“What? No, of course not with Noah!”
“You’re trying to tell me you haven’t seen him?”
“Not since your father’s party, no.”
“You haven’t talked to him?”
“Why would I? I have no interest in the man anymore, Heather. I think the video made that very clear. He’s all yours.”
There was a long pause.
“We broke up,” Heather said.
Paige sighed. The sigh said she wasn’t surprised. “And you blame me?”
“Who else should I blame?”
“How about Noah?” Paige asked.And yourself,she added silently.
It was Heather’s turn to sigh. “My father says that any man stupid enough to cheat on someone likeyouwould, of course, do the same thing to someone likeme,and I’m beyond dumb if I didn’t see it coming.”
“You’re not dumb,” Paige said, feeling almost sorry for her cousin. “And for a supposedly smart man, your father says an awful lot of stupid things.”
Heather’s eyes clouded over with tears.
“Look. For what it’s worth,” Paige said, “I’m sorry you’re hurting…”
“I don’t need you to feel sorry for me,” came Heather’s instant retort.
“I don’t,” Paige clarified. “Frankly, I think you’re your own worst enemy. I said I’m sorry you’re hurting. And I’m sorry your father’s such an ass. And I’m sorry Noah’s such a dick.”
“Heisa dick, isn’t he?” Heather sniffed.
“Yes, he is.”
“And my father really is an ass.”
“Yes, he really is.” Paige stole a peek at her watch. It was closing in on five thirty. “Look, Heather. I have to be somewhere at six o’clock…”
“I got fired,” Heather said.
“What? Why?”
“Doesn’t matter. I hated that stupid job anyway.”
“Well, then, maybe that’s a good thing. Now you can start looking for something youdolike.”
“And my father kicked me out of the house.”
Shit.She was never going to get out of here. Paige grabbed her cellphone from the counter as it was charging. “Just a second,” she told her cousin. She quickly texted Mr. Right Now that she likely wouldn’t get to Anthony’s Bar before six thirty, despite her prior assurances.I’ll explain everything later,she wrote. “So, what are you going to do?” she asked Heather, returning the phone to the counter.
“I’m not sure. Travel, maybe.”
“Travel?”
“I have enough money for a few months. I was thinking maybe I’d go to Europe.”
“You don’t think you should start looking for an apartment and another job?” Paige regretted her question the second it was out of her mouth.