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“She told me she was coming to the dinner tonight. Is she feeling okay?”
“Don’t know,” I said.
“You feeling all right? You sound sad.”
“I’m fine Tommy.” There was no way I was getting into this with him.
“You know Rhett was looking for you too. Said he had something really important to tell you.”
“I’m not really interested in anything else he has to say,” I said.
“What the fuck does that mean? Did you two have a fight or something?” Tommy asked.
“Or something,” I said.
“Well, whatever, but Rhett said it was super important that he talk to you.”
I couldn’t hide the sarcasm in my voice. “Yeah, it looked really important. So important that he was cozied up to Evelyn in the casino bar,” I spat.
Tommy looked stunned for a quick minute. “Wait, what? No, Rhett doesn’t give a shit about Evelyn, he doesn’t even know her. You know that she was paid to make it look like Rhett was cheating on you, right?”
I guess I was getting into this with him. “Was she? Or was she paid to say that so that Rhett could have another run at me?” I asked, my hands balling into fists at my sides.
“What are you talking about, Chanel? Why would he do that?” Tommy asked.
“Why would someone pay her to pretend to sleep with him at prom? Who the fuck does that?” I nearly yelled at him.
“I honestly don’t know, but what I do know is that Rhett never cheated on you that night and he isn’t cheating on you now,” Tommy said, obviously frustrated by my lack of belief in what he was saying.
“And why wouldn’t you say that?” I asked. “He’s your best friend, your wingman. You’d say anything to make him look good.”
“You’re right, I probably would. It still doesn’t change the fact that I’m telling the truth right now. Besides, I really like Ana. Why would I want to risk getting on her best friend’s bad side?”
I should have heard what he’d said. I should have been happy to hear him finally admit that he liked Ana because I knew she liked him. My brain, however, was spiraling out of control, and my mouth was moving before I even had time to realize what I was saying. “Right, because that’s going to work out. You two are a fling, and you both know it,” I said.
Tommy’s face fell and he looked like he’d been punched in the gut. I don’t know what had possessed me to lash out at him like I had, but now that it was out of my mouth, I couldn’t take it back. He threw his shoulders back and slipped his playboy mask back on.
“You’re probably right,” he said.
I sighed and rested my head against the door to my room as Tommy turned to go.
“Tommy?” I called after him.
“What?” he asked, stopping but not turning back toward me.
“Tell Rhett I had time to think and I don’t feel the same way.”
“Got it,” Tommy said in a clipped tone as he continued down the hallway, his hands shoved into the pockets of his swim trunks.
I made my way into my room, feeling worse than ever as I tumbled into bed. I knew I wouldn’t sleep well until Luke was behind bars, and I was safe in bed at home. This cruise had brought out the best and worst in everyone, and I was ready to put it all behind me.
But when my eyes closed and my mind slipped into a peaceful slumber, the only thing I dreamed about was Rhett. With his brooding stare and his strong stance and his rippling muscles. With his musical laughter and his cheeky little grin and the happiness he brought forth in my life. My mind tortured me with all the things that could’ve been. The life we could've had and the house we could’ve built. The children we would’ve raised and the vacations we would’ve taken. My mind played that reel over and over all night, and I woke up with my pillow drenched underneath my cheek.
What an absolute fucking mess.
CHAPTER 32
RHETT
