Page 69 of Pretty Lies

She’d not considered that.

When she didn’t respond right away, J was quick to come with more of his wisdom although she didn’t have the first clue where it all came from. “You realize those are not the same things, right? What you’re handling with Cory and what’s going on around you and him because of Luis and his bullshit … they’re not the same and we all have to handle them like they’re different, including you. One is personal growth. The other is business. Different things and that’s okay. Just sucks for you that it’s happening at the same time, you know? Makes it messy.”

“And confusing,” she muttered.

J nodded. “Still … give it a chance to clear up or pass.”

Della sighed. “Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

“I am. It’s what I do.”

“You’re awful.”

J grinned widely. “Yeah, well … what can you do? Call me—we’ll meet up when I’m …” He glanced at the closed door behind her, probably seeing the scene waiting behind it but not wanting to go back down that road. “… not busy. Yeah?”

Actually, Della already felt better.

This was why she loved her brother.

And maybe now she could apologize to Cory because she understood exactly what she needed to apologize for to start with. Wasn’t that always a good thing?

She thought so.

“Okay,” she replied. “Later, for sure.”

“Yeah, you probably need a night out, huh? Heard you been locked down all week.”

She groaned on her way to the office door as she reached for the knob. “Don’t remind me. That’s ninety percent of my damn problem.”

“Likely. You never were one to hide away. I’ll talk to Dad. See what we can do.”

“Don’t make promises.”

“I tend to keep them when I make one.”

Right.

And he usually wasn’t a liar.

Speaking of which … that reminded her.

With her hand tight around the knob, but hesitating before she opened the door, Della glanced over her shoulder, asking, “Also, why did you lie to me? I know she’s not your type … but did you really have to make a whole show when you said you weren’t fucking her?”

J’s brow dipped. “What?”

Why was he playing dumb?

“You said you weren’t fucking around with Jennika—not loyal to a man, remember?”

Something lit up her brother’s face that she didn’t recognize from him—embarrassment? No, that wasn’t right.

Before J could reply, a knock echoed on the office door. Della let go of the knob and stepped back when her brother said, “Let them in.”

Della was entirely unsurprised to find a very annoyed Cory waiting behind the door. He passed her a look, but then gave J a nod. Her brother returned it with a greeting in kind.

Then, Cory’s attention was back on her. That cold stare of his said it all; it also bothered her the most. She really needed to step up and own her shit where Cory was concerned. Her brother had made good points. Frankly, this man also hadn’t given her a reason to not give him the benefit of the doubt, either.

“Can I please have a fucking minute now?” Cory asked.