tonight. Whenever he leaves, just go and read them. Use my study to look at them."

Melinda was always the most helpful. I know sometimes I was hard to deal with, but whenever I need her help, she's always there for me. This isn't any different. The fact that I have to hide from Roberto is a problem itself. If only he wasn't so suspicious of everything. If only I could prove he was playing everyone. Or at least pretending he didn't know what he was doing.

"Croyez-moi, dahling, tout ira bien."

I hope everything will be fine.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Roberto didn't leave until well after 3am. I was asleep by then, but was awakened when he kissed my forehead and told me he was leaving. I didn't move for a solid ten minutes just to make sure he wasn't coming back or sticking around. Since Melinda was up at this time most mornings, she would be my excuse if he didn't really leave and was wondering what I was doing awake.