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“I wanted to apologize,” he said. “Last night … it wasn’t fair. I should have told you I was coming. Both of you.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “Now he knows …”
I trailed off.
“So,” said Jared.
“So,” I said.
“How long?” Jared said, looking away.
I sighed. “Not long.”
“And the engagement?”
I balled my fists and then unclenched them. Jared had a right to know.
“Come inside,” I said.
“Fake?”saidJared.
I cringed. I never liked the way he took words out of my mouth, and twisted what I was going to say into something else.
“I said, pretend,” I said.
“But you mean fake, right? You both were faking it? The engagement, the party, the whole thing?”
“I … it … I don’t know, okay?” I said, in despair. I felt on the verge of tears again while I explained to Jared what had been going on between me and Alex. The trip to the island, the ring. The promises we’d made, and the lies we’d told. To each other, and to him.
“You know,” he said. “I asked him about you.”
“You did?” I said. “When?”
“A week ago, or so,” said Jared. “I was worried about you. You disappeared without even saying goodbye. I know you wanted a fresh start—and I knew it was over between you and me. I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t. Only, I always wondered …”
“Jared,” I said quietly, wringing my hands. I shut my eyes. “Please, don’t blame your brother for this. This is all my fault.”
“Not quite all yours,” said Jared. That was him to a tee: brutal, practical, even in the most difficult circumstances. “I’ll wager my brother had something to do with it.”
“Well,” I said, “it was his idea to go along with it. But it’s still my fault, Jared. My fault we’re in this situation. And I’ve hurt both of you.”
It was strange to be talking to him like this, so freely and so openly. But Jared was the only person who I could talk to.
“Are you going to tell anyone about this?” I asked him quietly.
“No,” said Jared. “I mean, not right now. I mean, Alex’s an ass, but I wouldn’t want to hurt him either.”
“You guys aren’t all that close, are you?”
“I’m not quite young enough to be his little brother, and I’m not old enough to be his equal,” said Jared, smiling grimly. “And besides, I’m opening up my own hotel now. In LA.”
“Wow,” I said, smiling a little, even though emotions were choking me up with sadness and longing for Alex. “Good for you.”
“Thanks,” he said. “You know, if …”
“What?”
“If things don’t go well for you … I could use someone like you. To do the promo and stuff.”
