Hailey snorts. “Liar.”
“You know I don’t do relationships,” I remind them.
“Isn’t a friendship a relationship?” Phoebe asks, and I snarl at her.
“I don’t do romantic relationships then,” I amend.
“Why not?”
“Yeah, Suzie, why not?” Hailey teases. I engage my eye lasers, but they have no effect on her. Damn it.
“Because.”
“Not good enough. You insisted I give Ryker – who freaking kidnapped me in case you forgot – a second chance. You literally wouldn’t shut up about it. You can be super annoying.”
I grin. “I know. I kind of rock annoying.”
Phoebe is not to be deterred. “If you don’t want me bugging you day in and day out about giving Grayson a chance, then you’re going to have to tell me your story.”
“Do I have to?” I whine. I’m acting childish, but I can’t help it. I already broke open my heart and told Grayson the whole ugly Toby story on Saturday. Do I have to do it again?
Adult Suzie rears her ugly self and reminds me, You weren’t heartbroken on Saturday. You were embarrassed. You don’t know everything, I tell her. Sure, I do.
“Fine,” I grunt and tell her all about the lying, cheating scumbag also known as Toby, my ex-boyfriend.
“Let me get this straight.” Phoebe holds up her finger. “He cheated on you and got another woman pregnant while his ring was on your finger.”
“After he told me – someone who wants a whole gaggle of children – he didn’t want children.” Why does everyone keep forgetting this? It’s the foundation of the betrayal!
“And, to be technical about it, she was pregnant before he proposed,” Hailey points out.
“Thanks for the clarification. Glad we have all the facts perfectly clear now,” I snarl.
“Did you miss what happened to me last year?” Phoebe asks.
Um, no. No one could have missed all the shit swirling around her. She was kidnapped not once, but twice. Although the first time wasn’t technically a kidnapping. It’s a long story. But the second time? Total kidnapping there.
“And yet, despite all of the shit he did and all the lies he told, you didn’t hesitate to push me to get together with Ryker.”
She must be serious. She’s swearing.
“Of course not. It was obvious you were totally gone for the man.”
Hailey pounces. “Let’s imagine for a moment, if you will, someone else who is really into a man but said someone is being cautious because of her past. Would you as an innocent bystander push the woman toward the man? Or would you let her be?”
I seriously hate when she throws my actions back at me. “You’ve made your point.”
“I don’t think she has. I’m kind of pissed right now.”
My eyes widen at Phoebe’s declaration. The Phoebe I know doesn’t use words like pissed, let alone actually get pissed.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
I hope she’s pissed at Toby on my behalf, but I’m worried she’s angry at me.
“One of my best friends turns out to be a big hypocrite. No, not big. Huge hypocrite.”
Hailey bobs her head in agreement. “I could have told you that.”