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He doesn’t reply. Is he thinking back to that first day in the Museum? Is he wishing he had stayed away? I touch my lips again. The memory of his kiss, it’s like an elixir, an aphrodisiac…
“I’m sure you’re experienced in managing fallouts like this,” I continue, catching myself. “So…manage it.”
“They’ll lose interest. In a few weeks, if you don’t give them anything to nibble on, they’ll go elsewhere.”
“Yes. It’s you they want anyway. Once you have a flashy new model or starlet on your arm, they’ll flock back to you.”
He’s silent. “How’s Matt taking it?”
“Do you care?”
“As long as it concerns you, I do.”
The admission rocks me. His tenderness fills my eyes with tears. I should end the call and lick my wounds in private, away from his concern, his gentleness and all the temptations that come with him. I swallow. “We broke up, didn’t you hear?” I try to say the words with a dismissive laugh, as if I’m okay, but my voice hitches and breaks.
“Cora…”
“Don’t say you’re sorry. I won’t believe you.”
“What happened?”
“Oh, not much,” I say in a sing-song voice. “The usual. He saw a video of me kissing my ex. He was hurt. We had a fight. We broke up...”
There’s a long silence on his end. I know he’s not buying my false levity.
I know he cares.
He cares about me.
“Did he hurt you?”
This time, when I laugh, I’m really amused. “No, Tristan. That has always been your role.”
“Cora…”
“Oh, you meant physically. Did he put his hands on me? No, of course he didn’t.”
“Are you alright?”
“What do you think?”
I hear him breathe.
“I’m coming over.”
I laugh again. “Don’t.”
“I just want to see for myself that you’re okay,” he says softly. “I hate that you’re alone.”
I don’t answer. I know I can’t talk him out of coming, and the truth is, I don’t want to.
* * *
I washthe day’s makeup from my face, and smooth my hair with my hands, wondering if I have enough time to brush it and change my clothes. Maybe try to look like I haven’t been feeling sorry for myself all evening.
Why should you try to look good for him? You don’t care about him.
I don’t. Still, I run a brush through my hair, then dab a little fragrance around my neck.
