CHRISTIAN
I staredat Stella’s latest Instagram post from our ride to the fundraiser over the weekend. My hand on her bare thigh, the vivid green of her gown contrasting with the coal black sleeve of my suit.
Some photos were worth a thousand words. This photo said only one.
Mine.
A strange sensation sparked in my chest before I brushed it aside and tapped on the comments beneath the post. The reactions ranged from curiosity to joy to despair from hundreds of distraught men who bemoaned the loss of a chance with her.
Jayx098: How could you cheat on me like this? I already told my parents we were getting married :(
Brycefitness: ditch the bf and go on a date with me instead. I’ll make it worth your while ;)
Threetriscuits: i can also wear a suit and cufflinks. just sayin’
My eyes narrowed. I tapped on brycefitness’s profile and studied it. Big muscles. Small brain. Standard gym bro who thought he was God’s gift to women.
How many pounds on a barbell would it take to crush someone? Hmm…
A new text message popped up, disrupting my calculations.
Luisa: Christian Harper. You’ve been holding out on me.
Luisa: Why didn’t you tell me you were dating Stella??
A frown touched my face. I eyed brycefitness’s profile one last time before I closed out of the app. He’d gotten lucky.
Part of me, even the part that thrilled at the coppery scent of blood and fear, recognized my reaction wasn’t normal. It’d been one comment on Instagram, for fuck’s sake.
I had a business to run, yet here I was, scrolling through fucking social media on my burner account.
No profile photo, no bio, no followers. One following.
The turquoise ring burned in my pocket as I typed out a response.
Me: It was irrelevant.
Stella hadn’t shown my face in the photo, but enough people saw us together at the gala for news to spread.
Apparently, the news had since escaped the confines of D.C. society and reached New York.
Luisa: You acted like you didn’t know her at the dinner!
Me: I didn’t want to sway your decision.
There was a long pause before she replied.
Luisa: What decision?
Me: Don’t lie, Lu. I’m better at it than you are.
Luisa: You’re such an ass.
Luisa: Anyway, it wouldn’t have swayed my decision. I’m 95% set on who I want our next brand ambassador to be.
I stared at the text. My fingers drummed an absentminded rhythm on the armrest.
After another moment of deliberation, I replied.
Me: I’m glad. It’s been a long time coming.
Neutral, semi-disinterested.
She took the bait, as I knew she would.
Luisa: You’re not going to ask who it is?
Me: I was at the dinner too. The answer is obvious.
I left it at that. Luisa was smart enough to know who I meant.
A knock split the silence.
I flicked my gaze up. “Come in.”