AllFreeNovel
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“I think it would be rude of me not to attend now.” I mentally check off the clothes in my closet. Do I have an outfit fancy enough to wear? That would be a big fat no. But…I do have my bridesmaid dress for Jillian’s wedding. She’ll kill me if she finds out I wore it before my official maid of honor duty, so I’ll just be sure she doesn’t and be extra careful.
“Plus, this is a good chance for me to capture some pictures of you all dressed up in a tux. You own one, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know who designed it?”
“Tom Ford.”
“Oh my God. That’s great. I know one of his social media managers and will reach out.” I pull up Whitney’s contact info on my phone. “The TF following is huge and if we can get you on his IG page that would be incredible.” I start a text to Whitney, but a Twitter notification pops up, snagging my attention. Someone has decided to get nasty with regards to my article on Finn.
“Chloe, about earlier…”
“Mother trucker.”
“Excuse me?”
I lift my head. “Sorry. That wasn’t directed at you. Some asswipe has unknowingly decided to go into Twitter battle with me. Give me a minute.” I don’t normally engage with people who have their heads up their butts, but I don’t like the comment about Finn. At all. And if you mess with someone I care about, then you mess with me.
“Someone is fighting with you on Twitter?” Finn asks, now in position to look over my shoulder and read the tweet. “Or me?”
Replying to @FinnAuprince @ChloeConrad1 @HuffPost
Saying he works hard is laughable. Entitled, pompous, stupid rich dude born with privileges 99% of the population don’t have is more real. He is not greatness helping others. Get off your fucking soapbox.
“Okay, so technically you, but since I’m managing your accounts and it’s in regard to my article, I’m going to respond. Just one tweet to put this jerk in his place.”
Replying to @baseballoriginal82 @FinnAuprince @HuffPost
No one gave Finn Auprince anything. He earned it, and I stand behind my accounts of his accomplishments. My sources are credible. His stats don’t lie. Talking ill of someone you’ve never met makes you the ignorant one. #sharekindness
“There.” I lay my phone face down on the granite countertop. “I feel better now. Why do people get off on saying mean things? I hate this part of my job. Dealing with scuzzballs who don’t care about anyone but themselves.”
“Scuzzballs?” Finn’s voice is full of good humor. The sound makes me happy. He read the tweet and he’s chosen to tease me about my dad’s favorite name for jerks.
“That’s right.” I straighten my back. “Feel free to use it whenever you want.”
He smiles at that. The kind that says he’ll never use the word but he will think about it and when he does he’ll think of me. “Thanks for standing up for me.”
“It’s my job.”
“Is that all it is?”
I’d hoped to hold off on this moment of truth. At least until the polar ice caps melted. “No,” I say softly.
“Then I’d like to explain about earlier.”
Chapter Nine
#HitAndRun
Finn
Staring down aCy Young winning pitcher who throws a hundred mile an hour fastball is easier than opening up about my dyslexia. I learned from a young age to hide it. Confused as to why I couldn’t read like Ethan, and later on like Drew, I was afraid my mom would be mad at me if she found out. When I refused to read to her over and over again, she used my favorite thing against me: baseball. I immediately confessed to my failure after that. She hugged me tight and told me I wasn’t a failure, that success was measured in many different ways, and she loved me no matter what. But just because my mom knew, didn’t mean I was comfortable with anyone else knowing.
“I reacted poorly to your article because it’s difficult for me to read,” I say, proud of myself for sounding matter-of-fact.
“I get it,” Chloe says with her usual team spirit. “It’s like actors who can’t watch themselves on the screen. It’s weird reading about yourself.”
