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Chapter 35
Georgina
The moment the Uber is out of sight from Reed’s house, I crumple into the backseat. Everybody’s got a price. Reed warned me that was his life philosophy. Why didn’t I listen to him when he told me exactly what kind of monster he is? Why did I trust him with the most vulnerable, sacred parts of myself? Why, why, why?
Everybody’s got a price.
What was CeeCee’s price, I wonder? Did she ever truly believe in me, as she and Reed both claimed, or was she all too happy to help her good friend, Reed, get the tits and ass he desired, if it meant she could get a River Records special issue, including a Reed Rivers interview, for herself? I thought CeeCee was my friend, my hero, my inspiration—and it turns out she was my pimp.
“I can’t believe you lied to me,” Alessandra says, looking out her window.
I swivel my head to look at her, at a loss.
“About my demo. Why didn’t you tell me Reed had already listened to it? Why did you lie to me? You thought I couldn’t take it? You think I’m so weak and pathetic I can’t handle the truth? I was totally blindsided, Georgie. I couldn’t speak.”
I wipe my eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to feel awkward at the party around Reed.”
“That’s not why.”
“What do you mean?”
“You were a coward. You didn’t want to have to break the news to me.”
“Well, of course. But, mostly, I didn’t want you to lose faith in yourself. Reed’s opinion isn’t the gospel.”
Alessandra shakes her head and looks out the window. “I missed out on a great chance to have an honest discussion with him. To ask him questions. Maybe even try to impress him. But I was too blindsided to say or do anything. I just sat there, like an idiot. And now, thanks to you, he thinks I’m mentally deficient, in addition to being a ‘Laila knock-off.’”
“He called you that? Asshole! He swore he wouldn’t say anything to you tonight.”
“So, the answer to this problem is for Reed to have lied to me, too? Guess again, Georgina. Frankly, I’m glad Reed told me the truth. I only wish you had, too, so I could have been ready for him. He told me to get up on that stage and knock his socks off. If I’d known he’d listened already, maybe I would have... I don’t know. Maybe I would have done something.”
I wipe my eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
She scowls at me. “I said from the start he’d never want to sign me. Remember? I never once thought I’m good enough.”
“You are. He’s stupid.”
“He’s right.”
“No, Ally.”
She looks out the window for a long moment. “Just, please, don’t lie to me again. Not about anything. I know you think you need to protect me, but you don’t. I don’t want your protection. I want your respect.”
I choke back a sob. “I’m sorry.”
She looks at me and melts when she sees the emotion ripping through me. “Aw, sweetie. What happened to you tonight? What did Reed do?”
I shake my head, too mortified to say it out loud, even to Alessandra: he broke my heart. “I don’t want to talk about it.” I rub my eyes. “Tell me about Fish. Did you kiss him?”
She sighs wistfully. “No. I was positive he was finally about to kiss me, when stupid Reed showed up with Keane and Zander to smoke a joint, and the moment was lost.”
“Oh my God. Reed was freaking Godzilla tonight. Smashing everything in his path.”
“Even if we’d kissed, nothing could have come of it, anyway, with me going back to Boston on Monday.” She exhales. “But, dang it, I just wanted to kiss him so much, even if I never saw him again. I just wanted to cap off the perfect night, with the perfect boy, with the perfect kiss...”
“Fucking Reed! In addition to everything else, he fucked up a lifelong memory for you? God, I hate him.”
“Okay, Georgie. Come on. You have to tell me what the hell he did to you.” She grabs my hand. “Because the way he was following us out of the house, babbling and begging, he seemed so desperate and pathetic. So sincere.”
A dam breaks inside me. “He fucked Isabel Randolph!”
Alessandra gasps. “When?”
“Tonight. During the party. In his garage!”
“No.”
“Yes. He said he only kissed her, but I don’t believe him. But even if he did only kiss her, it doesn’t matter. Either way, he’s a liar and a cheater and I can’t trust him.” I wipe my eyes. “I gave him my whole heart, Ally. I trusted him like I’ve never trusted anyone. But none of that mattered to him. He took my heart and stuffed it into his pocket like a pack of gum.” I shake my head at my stupidity. “I bet it drove him crazy when he found out Isabel was engaged. I bet he dragged her into that garage, the first chance he got, to remind her what she’ll be missing out on when she marries her pervy grandpa.”
