Page 79

“I can’t be the girl he slums it with, Mari. I can’t.”

She stared at me a beat, then shook her head, her voice turning soft. “Slum it? You’re worth so much more than you think you are, Shay. I hope you realize that.”

“I’m not,” I whispered.

“Yes, you are.” She moved to sit next to me and took my hand. “I’m going to say something right now that will make you uncomfortable. The deep stuff makes you fidgety, and I get that. So just listen. You don’t have to say anything, okay?

I nodded.

“You have abandonment issues you don’t acknowledge because you grew up without a dad. You also carry a lot of shame because of these society-imposed values that say impoverished people are somehow worse. I know you went to therapy back in college, but there’s no cure for these deep-seated insecurities. These are things you’ll have to fight with the rest of your life. But I’m here to tell you that you aren’t worthless, and you aren’t second-class just because your finances are a little tight. You are wonderful, and you deserve a man who loves you.”

I brushed away the annoying tears that spilled. Swallowing, I gave her hand a pat. The words were pretty, but love wouldn’t pay the bills or keep me from starving, and I needed to focus on my job. Not some boy.

Once I was financially secure, maybe he’d consider⁠—

No! If I let myself hope, I’d only break. Better to never imagine the possibilities than create impossible fantasies that would cut when shattered. What would Audra say?

Keep your feet on the ground and your head on your shoulders. No use dreamin’ about unicorns when a horse’ll do you just fine.

Cam was a unicorn, and I needed to stay far away.

Twenty-Six

I checked social media all evening, silently begging Carley Gentry to post the dang TikTok. Eventually, I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer and fell asleep with my phone beside my pillow—which meant the sudden vibrations in the morning startled me awake.

I squinted at the bright screen, my sleepy eyes adjusting.

Ivy: SHE POSTED IT

My stomach dropped like I’d jumped out of an airplane, and I hurriedly scrolled to the app. She’d posted it early this morning, and it already had thousands of views. I watched the video three times before a scream echoed through the house, and Maribel shouted, “I hope you’re decent” at the same time she banged open my door and jumped on my bed.

“You’re famous!”

I allowed myself a grin. “This does seem promising.”

She shook my shoulders, and we giggled and watched the video six more times. This could be the thing that turned things around for us. Had I really done it?

A confusing coffee sat beside my keyboard—caramel macchiato—when I arrived at the distillery, but Cam was shut away in his office. Bennett made his customary stop at my desk with a huge yawn. “I lament this American need to start the workday at ungodly hours.”

I looked at the clock on my computer. “It’s 9:02.”

Even his scowl sparkled with elegance. “Might as well be daybreak.”

I laughed. “Rough night?”

“Inasmuch as all nights are rough when one is expected somewhere early the next day.”

I sent him a look of false sympathy and drank my coffee. “Poor baby. Your life is so hard.”

“Indeed. I hear you made quite a splash yesterday. Besties with a country star now?”

My smile was so wide it made my cheeks ache. “Did you see her post?”

“Ah, Bennett! How’s it going, my boy?” asked a voice behind me—one that scratched down my back like cat’s claws.

Bennett straightened, and a smile untainted by mockery or enigma showed off his glistening white teeth. “Hey, Shep. I’m well. How about yourself?”

I spun in my chair to face Shep and glued on a smile.