Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Brody’s jaw is tight, eyes sharp. “You okay?”
“It’s not what it looks like.”
“I know.” He squeezes my shoulder. “Flip wouldn’t do that to you.”
I drop into one of the chairs on his back deck.
The sliding door opens and Gage peeks his head out.
Brody pins him with a look. “Do not say anything stupid.”
“I wasn—”
“Shut it.” Mac flicks his ear.
My phone buzzes again. I finally pull it out of my bag so I can check the damage. My Babe Brigade is on fire.
Rix
Stay off socials, please.
Hammer
All socials.
Hemi
Flip should have messaged me about this last night so I could get ahead of it, but I’m running interference now.
Essie
I’m sorry
Dred
I’m seeing what kind of strings my husband and his endless-pool-of-wealth family can do. I’ll report back when I have information.
Tally
Aunt Flo made an untimely visit and ruined my dress, and my reputation. So fun.
Another slew of messages follow, all with hearts and empathy. I wish it made this suck less. I exhale my anxiety and switch to the ones from Flip.
Flip
Are you okay?
I need you to message me as soon as you see this.
I’m taking care of this now.
I’ll pick you up as soon as practice is over.
My fingers hover over the keys. I don’t even know what to say. I’m scared, I’m anxious. How will I make it through the end of the semester if I’m the hot topic on campus again?
Tally
I’m at Brody’s. Fee is bringing my car here.
Flip
I will fix this, kitten. And I will be there as soon as I can.
Tally
Okay. I might be at the dance studio later.
The humping dots appear and disappear a few times before another message pops up.
Flip
Make sure the studio is clear before you go.
Tally
I will. I’ll share my location.
Flip
Stay safe, please.
Tally
I will.
I hope that’s not a lie.
“How bad is the stuff online?” My stomach is in my throat.
Cammie and Brody exchange a look.
Mac kicks Gage when he opens his mouth.
“They’re digging into Flip’s past,” Cammie says gently.
“So all the old stuff is resurfacing?” I clarify.
“Yeah.” Chase runs his hands through his hair. It’s a tell.
“What else?” I glance between my friends.
“There are a lot of rumors floating around. They’ve gone all the way back to his university days.”
“What does that mean? What kind of rumors?”
“Just that he had a serious girlfriend at one point,” Mac says quickly.
“It’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not.” Brody’s expression is empathetic. “I’m sure when you see Flip, he’ll be able to smooth it all out.”
I feel like they’re talking around something, but my stress levels are through the roof, and I can’t process anything.
Fee finally shows up with my car. Despite my friends’ repeated attempts to get me to message my troupe and cancel, I go to dance practice. I understand why they made the suggestion once I’m there, because I get to explain the situation and how things have been taken out of context to Charles and Arya. Rehearsal does not go smoothly. I’m distracted, and my timing is off.
It does nothing to ease my worries or anyone else’s.
What if this one stupid mistake tanks the rest of my semester?
What if I fail my finals? What if no company wants me?
What if Flip decides I can’t handle the pressure of being his girlfriend and he breaks up with me? How heartbroken will I be then?
An hour into practice, there’s a knock on the studio door. I half expect it to be a reporter, so Arya opens it while I hide in the bathroom.
“You’re safe,” Arya calls out.
I poke my head out.
Arya is holding a box.
“It’s from Flip,” Charles explains. “There’s a card.”
I glance inside the box, which contains lunch from my favorite local bakery, chocolate, and a note:
I don’t regret taking care of you for a second, even if the media wants to twist it into something ugly. I promise I’ll fix this for us.
Xx Phillip
Arya and Charles group hug me.
“At least my dad hasn’t traded him.” Yet.
CHAPTER 46
FLIP
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t trade your ass,” Vander Zee grinds out.
My stomach is a mess, my mouth is dry, and all I want is to get back to Tally to make sure she’s okay, but I’m here, sitting across from her dad, because he’s my boss and I made a huge fucking mistake. “Because it’s not what it looks like.”
He glares at me.
“Do you honestly believe that I would deflower your daughter in the bathroom of a high-end restaurant? And then exit the bathroom with her wearing my shirt and me not wearing a shirt so every single person in the restaurant would know?”
Vander Zee doesn’t need to know what happens behind closed doors with me and his daughter, or in dark corners. My goal was to save her from public humiliation, which backfired spectacularly.
“If that’s not what happened, then what did?” Vander Zee compulsively squeezes a stress ball. His face is worrisomely red. I better not give him a heart attack.