Chapter Seven
I was still in shock as I walked up the stairs to my apartment to prepare for the dinner party, so much that I didn't even notice Dimitri waiting by my door till I slammed into his back. Jumping back, I smiled sheepishly as my eyes averted everywhere but him. I didn't know how to break the news and now that I thought about it ... I didn't know if I wanted to be the one to break his heart.
"Rose? Hey, Lissa called and told me you'll be joining us tonight..." Dimitri smiled shyly, hand tousling his hair.
"Huh? Oh! Uh, yeah ... she kind of manipulated me though," I muttered the last part as I start inching towards my door, not knowing how long I could keep Tasha's secret before being near Dimitri too long produced too much guilt.
"Right ... Rose!" Dimitri grasped my forearm, eyes turning dull with sadness, "Rose, I want to apologize for everything I said that night ... and then this morning with Adrian. I'm so sorry, Rose. I don't know why I acted that way and I - I miss your friendship. You're my best friend, Rose. So ... do you forgive me?"
My eyes were wide. Of course he would apologize when I was hiding a massive secret from him ... Shit!
"No, you were right ... sort of. I need to start growing up. I'm nearly twenty-six after all. I can't keep partying like this forever." I smiled sadly, shrugging before gesturing towards my apartment, "I need to get ready though, for tonight. See you there?"
Dimitri smiles softly, hand subconsciously raising as he twirls a loose tendril around his forefinger wistfully, "Yes. I'm happy you're coming, Rose. See you tonight." With one more meaningful look at my hair, he walks to his apartment and slips inside without a backward glance.
A gust of air escapes my lungs and surprises me since I was unaware I'd been holding my breath, but I shake my head and head inside as my thoughts are once again consumed with what Tasha has done. Now that Dimitri and I are speaking again, I know it's my responsibility to tell him that Tasha is cheating on him. He doesn't deserve that, he deserves someone so much better who will want to be with him completely and love him.
With new resolve, I vow to make Tasha tell him or I will.
Nodding, I finally take a shower before getting ready in a simple pair of low rise jeans, a soft sweater and knee-high boots. After buttoning up my black pea-coat and grabbing my credentials, I exit my apartment building in time to catch Dimitri at the floor landing. He smiles at me as I follow him down, "Drive with me?"
"Okay," I agree, grinning when he dramatically opens the car door and bows.
"Mi'lady."
"Yeah ... cause I'm such a lady," I mutter at him, eyes rolling skyward. He grins cheekily before softly closing the door and soon we're speeding through the streets of LA towards the restaurant that Lissa made reservations for. As we pull up to the valet, we spot the trio waiting for us at the door and Tasha's face immediately darkens when she spots me exiting Dimitri's SUV.
I nearly scoff at her audacity ... really though? You're the one actively cheating on him and you're jealous of him giving his childhood best friend a ride? Skank.
My eyes narrow into slits as Tasha latches onto Dimitri and I almost laugh allowed at his uncomfortable expression as she cooes and rakes her hands through his long hair, three pairs of eyes trained amusedly on them.
Lissa links arms with me and leads me into the restaurant, smiling sweetly at the host who leads us to a reserved round table that is privately set in a corner with six chairs. I end up between Lissa and Dimitri with Tasha across from me and Christian in between Lissa and his twin.
"So, Rose," Tasha begins sweetly, "How's work been for you? I've noticed you've been in the office quite a bit lately."
"Oh, it's fine." I reply, straining to keep the acidic tone from leaking out, but at the sight of Lissa's trembling lips, I know I'm doing a poor job. Saving me unintentionally, Christian comments on some cosine, always the chef amongst our group. While Lissa leans over to acknowledge him, I'm stuck with the awkward show of Tasha flirting with Dimitri who is politely reciprocating her advances.
"You know, Rose, I've got a few single friends who would just love to take you out," Tasha comments vaguely, eyes raking over my face, "It's a puzzle as to why you don't have a boyfriend."
I feel my smile turn into more of a grimace as I reply as nicely as possible, "Oh, some of us don't need boyfriends to reassure our wavering self-esteem."
Lissa chokes on the gulp of wine she just swallowed, teeth digging into her bottom lip to not allow her laughter to slip through, "Rose, will you come to the bathroom with me?"
I readily agree and follow her sashaying figure to the bathroom that beholds granite counter tops and actual towels to dry your hands with. The minute the door closes, she turns around to look at me sternly, but I don't miss the traces of humor that dance through her jade irises.
"What?" I ask innocently, well as innocently as I can muster. After all, I am Rose Hathaway - the woman who is more often than not, up to no good.
"Alright, Rose. Tasha may be a slutty bitch but she is still Christian's twin sister, Christian who is unaware of the fact that we don't like her. Not to mention Dimitri. This is supposed to be a simple dinner for all of us to catch up like old friends..."
"Fine. Fine. I'll try to be more civilized," I mutter even though she totally doesn't deserve it, especially since she's cheating on my best friend.
As we return to the table, we're met with the imagine of Christian's eyes wandering around uncomfortably as Tasha practically dry-humps Dimitri in public. Lips curling in disgust, I sit down and clear my throat loudly, "Get a room."
Dimitri rips away from Tasha and smiles sheepishly at us, fixing his shirt and hair timidly while Tasha smirks in a satisfactory manner.
Despite Tasha's whiny voice that grates my every nerve, dinner isn't half bad as I spend most of my time catching up with Dimitri and Lissa since as Tasha kindly pointed out, I've been buried in paper work for the past few weeks. Dimitri has begun a new novel which he won't tell me what it's about and Lissa discovered these new hairstyles that she's determined to try out on me.
As Dimitri and Christian split the bill like true gentlemen, Lissa goes to get her car which leaves me alone with Tasha on the curb.
Turning to her once Lissa is out of earshot, I glare at her heatedly and cross my arms over my chest, "I know what you did."
Her icy eyes flicker away from her compact mirror as she fixes her blood red lipstick and narrow at me determined stature, "And what would that be?"
"You're cheating on Dimitri - again!" Her eyes widen for a second before she controls her expression again, snorting.
"I don't know what you're talking about ..." I don't miss the slight shakiness of her voice though as she shoves her mirror into her Gucci purse.
"Oh, so I didn't see you fucking some guy in the studio this afternoon? So you wouldn't mind if I showed Dimitri this photo when he comes out here? Okay then, must've been my imagination." As I pull out my phone, Tasha tries to rip it from my grasp.
"Rose! What are you doing? You can't tell him! It was a mistake, it didn't mean anything!" She tries to convince me, eyes wide and pleading. I snort, shoving her away from me.
"You think you can beg and I'll allow you to continue to waste my best friend's time? You better tell him Tasha or I will." I glare at her for final measure as Dimitri and Christian join us, unaware of the looming topic that could potentially ruin relationships. Not just Dimitri's and Tasha's but also my friendship with him.
Would he feel betrayed that I hadn't told him sooner? That I'd allowed him to be with someone that had not once but twice cheated on him and used him? Would he even believe me if I told him? The conflicted questions swirled around my mind, distracting me from sensing Tasha's death glare before she left with Christian and Lissa.
"What was that about?" Dimitri asked as we walked up the stairs to our floor.
"What are you talking about?" I ask nervously. Did he know? Would he be mad at me again?
"Tasha glaring at you? What'd you do, Rose?" His last question was asked in a teasing manner and I felt relief fill me as my shoulders slumped.
"Oh, you know me. Can't resist riling her up ..." We stop in the middle of our doors, eyes fixed on each other. Dimitri's chocolate orbs stare intently down at me for a moment, quizzically as if trying to figure something out before he blinks and the look disappears.
"You shouldn't do that," he smiles before gesturing to his door, "Well, good night, Rose. I'll see you later?"
He doesn't depart till I nod and then disappears into his apartment and leaving me standing in the middle of the floor landing, confused. Would I lose my best friend if Tasha didn't speak up soon? Would I be able to break his heart if it came down to it?
