Page 217 of Twins for Three Bad Boys

Denise’s notebook that clearly wasn’t as safely locked away as she thought…

“Wow,” I say.

Tiffany hears the understanding in it.

Her face hardens.

“You did it,” I say.

Her mouth clamps shut like she’s trying to stop the words escaping.

“You did it,” I repeat, louder now. “You spread the rumors.”

Tiffany tosses her head. “Maybe I helped people to see what was already there.”

I just stare at her.

It’s not a denial.

Wayne’s hand comes to the small of my back, hot through my sweater. Not to move me. Just to remind me that I’m not back in the apartment. Not trapped. Not alone.

My mouth goes dry.

“You did this,” I whisper. “You got me fired.”

Tiffany laughs again, but there’s a wild edge to it now. “Please. They were practically waiting for an excuse. All I had to do was mention how friendly you were with the dads. How people were noticing. How it looked.”

Denise gasps. Actually gasps.

Mrs. Kline’s face goes rigid. “Tiffany.”

But Tiffany is too far gone to stop now. “Then Max said that if you lost your job, maybe you’d stop acting so smug all the time. And honestly? It worked pretty well. He even got rid of you… physically, at least.”

For one awful second, all I can hear is blood roaring in my ears.

This is insane.

Max said he got rid of me?

I feel like I’m standing outside my own body, looking at the pieces I thought were random events finally fitting together into one hideous shape.

“He was involved?”

Tiffany’s mouth twists. “He wished he was more involved. Mostly, he just bitched. I did the rest.”

My stomach turns so violently, I almost double over.

“And the emails?” I ask. “The texts? The threats?”

Tiffany’s eyes flare before she can stop herself. “What about them?”

I laugh. I can’t help it.

It bursts out of me sharp and incredulous and half hysterical, because what else am I supposed to do? This is crazy. It’s all nuts. This woman is standing in the school hallway admitting she ruined my life because my ex wouldn’t stop talking about me, and because she couldn’t stand the idea of him still wanting someone that wasn’t her.

The sound of my own laughter seems to throw her more than if I’d started screaming.

Tiffany’s whole body jerks forward. “Don’t laugh at me.”