“I can’t think about him right at the moment.” She steps out of my partial embrace. Her eyes fall shut, and she takes a deep breath and lets it out, her shoulders straightening on the exhalation. She opens her eyes, resolute. “Don’t worry. I’m going fix this. I’m going to fix all of it. I’ll make sure your reputation comes out of this unscathed. It won’t impact your career.”
I shake my head slowly. “I’m not worried about me. I’m worried about you.”
Her phone vibrates. “I have to take this. I know I don’t have to tell you, but don’t talk to anyone until I can come up with a plan. And stay inside. There are probably paparazzi loitering outside, just waiting for you to leave.”
I nod, knowing she needs to feel in control of something. “I have to call Taylor back,” I say.
It speaks to how messed up Mindy is that she answers her phone without further comment, moving into the living room to pace.
“Ally, hey. Call the firm’s attorneys. I know who obtained this video—it was done illegally. There will likely be criminal and civil charges, so the authorities should be involved as well. Work on getting our team in touch with every media outlet and get the videos shut down. Call Austin and work with him and Blake’s PR guy on mitigating the rumors and deciding how we’re going to spin this. Blake’s lawyer might get involved too. Hell, maybe even Oliver Nichols, although that story was the only part that held any truth.”
From her voice, you would never know Mindy looks like she got hit by a truck.
My mind is in overdrive. Now what? She can’t be considering telling the truth just to protect me. That would be career suicide, and Mindy’s whole life has been her work.
I escape back to my room to call Taylor, but before I can, my phone dings with an incoming text. My stomach flip flops. What if it’s Ben, gloating? I glance at the screen, and relief flows through me, followed immediately by a wave of anxiety.
It’s from Oliver—only two words: What happened?
I scrub a hand over my face. At least he’s not accusing me of anything.
I blow out a breath and then type: Ben. He put a camera in the statuette he sent with those other crap sculptures. He must have been following us.
A second after I hit Send, he responds: If you need anything, I’m here.
I sink down onto my bed, staring at the words, overwhelmed. He’s not mad. He’s not accusing me of anything. He’s offering assistance. Offering his care yet again. And I know with bone-deep certainty that if I call him right now, he’ll drop everything and do anything I ask, even if it means burning down the world.
I should never have doubted him. I was so scared I would lose myself in someone again. Things were moving so fast. Things with Ben moved fast too. I was terrified I would give too much, lose my sense of self again, but with Oliver, that was never a risk.
Ben was all about taking. Oliver is all about giving. He gave me everything I asked for, even when it was time away from him to settle my fears. I can’t be afraid anymore.