Lying Hearts - Faleena Hopkins Page 0,1

go.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand.”

His face transforms into my friend Corinne. I’m holding lovingly onto her neck, close to her face.

I jump back, staring at her in Brendan’s tuxedo, the others all sneering at me like I’m a freak.

Just like they normally do.

“Annie, wake up!”

Oh shit.

No!

My room comes into focus and standing in my doorway is Corinne — my roommate and best (and only) friend. “Annie, Jeezus. Three-hour nap? It’s time to go. C’mon.”

“I was having the best dream ever.” I shove my face into the pillow. “You ruined it.”

“What did I ruin?”

Peeking over at her leaning in the doorway with one eyebrow up, I mumble, “My happiness.”

She rolls her eyes. “Like I’d ever ruin that. Now, c’mon! It’s time to go to the party. Get up and get ready.” She pushes off the doorway. “We’re getting you laid tonight!”

Chapter Two

Brendan

Earlier That Day

San Francisco. Age: twenty-five. Five years before Mark meets his future wife and everything changes. Coffee: cold. Coffee shop: rife with gorgeous chicks to plunder.

“You hooked up with an older woman, huh? Nicely done. How was it?” Mark leans back and eyes a hot brunette whose breasts shimmy in time with her strut. “Mmm.” Both of us scan her.

“Incredible.” A growing line for lattes blocks our vision. We turn back to each other. Reluctantly.

Mark takes a healthy slug from his coffee. “So… how was it?”

My mouth turns up at the memory of the best blowjob I’ve ever had. “I just said it was incredible.”

Mark laughs. “I thought you were talking about jiggles. Well, I’m glad you finally climbed the joy ride and joined the team. How you stayed with only one girl all through college is beyond me.” He looks back to see if the view has improved, but there’re still too many people and he looks back to me. Reluctantly. “What was her name?”

“Rebecca. Rebecca…I don’t know her last name.” This hits me hard. “Wow.”

Mark touches his tongue to his teeth and smirks. “So you go from Boyfriend Of The Year to hooking up with a cougar whose last name you never even got?” He whistles. “I like the new you, B-man. I like it a lot.”

This makes me sit up straighter. Not really, because we’re both slouching as we should. But in my head? I’m standing tall. I’ve looked up to Mark in more ways than literally just his height. He is taller than my six-foot-one inch frame by a few inches, but it’s not just that. He’s also great at numbers, computer programming, speaking to strangers, gathering the respect of pretty much everyone. And women, they drop their skirts before he even says hello. The guy is a god.

There were a ton of stunners at San Francisco State and not one of ‘em could hold his attention for more than a month. He’s my new role model. Following his lead will rip away the last remaining sentimentality I have for the fairer sex once and for all. Good plan, good plan. I’m glad he met me today and hadn’t given up on me. It’s no wonder he’s stoked. He’s been trying to break me down for years. I am never – and I mean never – going to let another woman under my skin. She can nibble and suck on it all she wants, but she’s not getting under it no matter how beautiful she is.

I’m ready for unattached, unbridled fun. And who knows fun better than Mark? No one. If Mark ever settles down, I will keel over from shock.

I rake my fingers through my wavy hair and look out the window. “Yeah, well, I had to get rid of Sara first. That bitch had to go.” Even though she broke my heart, it hurts a little to call her that out loud. Or maybe this ache in my stomach is just a hangover from having drunk too much booze last night. Alone. Mark doesn’t say anything. I wait for a response and none comes so I turn my head and meet his skeptical eyes. “What?”

He waits a second. Decides if he wants to remind me how much I fell all over Sara during my entire college education, even the first year when she was still in high school and I had to deal with her fucking curfew. He probably wants to tease me about how I never let anyone say a bad word about her even when she was rude and snobby, which she more than sometimes was. How I’m calling her bitch