But it wasn’t, because I’mme.
I didn’t do enough to save Daniel.
And that’s never going to fucking happen again.
I text my publicist saying to release a statement saying that we were never dating, and Caitlyn didn’t cheat on me. Some people will still believe the bullshit, to be sure. Not everyone will see the follow-up. But I have to try.
And I need to do the photoshoot. Sooner rather than later. I would take any attention if it means this will go away.
CHAPTER 16
CHASE
After leaving Logan’s suite earlier, the rest of my shift has been a prolonged kick to the teeth.
One of the regular servers is out sick tonight, which would have been fine if the restaurant didn’t also have a twelve-person bachelorette party scheduled for seven o’clock, followed by a corporate retreat at eight.
One of the walk-in fridges in the back kitchen broke ten minutes into the first massive reservation, too, and it’s been a shift from hell ever since.
“Fuck,” David roars at me and Ruby as he rushes past the line cooks, slamming a metal tray down on the counter. “We need the bachelorette desserts outnow, and we have to move all of the creme brulee pots into the working walk-in. Both of you,go.Desserts.”
“Moving as fast as I can,” I tell him.
“Do it faster,” he spits back. “Quit daydreaming in fucking fairy-land, Chase.”
My heart pounds hard in my chest. “Don’t talk to me like that.”
I say it without thinking.
David could easily fire me from the tone I used, alone. But luckily, tonight, he needs me too much.
“We’ll chat later, Chase,” he says in a low tone. “Go.”
I rush into the failing walk-in, get the desserts that are luckily still very cold, and bring them out to the bachelorette party.
“Oh my God,yes,” the bride says, her eyes going wide at the cups full of white chocolate raspberry mousse. “I’m too drunk to say no to sugar right now.”
I place the cups of dessert in front of each of them, and a woman with curly blonde hair at the end of the table blinks up at me.
“You’re, like,hot,” she says, one corner of her mouth curling up in a smile. “How long is your shift?”
“I appreciate the compliment, but you’re unfortunately barking up the wrong tree,” I tell her.
She blinks again. “What?”
“I think he’s saying he’s gay, Kristin.”
I don’t bother to correct her friend and say I’m bi, because regardless, I’m not interested in any action from her.
She doesn’t seem deterred. “You could take my ass. I don’t mind.”
“Jesus, Kristin,” her friend says, her eyes going wide as she looks back at me. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s no problem. Let me get you guys a fresh pitcher of water.”
“That would be excellent,” her friend says.
After another half an hour, they’ve finished their desserts and we’ve collectively helped Kristin chug down a couple of glasses of water. She’s hiccupping when I come back to the table to clear all of the cups.
