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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Becca watched Ethan storm away,hating that she couldn’t trust herself enough to just share what she did. There was nothing wrong with being a writer. People made money in that profession all the time.
It was the fact that she’d changed majors at the last second and left a steady job, all to write romance novels—when she couldn’t even keep a relationship long enough to write one about her own life.
The weight of the world pressed in on her, and Becca’s shoulders sagged as she turned to face the group. She wasn’t just upset about Ethan. She was upset with herself, too. This whole career shift had been a jump off a cliff. She didn’t have a safety net, but there was one thing that had given her comfort up until today.
If she had failed, no one would have known. She could have continued on her merry way and gotten a job at some retail store. But now, with everyone who was important to her standing there waiting for her to explain herself, she didn’t have any other choice but to share her secret.
She felt like she was going to throw up.
Her eyes darted around, first to the house, then to the shrubbery. There were two places she could run to if she actually did get sick.
Katrina sidled up next to her, whispering, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. I… If you don’t want to show us… I just didn’t know what to?—”
“It’s fine.”
“Are you sure? It’s a total invasion of privacy.” A deep crimson blush flooded Katrina’s face. “I really shouldn’t have given in to Tina’s demands. I just wanted to get her to drop this whole ridiculous thing.”
“I get it,” Becca muttered bitterly. “I really do.”
The temptation to tell her friend that she’d been right about Tina all along burned deep within her, but to say something like that would only make matters worse. At this point, Becca could only do one thing, and that was stand by her friend’s side. Katrina had done so much for her when her own engagement fell through. This was the least she could do to pay it back.
Katrina’s sad eyes tore at Becca’s heart. Already she could see the effect that Tina was having on what should have been a very special time.
Forcing a smile, Becca nodded to the house. “I left the computer in my room. I’ll go get it and we can put this whole thing to rest.”
“Are you?—”
“Don’t ask me if I’m sure. I wouldn’t have agreed if I wasn’t. I have nothing to hide in my internet history.” The worst thingthere was probably the strange questions she’d typed in about cowboys in her most recent searches. Those were the ones she’d prefer Ethan not see.
By the time she’d located her computer and found the ladies in the living room, it appeared that everyone had picked a side, and no one was on Tina’s. As salty as it was, Becca couldn’t help but feel a degree of triumph in that knowledge.
Finally! Everyone was coming to accept that Tina wasn’t as great as she was trying to make them believe.
Katrina had left a spot on the couch between herself and Tina. When her eyes met Becca’s, she patted the cushion.
Thatwas less than ideal. If Tina so much as touched Becca’s computer, she’d get a slap to the hand. What was the purpose of this? Didn’t Tina understand that lack of evidence would only make her look bad?
Becca heaved a sigh and wove through the room to take the seat offered by her friend. She smiled brightly at Katrina, giving a thin-lipped one to Tina.
“As I was saying, I don’t have anything to hide.” Becca pulled the laptop open and clicked on her browser. She swept her hand through the air with a flourish. “There. Here’s my search history. Everything I’ve looked up, every website I’ve visited.”
Tina snorted. “Cute cowboy names? Are you and Ethan planning on having kids so soon?”
Becca glowered. “That’s none of your business.”
She earned a couple side-eyed stares when she huffed but didn’t argue.
Turning to Katrina, Becca asked, “What site was it on? You could do a search for it if you’d like.”
“That’s not necessary. I’m not going to make you do that.” Katrina placed her hand on the laptop and pushed the computer shut.
“Why not? If she’s willing to show us… we still don’t know who was posting about you.”
Katrina sighed. “I think that’s about enough. If Becca is saying she hasn’t been doing it, then I trust her.”
“Well, just because it wasn’t on her search history doesn’t mean that she isn’t responsible. She could have used an incognito browser.”
