The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and a muscle in my jaw ticks.
“What do you want, Bea?” I grit out.
“Can’t I call and see how the future mayor is?”
I stay silent.
“Look.” She sighs. “I know you and I have history. But I thought we could at least try to get along now that you’re back in New York again.”
“We could,” I answer. “But the city is big enough that I don’t see how we’ll bump into each other enough for there to be a problem whether we do or not.”
She laughs, but it’s laced with an undercurrent of something I can’t put my finger on. She was always scheming and up to something. That’s one thing I remember about her from when we dated. She was always making friends with people who could benefit her. The number of nights out Bea used to go on, and not pay for a thing as she had managed to buddy up with the next new club promoter, or bar owner.
“Oh, you always could make me laugh. It’s rare, you know, for a man to be intelligent, good looking,andfunny.”
“Why did you call, Bea?” I keep my tone flat. Any hint of interest and she will latch on to it and try to manipulate it to her advantage somehow.
“I’m just being a friend, looking out for a friend. That’s all. Did you enjoy the basket?”
I glance at Stuart. He said Shannon’s mom was thrilled with it. A way to win favor with the future mother-in-law.
“It was appreciated.”
“Good. You know, you could have shared it with Harley if the two of you were still together.”
I grunt in annoyance. I wouldn’t discuss Harley with her when she dropped in unannounced the first time. And that’s when Harley and I were together, and everything was going great. Like hell am I going to talk to Bea about Harley now.
“I have to get back to work.”
“Wait, Reed.” Her voice softens. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought her up. But I am sorry to hear things didn’t work out between you both. Perhaps you’ll figure it out.”
I grit my teeth, inhaling through my nose as she weaves out her empty sympathies. I don’t need her well wishes, and I sure as fuck don’t want them.
“Perhaps. Now, if there wasn’t any other reason for your call?”
“Only,” Bea adds, “she looked rather upset in the photos. I think this is hard for her. It must be reassuring, knowing you have such good friends who are there to offer support.”
She’s baiting me. I can tell by the deliberate pause as she waits for me to process her words. But fuck if I’m going to give her the satisfaction.
“Yes, we’re both very fortunate. Goodbye, Bea.”
I end the call and throw my phone down on the desk in disgust, turning to my computer and typing in Harley’s name. If there are recent photographs that Bea has seen, then they must be on one of the online news pages, because Stuart keeps on top of all things being reported. And he hasn’t mentioned anything, other than more rumors about my upcoming selection announcement.
“She does not give up, that one,” Stuart says, his eyes still scanning over the printed report in his hands.
“She should learn to.”
I crack my knuckles as the first news site brings up nothing. Although, that’s a more business-focused one. I click into the address bar and bring up the online news page for the New York equivalent of drunken gossip around the photocopier at an office party. This particular news outlet is the one that was running the poll over when I would ask Harley to marry me. And also the one that snapped our first real public kiss after the question session in the park.
The page loads and I don’t even have to dig around to find what Bea was gloating over during her call.
“Stu?” I bark.
He raises his eyes to mine.
I spin the screen toward him with so much force, the keyboard clatters to the floor.
“This doesn’t look like lunch with Paige. This looks like you in Central Parkwith Harley.”