Page 51 of Rebooting Conor Flynn

The server’s gaze darted between us. “I guess the man knows what he wants. One house cab coming up.”

“You might regret it,” Noelle murmured into her glass.

“I’m not one who has regrets.”

“Wow.” Noelle shoved her glasses on her face, almost taking her eye out. “You could at least show a little shame for not texting me when you went to Australia.”

I jerked back as if she’d slapped me. “What are you talking about? I texted you from Australia.”

“Right.” Folding her arms, she pursed her lips.

Blood pumped through my veins. “What does that even mean? I texted you, and you didn’t text back.”

“I texted you every day.” She gripped the edge of the table as if using it as an anchor.

“I texted you every day.”

“Don’t lie, Con. You just said you weren’t one for regrets.”

“I...

“Here’s your wine.” The server glanced up at the window as she put my glass on the table.

After this conversation with Noelle, I wanted to down the whole drink in one gulp.

“Looks like you drew a crowd, Conor Flynn.” The waitress tipped her chin at the window, and both Noelle and I jerked our heads toward the glass.

A flash popped off outside, blinding me. I blinked, seeing bright spots every time I closed my eyes.

At the sound of breaking glass, I squinted through one eye at a jagged piece of Noelle’s wine glass in the middle of a flood of wine pooling on the table.

I reached for her hand. “Are you alright? Did the glass cut you?”

Twisting her hand out of my grasp, she hissed, “Let go. People are watching.”

With my vision still impaired, I shifted my gaze from Noelle and the flashing cameras outside the window to a few people on the stairs, aiming their phones in our direction.

Noelle sucked in a sharp breath, and I glanced at her—all the color drained from her face.

“This is bad, Conor. I-I think someone set us up.”

I downed my wine and wiped the back of my hand across my mouth. “I think you’re right.”

And I had a good idea who arranged it. I just didn’t know why.

Chapter 13

NOELLE

I folded my arms across my knotted stomach in the back of the Uber. Our server snuck us out the back so we wouldn’t have to face more cameras leaving the club. We could’ve left with the Padres and hid behind their bulk, but they looked like they were in for the long haul.

“But why would Ashley set us up like that? She was pissed off the first time fans splashed those pictures from In N Out across social media—so much so, she nearly torpedoed the fake dating narrative. The second time it happened at the concert, she reined it in and doubled down on the stunt relationship. Why would she instigate a third incident?”

“I don’t know, Noelle. She’s Ashley Bennett. Why does she do anything?” Conor rubbed a hand across his face. “Maybe she just wanted more ammunition to start drama. Orlando’s on another planet if he thinks Ashley is going to toe the line to improve her rep.”

I gnawed on my bottom lip. “Orlando can’t blame me for that.”

Conor squeezed my knee, and I jumped. “You’re doing your best, Nollaig.”