Perfect Lies by Liza Bennett Read Free Book Online

phone, no wonder. And Ethan called shortly after her. He was at a pay phone. I told him you’d be back by twelve-thirty at the latest.”
    “Listen, if he calls again, tell him I’m swamped. I’ll call them both tonight.”
    “Okay.” Meg could hear the question in his voice.
    “I’ve got to totally revamp the SportsTech creative. Jen and Spencer were way off on their stuff. And the meeting is what? In two weeks?”
    “You know as well as I do. I’ll get rid of Ethan for you if he phones back. But call Shirley right now—she sounded hysterical about getting into January
Vogue.”
    Meg made her calls from the backseat as the taxi inched through midday midtown traffic. By the time she reached Fortieth and Sixth, where Hardwick had its offices, she’d connected with almost everyone she’d needed to reach. She was paying the fare, opening the door, and gathering her briefcase and shoulder bag when a hand reached in to help her out.
    “Hey.”
    “Eth—” Her first reaction was one of revulsion. There he stood, hair flowing in the breeze, dressed in jeans and his worn leather bomber jacket as if he had nothing to be sorry about. Let along beg her forgiveness. He’d been drunk and behaved outrageously to her and then left that insinuating message on her machine. Though it had been nearly a week since his opening, he had done nothing to repair the damage he’d inflicted. Her second response was anger. How dare he show up at her agency without any warning—as though he actually thought she would want to see him there!
    “Let me take that for you.” He held out his hand for her briefcase.
    “I’m fine on my own, thanks,” she said, taking her change from the driver, and then stepping quickly out of the cab. She was astounded that he seemed so self-contained and unrepentant.
    “Meg. We’ve got to talk.” It was impossible to read the expression behind the sunglasses he wore.
    “No,” she replied firmly, pulling the strap of the bag up over her shoulder and stepping toward the building entrance. “Not another word until you apologize.”
    “Okay,” Ethan threw up his hands dramatically and then fell to his knees on the pavement in front of her. The lunch-hour crowd streamed around them, and Meg heard one or two people start to laugh. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” Ethan said, looking up at her through the concealing lenses.
    “Get up this instant,” Meg said. “When did you start acting like an utter ass?”
    “You have a bad effect on me,” Ethan replied, as he slowly got back on his feet. “I really am sorry, Meg, and I did come to make amends. But the moment I saw you, I just—”
    “Please, don’t,” Meg cut him off when she heard the note of pleading enter his voice. “You’ve made your apology. I’m very busy right now, and I really don’t appreciate you showing up here like this.”
    “Like what?” he asked, folding his arms across his chest.
    “Like alone. Without Lark and the girls. I won’t have it.”
    “You won’t, huh? And you are who? Goddess of the whole damn universe?” Ethan ran his hands through his hair with barely suppressed anger. “Listen, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m just … Meg, I’m going a little crazy here. Can’t you understand? Please, can’t we just sit someplace and talk quietly for a few minutes?”
    The pleading was gone, replaced by what Meg heard as real pain and regret. They shared a long history together, Meg told herself, no matter how troubled and confusing the present seemed. If this had just been about Ethan, Meg might have sent him on his way. But Lark and the girls, no matter how unfairly, stood to be hurt by Ethan’s bizarre behavior. They went across the street and into Bryant Park. Meg sat down on a bench facing the manicured lawn. Ethan sat beside her, looking down at his hands. Beside them on the lawn, people from nearby offices were eating sack lunches, reading paperbacks, dozing in the sun.
    “I guess I