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“I’m good.” I shake my head in case she can’t hear me over the music. “Lauren, what’s going on?”
“Sophie’s too busy to drink with me, so you’re up.” Lauren shrugs like that’s explanation enough and downs the shot herself. “Whoo!” She throws her arms over her head as the song changes to “Womanizer,” and I pluck the glass from her before it lands on the floor.
Turning, I’m hunting for a place to set it down when Derek takes it from me. “I got it.” Startled, I stumble back and run into a hard chest that I recognize instantly.
Large hands grip my shoulders, and even though I know he’s not happy with me, the contact unknots my stomach. “Having fun, Rocky?” His words are for me, but directed at Derek.
Lauren laughs. “Rocky? Like, Stallone? Or like, what’s his face? The pretty one from Supernatural?” Who knew Lauren was a fan? “Oh, wait! Bullwinkle!” She bends in half, laughing so hard I’m afraid she’s going to fall over. “Fucking Moose and Squirrel. This is the best thing I’ve ever heard.” She’s still laughing hysterically. Derek and Julian are eyeing me like I know what to do in the situation.
Lauren wobbles on her heels, and I jump to her side, wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her. She pats the top of my head. “You’re a good friend, Frankie. I’m okay.”
She straightens and pushes me toward Julian, but I don’t touch him. The last thing I want is to force him to be affectionate when he’s upset with me.
“Seriously, did you guys have a fight or what?”
Now Derek laughs. “A fight? Surely even you’re not that dense, Masterson.” When Lauren looks at him, confused and slightly glassy-eyed, Derek points accusingly at us. “They’re totally faking it. Have been from the beginning.”
“Faking it? Why would they be…?” Lauren trails off, looking from me to Julian, to Derek. She shakes her head. “Nope. They’re the real deal. I know these things.”
Derek scoffs. “Yeah, right. You wouldn’t know reality if it bit you on the ass.”
Lauren taps the side of her nose. “Sophie and Theo? All me. These two?” She waves a hand in our direction. “Friends to lovers, all the way. Not my favorite trope, to be honest. I prefer a spicy enemies to lovers.” She leans down like she’s going to whisper in my ear, but she doesn’t actually lower her voice, so Derek and Julian hear it too. “Even better if there’s some kind of kink, but we’ll work you up to that.”
My cheeks burn. We need to abort before this conversation gets any more embarrassing. “We’re just going to go to the ladies’ room.” I toss the words over my shoulder as I lead Lauren away.
We stumble on the edge of the wooden dance floor, and again when Lauren bumps into a chair as we pass by some tables. Once we leave the ballroom, I take her down a smaller hallway and into the bathroom.
“I don’t have to pee,” she whines and flops down in an armchair in the corner.
“Well, I do.” I leave her there and head into a stall.
“Derek is full of shit.” Lauren’s voice carries over the stall door. “He’s a shitty shitbag and wouldn’t know true love if it bit him on the ass and called him Daddy.” She busts up laughing at her private joke. “No, no. Wait. He wouldn’t know true love if it…if it was velvet-wrapped steel!” She’s still giggling over her joke that makes no sense when I emerge.
“Okay, well, I don’t know about true love…” I mutter under my breath before washing my hands.
“What do you mean? Of course, it’s true love.” Lauren bumps me aside and thrusts her hands under the faucet.
“Lauren…” We dry our hands, and I follow her out of the restroom. She strides ahead, forcing me to jog to catch up. My phone slips down inside my boot, distracting me.
Does it matter if I say anything now? The party is almost over, and Derek hasn’t cornered me once. I’m trying to catch up and pull my phone back up inside my boot, not looking where I’m going. “Julian and I aren’t really dating. It’s been fake all along.”
“I knew it!”
Freezing, I look up to find Derek blocking the hallway, a look of triumph on his face. Lauren whirls to face me. “What? Are you serious, Frankie? But you guys slept together, right? Please tell me you slept with him, and it’s not fake anymore?”
“What the fuck is wrong with you, Masterson?” Derek turns his gaze on me, pinning me in place. “Let me guess, you asked him to fake date you because of me? Why can’t you just admit that you want me, Frankie?”
He stalks closer, ignoring Lauren who’s sputtering and muttering to herself, his eyes locked on me. I’m frozen, again. I hate that Derek does this to me. Why can’t I be brave? Or even just run away?
“Why are you fighting this so hard, Frankie? Huh? Are you intimidated by me? Is it because I’m your boss?” He smirks, reaching out to touch my hair, but I jerk my head back out of reach. “If Sutton can fuck the secretary, surely there’s no reason we can’t be together.”
Derek’s head snaps back, and I’m suddenly aware of Mr. Sutton next to me, shaking out his hand and wincing. “Don’t you ever speak about Sophie that way again.”
“What the fuck, man? That’s assault!” Derek holds his jaw, working it back and forth.
“You’re fired.” Mr. Sutton nods to someone behind Derek. Julian steps forward, eyes burning with white fire. He clasps a hand on Derek’s shoulder and pulls him away.
“Take your hands off me, Neanderthal!” Derek twists, but Julian has a firm grip on him. “I’ll fucking sue, Sutton! I’ll take you to the cleaners, just you wait. All your dirty laundry? I’ll air it for everyone to see.” He turns venomous eyes on me and Sophie, who snuck up beside me. “You think you two were the only ones he’s fucked? You can’t hide from me, Sutton. Or maybe I’ll dig up some dirt on your famous sister, huh? I bet the paparazzi would be very interested in hearing all the stories about her you’ve scrubbed over the—”
