“I’m with Miles on this one,” Lando says. “I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I’m a big girl.”
“A big girl wouldn’t screw me over.”
“I haven’t done anything, Miles,” she yells back, and more tears spill over.
“Well, you've been doing something.” My jaw tightens as something dawns on me. “Was it you? Did you tell him where I was? Is that why he came to Hampshire?”
Clementine’s face twists in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“He came to fuck with me, Clementine. That’s what he does.”
“He wouldn’t do that.”
I throw my hands in the air. “You don’t even know him. You’re utterly delusional, Clementine.”
“No, Miles, I’m not. Iknowhim . . .” She cracks. “I love him, and he loves me.”
My eyes roll thick and heavy. “Ohplease.Spare me the Romeo and Juliet reenactment and leave the theatrics up to Holiday.”
“Fuck you. What would you know about love?”
If possible, her words echo around the hall longer than anything else we’ve yelled today. Everyone’s staring, and no one knows what to say.
My head pounds. Clementine’s chest heaves with emotion, her cheeks blotchy and wet.
I nod. And I’m suddenly totally defeated. Heartbroken.
It doesn’t matter what I tell her, because she’s not hearing me.
I step toward her. “For what it’s worth, Clem, when he breaks your heart, I won’t say I told you so.”
And I walk out, leaving her standing with her basket of eggs.
CHAPTER 26
Ruby
No one says a word.
The only sound we can hear is Clementine quietly sobbing.
I am glued in place, and by the looks of it, so are Hendricks and Lando.
I want to reach out and hug her, but something stops me. I know it has everything to do with the way she spoke to Miles. She might be hurting, but lashing out at Miles wasn’t the way to go.
When she looks up, her bloodshot eyes barely glance at me before they narrow on Hendricks.
“You fucking bastard, Hen. There was nothing to tell him. You didn’t need to do that.”
“No way, Clem,” he says, and I think it’s the first time I’ve ever heard him use this particular tone as he jabs a finger at his sister. “Don’t you fucking dare blame me. This is your own doing. I told you what would happen. I told you how hurt Miles would be, and I told you to tell him. I gave you the chance, Clementine, and you decided not to take it.”
She sobs again, using her hand to muffle her cries. I can’t imagine what a number Torres has done on her if this ishow upset she’s getting. I also can’t imagine him being in love, because he, like all the other polo players I know, has a reputation.
But then I was wrong about Miles. Because he’s nothing like I thought he would be.
In the end, it’s Lando who comes to her comfort and pulls her into his arms.
