“Oh, please—don’t pretend like you don’t know who I am. You follow me on Instagram.” She pivots back to the camera, giving it her undivided attention. “She follows me on Insta. Someone screenshot that before she can unfollow and deny it, okay? Love you.”
A wrinkle creases my brows. So what if I follow her? She’s a public figure. That’s not what I was asking.
God, I’m so tired today; forgive me, Memere, I don’t have the strength to be kind.
“That’s not what I said. Of course, I know who you are. What I don’t understand is what you’re doing here.”
“That baby-doe-eyed look won’t work on me, sweetheart. You know why I’m here.”
Emy’s fists clench beside me, and she steps forward. Lightly, I put my hand on her arm. For the first time in maybe ever, I’ve got this.
“I believe I already stated this, but I’m sorry. I’m really clueless about the reason for your presence here.”
“There’s a rumor circulating in the tabloids that you andmyboyfriend, Jack Parker, are engaged.”
Something feral claws its way to the surface inside me at Veronica referring to Jack asherboyfriend. While we haven’t defined the relationship, I can’t help but thinkmine, mine,minein response. “That sounds like a ridiculous rumor to be circulating if he was yours.”
“Are you seriously pretending that you haven’t heard of it?”
I cross my arms. “I’ve heard of the rumor, but I haven’t heard of any confirmation on his end that he’s dating you again. And Jack tells meeverything.” I don’t want Jack to get in trouble for breaking an NDA, so I keep my answer vaguely threatening, hoping Veronica picks up on the subtle context hidden within.
Slowly, her mouth pulls into a grin. “Oh, so obviously, you haven’t seen the video from last night. Let me show you.” She slides another phone out of her jacket, and I raise my hand to stop her.
“I’ve seen the video.”
“And you still don’t think that we’re together?”
My chest tightens. The rational mind I’ve tried to keep through this conversation clouds. I don’t think Jack would do something like this to me. I trust him—what I don’t trust is my ability to read his feelings for me correctly because while I’ve grown, I still have that headfirst tendency that’s more likely to burn me than be correct. And yes, Veronica is gorgeous. But seeing her in the light of day without the benefits of a filter, I’m also seeing something else.
This woman is incredibly insecure. And if Veronica, the woman I’ve held as the pinnacle of womanhood for the past year, isn’t confident in herself. Who’s to say that my feelings of inadequacy aren’t just a normal feeling that everyone deals with and overcomes? Who’s to say we all aren’t carrying some hidden weight or pain and have to cover it up in the world? And who’s to say it’s a healthy burden we’re all silently carrying?
No. Screw that.
“Do you think he’d choose someone like you when he has me as an option? I mean, seriously.” She laughs, running her hand through her hair again. Emy’s words about it are oddly looking like mine flash through. And I can’t deny it now that Veronica’s lost her miracle wash.
Her hair is exactly the same shade as mine—a dirty blonde, light brunette that no celebrity would randomly get.
Could she have set Jack up? Why would she feel threatened by someone like me?
And if she set Jack up… that look on camera was for me.
He might not have said the words, but his face said everything: he loves me.
Maybe.
I’m getting ahead of myself, and there’s an angry celebrity still live-streaming a conversation with me—and oh my god, when did my life get so weird?
“I’m not going to speak for Jack or pretend I know his true feelings for me. He may pursue whatever relationships he’d like. I don’t claim him to be mine exclusively or at all. But I have a feeling that you’re unable to claim him as well since, for whatever reason, you drove up to Chawton Falls, New Hampshire, to have a meaningless conversation with a small-town nobody. And you know what? I pity you for that, Veronica. I’m sorry for whatever is going on in your life that makes you feel so incomplete that you’ve taken these actions. But I’m not a rung to be stepped on in your ladder to healing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a fair to coordinate, and you’ve taken up enough of my time.”
Veronica’s eyes widen as a harsh scowl cuts across her once cheery façade. “I’ve taken up—”
A maa from behind interrupts her as she jumps and turns to see Gio. He sticks out his tongue and lets out a blaring bleat.
“He’s never going to choose you!” Veronica shrieks, keeping her oversized purse as a shield between her and Gio. “What makes you think that your folklore ass is going to keep someone like Jack Parker if I couldn’t? Hockey is the love of his life, it always will be. You’re a fool if you think otherwise.”
“So I’m a fool in love.” I shrug. “And yeah, he might destroy me, but at least I’ll have felt something real for a change. Can you say the same?”
Gio takes a step forward, and it backs Veronica on her heels. A mud pile behind her catches her foot, and she slips, falling on her ass. “Cut the live! Cut the live.”
