Julianna shakes her head.
“You need to tell him,” I tell her. I can’t help it.
“I am,” Julianna admits. “I will. I tried the day after the auction. I met him at his office, but we got into an argument about something else and I couldn’t do it. He didn’t even wantto talk to me anymore, so I couldn’t tell him. We haven’t talked since. But I do still plan on telling him.”
“It’s been a week, Jules,” I say softly, wincing.
“I know.” She nods, her shoulders raising as she inhales. “I’ve spent all week trying to reach out to Rome to fix it.”
“Is that why you’ve been quiet all week?” Charleigh asks.
“Yeah.” Julianna’s tears have dried in streaks on her cheeks. She wipes her fingers under her eyes, brushing away what’s left. “Since Holt shut me out, I wanted to try to and mend things with Rome so I could go back to him with it fixed. I was hoping Rome would be willing to meet up or call a truce, then he’d drop the lawsuit. But he won’t answer my calls or texts. He’s stonewalling me in every way possible. He’s probably blocked my number, too. If he has, I don’t understand it because I don’t even think he knows it was me who wrote the article. I’m guessing it’s because he’s sued Holt and doesn’t have the balls to face me.” She plants her hands on her hips and looks up at the ceiling. “Shit, I’m so stupid. I let this prank rivalry bullshit between us go too far, and now it’s destroying my brother. What the hell was I thinking? Rome knows exactly how to get under my skin, and when he does, I don’t know how to explain it. I just see red. I can’t think straight. You know?” Breathing hard, she covers her face with her hands and groans. “What am I going to do?”
“It’ll be okay, Jules.” I stand from the couch and wrap my arms around her. She quickly wraps her arms around me, too, burying her face in my neck.
I soothe the back of her head. “You’ll figure something out.”
“I don’t know how.”
“You will.”
She nods against me, then pulls away. “Thank you, Selene.”
Her softened gaze causes an ache to echo inside me, because she isn’t the only one who needs to make a confession.
I open my mouth to tell her about Holt but stop when she inhales a cleansing breath, then steps back, eyeing the drink London left on the table. “Maybe I will take that drink.”
Charleigh and London giggle as Julianna takes a large gulp.
Guilt eats me from the inside out. Julianna has kept her secret about Rome the past week, and I’ve kept mine about Holt.
It shouldn’t be a big deal that I’ve spent time with Holt. We’ve been in the same social circle for years. But I’ve never spent time with him alone before. I’ve never felt the feelings I’ve been having since he kissed me a week ago. Although I’m still working on diffusing the electricity inside me from his touch, remembering it’s supposed to be fake, I know I need to tell Julianna.
“I have a confession to make as well.”
My announcement causes all three girls to go quiet. Julianna lowers her glass and slowly sits on the edge of the large, wooden coffee table behind her. I follow suit and sit back down on the couch, directly across from her.
“I, um.” I run my palms across the top of my legs. “I went on a date with Holt.”
Julianna’s perfectly micro bladed eyebrows pull together, and her mouth falls slack. Her neck visibly moves as she swallows thickly. “Wait, like the date he won from the auction?”
I don’t know why her question stings a little. It shouldn’t but it does. I brush the feeling off, chalking it up to the confusion I’ve felt ever since I agreed to go out with Holt.
“Yes.” I nod once, then scoot forward, bringing my knees close enough to touch Julianna’s. I take her hands in mine. “I’m so sorry, Jules. I should have told you sooner.”
“Oh, Selene. Don’t worry about it.” She gives me a gentle smile. “When did you go on this date?”
Blinking, I try to wrap my mind around her reaction. I don’tknow what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. “A few nights ago. Like I said, I should have told you sooner. I shouldn’t have kept this from you.”
“Selene. You don’t owe me an explanation. You’re both adults. What business do I have telling you or him who to date?”
I’m both relieved and caught off guard. Relieved she isn’t angry with me, yet surprised by her lack of anger. It isn’t like her to be so calm, especially when it comes to the matter of her best friend and brother.
“I’m surprised at your reaction, Jules,” Charleigh cuts in, as if she’s reading my thoughts. “You’ve always been pretty vocal about your friends getting close to Holt.”
“Old habits die hard I guess.” Julianna works her mouth, chewing on the inside of her cheek, her gaze glazing over again. “Growing up, friends of mine used to pine over Holt all the time and I guess I just had this fear it would ruin what we had. My relationship with him. Mine with my friends. But honestly, you’re both adults. I have no right to tell you what to do. Besides, I don’t really have a leg to stand on, do I? I’m fucking up his life already.” She sniffs, running her hand under her nose and shaking her head. “You know, I love you though, right Selene?”
“Of course I do.” I give her a smile Running my fingers through her brown hair, I tuck it behind her ear, making sure she knows I’m there for her.
