Trust Me

Matthew

Going on a long drive with Sarah was not as bad as I expected. She is a pretty good company.

Of course, I still feel extremely guilty for not telling Amanda, but I don't know what else to do. Going on a business trip with Sarah alone is bad enough. If Amanda finds out that I am now stuck in a car with her for hours, she will…

"Penny, for your thought?" Sarah asks.

I grip the steering wheel a little tighter, debating how much to say. "Just thinking about work," I lie. "And how long this drive is."

She tilts her head, studying me like she doesn't quite believe me. "I see. Sure, it's about work and not, you know… Amanda?"

My jaw tightens involuntarily. Sarah doesn't miss it.

"Knew it," she says, leaning back in her seat with a smug look.

I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. "Amanda worries. A lot."

"She worries, or she doesn't trust you?" Sarah challenges.

I shoot her a look. "That's not fair."

She shrugs. "I'm just saying, if she trusted you, she wouldn't freak out over something like this."

I exhale sharply, focusing on the road. "It's not that simple. She's had bad experiences in the past, and I don't want to give her a reason to doubt me."

Sarah is quiet for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "I get that," she says finally, softer than before. "But you should lighten up. We are almost there."

I know she's right, but I don't respond. Instead, I turn up the radio slightly, letting the music fill the silence between us.

Sarah doesn't push me further, but I can feel her eyes on me like she's trying to figure me out.

When we finally arrived at the hotel, I couldn't be more relieved.

"Finally," she sighs. "My neck hurts from sitting so much."

I smirk as I step out, grabbing my bag from the back seat. "It wasn't that bad."

She raises an eyebrow. "Oh? So, you admit that I'm good company?"

I shake my head, fighting a small smile. "I plead the fifth."

She gasps in mock offense. "Wow. After all my efforts to keep you entertained? The betrayal."

Rolling my eyes, I head toward the hotel entrance, ignoring the way my phone buzzes in my pocket. I already know who it is. I need to call her as soon as I am in the privacy of my room.

As we step into the lobby, Sarah glances around. "Not bad."

I nod, checking in at the front desk. The receptionist hands me two keycards. "You'll be in rooms 406 and 407. They're right next to each other."

I turn to Sarah and hold out her key. "Here you go."

She takes it with a grin. "So close, yet so far apart."

I shake my head. "Good night, Sarah."

"Night, Matthew," she singsongs before heading to the elevator.

As soon as she's gone, I pull out my phone and stare at Amanda's name on the screen. Missed calls. A few unread messages.

I have to call her back.

With a deep breath, I step into the elevator, pressing the button for the fourth floor. The doors slide shut, sealing me in with my thoughts.

Amanda is going to be upset. I already know how this conversation will go. The accusations, the frustration in her voice, the underlying insecurity she tries to mask but always fails to hide completely.

I run a hand down my face as my phone vibrates in my palm. Another call.

I could ignore it, go to my room, shower, and deal with it later. But that would only make things worse.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I swipe to answer.

"Hey," I say, keeping my voice as calm as possible.

"Hey?" Amanda's voice is sharp, edged with something that sounds like restrained anger. "That's all you have to say? Matthew, I've been calling you for hours!"

I sigh, stepping out as the elevator dings on my floor. "I know. I'm sorry. I was on the road. I didn't want to talk while driving."

"You could have sent a text!" she snaps. "Just a simple Hey, I'm alive would've been nice!"

I unlock my hotel room and step inside, shutting the door behind me. "You're right. I should have. I wasn't thinking."

There's a pause on the other end, but it's not relief or understanding. It's hesitation.

"Where are you now?" she asks.

I sit on the edge of the bed, rubbing my temple. "At the hotel."

A beat of silence. Then, softer but more pointed, she asks, "Are you alone?"

I close my eyes. "Amanda…"

"Are you?" she presses.

"Yes, I'm in my room alone." It's the truth, but it doesn't feel like enough. Not to her.

"Okay," she finally says after a long moment of silence. "You need to call me as soon as you are done with your meeting tomorrow."

"I will," I assure her, my voice firm. "I promise."

Another pause. I can hear her breathing, uneven, like she wants to say more but holds back.

"Good," she finally mutters. "Get some rest."

"You too," I say, but the call has already ended.

I let out a slow breath, staring at my phone for a moment before setting it on the nightstand.

I move to my suitcase. I need a shower, some sleep, anything to clear my head.

~-~

The next day, I make sure I wake up early enough to make it to the conference ballroom on time. I look at the chair next to me where Sarah is assigned to sit, but it's empty.

Frowning, I pull out my phone, debating whether to text her. Before I can, a familiar voice cuts through my thoughts.

"Looking for me?"

I turn to see Sarah sliding into the chair beside me, a coffee cup in one hand and a smirk playing on her lips.

"You're late," I say, keeping my tone neutral.

She shrugs. "Only by a couple of minutes. Besides, I figured you'd enjoy some peace before having to deal with me all day."

I shake my head, exhaling. "How considerate of you."

"You're welcome." She grins before taking a sip of her coffee. "Did you survive the night without Amanda hunting you down?"

I shoot her a warning look, but she only raises an eyebrow, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

"She called," I admit, leaning back in my chair. "She wasn't happy."

Sarah hums, stirring her coffee idly. "And you still didn't tell her you came here with me, did you?"

I don't answer right away, and that's enough of an answer for Sarah. She lets out a low chuckle, shaking her head.

"You know, Matthew, secrets have a way of coming out," she says, taking another sip of her coffee. "And when they do, they always make things worse."

I rub a hand down my face, feeling the weight of her words settle in my chest. "It's not a secret," I mutter. "I just… didn't want to make things harder than they needed to be."

Sarah leans in slightly, lowering her voice. "Maybe I don't like being hidden."

I glance at her, irritation flickering in my gaze, but before I can respond, the conference speaker begins talking, forcing me to drop the conversation.

Still, her words linger.

Why do I feel like I have to hide her when there is nothing going on between us?

After the conference ends, Sarah stretches her arms over her head, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Well, that was informative," she says, standing up and grabbing her bag. "And by informative, I mean incredibly boring."

I smirk, shaking my head. "It wasn't that bad."

She tilts her head at me. "Matthew, be honest. If I hadn't been sitting next to you, keeping you entertained with my charming presence, you would've fallen asleep halfway through."

I huff out a quiet laugh, gathering my things. "I would've survived."

She rolls her eyes but then brightens. "Oh, hey! Leslie from our table asked if we wanted to go to the bar across the street. Let's do it."

I hesitate, glancing at my watch. It's not that late, but I know Amanda will expect a call soon. I can already imagine how that conversation will go if she hears I went out drinking.

Sarah must see the indecision on my face because she nudges my arm. "Come on, don't be boring. One drink won't kill you."

I exhale slowly, weighing my options. If I say no, she'll give me hell for it the rest of the night. If I say yes, I'll just have to be careful. One drink, a little socializing, and then I'll leave. Besides, I was here to network, wasn't I?

"Fine," I say, slipping my phone into my pocket. "One drink."

Sarah grins like she's won something. "Atta boy."

~-~

The bar is lively but not overly crowded, a dimly lit place with music playing softly in the background. A few of the people from the conference are already seated at a high-top table, drinks in hand.

Sarah slides onto a stool next to me, ordering a cocktail while I settle for a whiskey. True to my word, just one drink.

The conversation flows easily—work complaints, jokes, and harmless banter. Sarah is effortlessly charismatic, making people laugh and keeping the mood light.

At some point, she leans in slightly, her shoulder brushing mine. "See? This isn't so bad, is it?"

I shake my head, lifting my glass. "No, it's not."

She smirks. "Told you."

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and my stomach tightens. I already know who it is.

Amanda.

I pull it out, staring at the screen. Three missed calls.

Sarah glances at my phone, then at me, her expression unreadable. "You should answer that."

I exhale, pushing back from the table. "Yeah, I should."

I step outside, the cool night air hitting my skin as I press the call button. It rings once before Amanda picks up.

"Matthew," she says, and there's something sharp in her tone. "Where have you been?"

"I am at the bar with some coworkers after the conference," I say carefully, keeping my voice steady.

Silence.

Then, she asks, "You didn't tell me about going to a bar."

"It was a last-minute thing, Amanda. Just one drink and some networking. Nothing crazy."

"Who are you with?" Her voice is quieter now but no less intense.

I sigh, knowing where this is headed. "A few people from the conference."

"Matthew, come on! You're missing all the fun!"

I freeze, my heart dropping into my stomach. There's a beat of silence on the other end of the line, then Amanda's voice, low and dangerous. "Who is that?"

Fuck.

I turn to Sarah and glare at her. "Amanda, it's not what you think," I tell Amanda.

"Not what I think?" Her voice rises, anger and hurt bleeding through. "You're out drinking with her, and you didn't even tell me she was there!"

"It's just a work thing," I try to explain, but even to my own ears, it sounds weak. "We're here with a group."

God, I shouldn't told her from the beginning. I am such a fucking coward.

"A group," Amanda repeats, disbelief dripping from every word. "Right. You must think I am stupid."

I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to find the right words. "Amanda, please. You have to trust me."

"Trust you?" She laughs, but there's no humor in it. "How can I trust you when you're constantly hiding things from me? When you're out with her, doing God knows what?"

"I'm not hiding anything!" I argue, frustration building in my chest. "I told you, it's just a drink with coworkers. That's it."

"And I'm supposed to believe that?" Her voice cracks, and I can hear the tears she's trying to hold back.

My jaw clenches. "Yes, Amanda. I am your boyfriend. You should trust me."

The line goes dead.

I stare at my phone, a mix of anger and guilt swirling in my gut. I shouldn't have come out tonight. I should have just gone back to my room, called Amanda, and reassured her.

But a part of me doesn't like that either. Why should I have to constantly reassure her? Why can't she just trust me?

"Sorry, Matthew. Didn't mean to get you in trouble," Sarah says, and I suddenly remember that she was there.

I sigh. "Let's just get back inside. I need another drink," I say.