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“Sure. That sounds good to me.” But there’s suspicion in her voice, and in the way she looks at me. I don’t blame her. I’d be suspicious, too.
She has nothing to worry about. I’m the one with all the problems. And if I’m going to finally fess up and try to get a little advice, it won’t be here. The walls have ears.
And something tells me when she reacts, she’s not going to be quiet about it.
24
HARLOW
It’s a gorgeous day. The sort of day with the power to wipe away even the worst mood. Brilliant sunshine in a sapphire blue sky, plenty of people wandering from store to store — smiling, laughing, talking about the great bargains they just found. I guess that’s one of life’s universal experiences. Bragging about a great bargain.
“I’m actually sort of glad we came out.” Corey bites her lip but can’t hold back a wicked little giggle. “I’m starting to wonder if I should invest in some sexy underwear, if you know what I mean.”
“Really?” It’s sort of nice to have even a brief distraction from my drama. “So things are going well on Hinge?”
“Honestly, better than I thought. I swear, I must have hypnotized myself into buying all of Sean’s bullshit for as long as I did. I forgot there are much more interesting fish in the sea.”
“I’m really glad. Obviously, we need to get you some fancy things to wear.”
“And what about you?” she teases as we enter the store, where we are instantly bombarded by lace and satin and silk in just about every color imaginable.
It wasn’t easy to smile in the first place. Now I’m practically breaking my teeth, I’m gritting them so hard. “What about me?”
“Come on. This is me you’re talking to.” I follow her to a table covered in panties. “I know we haven’t known each other for very long, but let’s get real. I found you in bed with a hottie not very long ago.”
“And I told you, that was totally —"
“I get it. But that’s where things start, right? Innocent, friendly. And then they heat up.” She lifts her eyebrows suggestively. “So how hot has it gotten? Five out of five flames?”
She needs to change her scale. Things have gotten much hotter than that.
When I don’t answer right away, she stops sifting through piles of satin and turns her full attention to me. “Hey. Is that what’s going on? Are you having problems with him? I swear, I meant it when I said your secret is safe with me. You can tell me anything. I owe you that much, at least.”
I just have to get it out. I have to say it and be done with it. I was wrong, thinking I could ever keep this to myself and not totally lose my marbles.
“Things have been extremely complicated.”
“Because of your job?” she whispers with her brows drawn together like she’s in pain. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s a little more than that.”
“Really?” She’s trying to hold back her ravenous interest, at least. I’ll give her credit for that.
I crook my finger, gesturing for her to follow me to a rack in the back corner of the shop. There aren’t a ton of people around in the afternoon in the middle of the week, but still. This isn’t the kind of thing you blurt out in the open. People tend to judge.
I only hope she doesn’t.
I can’t believe I’m about to spill my guts next to a rack of bra and panty sets. “So listen. I really hope you don’t think any less of me because of this, but I have to tell somebody. I’ve been going out of my skull, keeping this to myself all this time.”
“What is it? Are you…” She gives my belly a pointed look that needs no explanation.
“No, it’s not that. But… things have gotten really complicated in my personal life. I know it’s wrong. I know I never should’ve gotten started with it. But I couldn’t help it. I tried, I really did.”
Her playful grin slides away. “Harlow. What are you trying to tell me? It can’t be that bad, can it?” She’s starting to sound like she wishes I never started speaking.
“I have been seeing Ryder.”
“I knew it.”
