“Yeah. Are you all right? You look really pale.”
“I’m fine.” She says it with a wan smile, but I know she doesn’t mean it. She’s speaking like I’m a stranger who couldn’t care less about how she really feels.
That hurts. And along with the hurt comes anger.
Not at her, but at everything about the situation. I’m pissed that my resentment against Shelly made me do something as stupid as getting Erin involved. And furious that I can’t unpublish the picture or erase the damage Shelly has done. I should’ve known she wouldn’t accept that she and I were over, even if I produced a faux lover. She’d push, because she can’t stand being denied anything. I should’ve anticipated that she would see Erin as an obstacle to eliminate.
“There’s something I need to let you know,” I say.
Erin stares at me like she suddenly lost her English. Okay, revelations can wait.
“Want something to eat?” Every time Cora feels bad, she seeks out sugar. She said there’s almost nothing sugar can’t improve. Maybe it’ll work the same with Erin.
“Do I look that bad?” Erin asks finally. Then her gaze drops to my desk. “I’d like some of the cake, if you don’t mind.”
Chapter Fourteen
Erin
David gives me the strangest look. Then he gets up. “Um… Sure. Just a sec.”
He walks out. Maybe he doesn’t have a fork… No, there’s a disposable utensil and napkin set wrapped in clear plastic on his desk. I should point out that he didn’t have to go hunt for them when he’s back.
Maybe he and I can share the cake. That’s probably what he’s planning on doing.
Then I wonder why I’m thinking about this sort of mundane thing when I have to deal with the picture and the reporters. I’m sure they’re going to publish my name…if they haven’t done so already.
Dad will call again to demand answers. He might’ve already tried. Not that I’d know, now that my phone’s dead. Does it make me a bad person if I’m relieved that I can’t talk to him? I think back on what happened to my poor phone. Assuming anything’s left on the sidewalk after the reporters are gone, I doubt I’ll get anything off the crushed device. I doubt my contacts are backed up, too. I’ll have to ask the phone people when I replace it.
The door opens again, and David returns with a bag of M&M’s he must’ve filched from the dev team’s candy stash. He told me they have the best selection and never, ever run out.
“Here.” David hands me the chocolate.
&n
bsp; Then he drags a chair next to mine so he’s facing me. I realize by sitting like this, he’s blocking my view of the cake. The move makes me smile a little. He must really like it to not want to share. Normally he’s pretty generous.
I open the bag and eat a few crunchy chocolates. I offer him some, but he shakes his head.
He sighs. “Shelly told the media who you were.”
I stop eating and stare at him. “She told you that?”
“Yeah. She just texted me. I’m sure she’s also the one who said you and Warren are together to spite me for saying you were the love of my life.”
“Wow.” She must’ve taken her first come, first served logic to the extreme to pair me with Warren. She must also think that by doing this, she can have David again. “Well, it isn’t your fault.”
“Yeah, it is. I shouldn’t have asked you to come on Saturday. Shouldn’t have gotten you involved. I’m really sorry.”
I shrug. “You couldn’t have known all this was going to happen. Your ex doesn’t seem like the subtle type. Or, well…perceptive.”
“No. She isn’t.” His phone beeps. He glances at the screen and swears.
“What?”
“It’s Trent.”
“Your brother?” He works in Sweet Darlings, Inc.’s headquarters in Virginia, and I met him three or four times before David and I got transferred to L.A.