“Nick?Is that you?”
His gut twisted.He knew that voice, and all too well.
Kristy.
He turned around.
His ex-girlfriend must have just walked into the restaurant.She stood a few feet away, another woman at her side.
“Kristy.”
He hadn’t seen her since her video had gone viral.It had bothered him to think she might have a drinking problem.He wouldn’t have pegged her as an alcoholic, and had only seen her drink socially, but he worried her online stunt might have been indicative of a deeper issue.Angry and embarrassed, Nick had stopped trying to help her.If she needed help, she’d have to get it from someone else.
Tonight, she was as polished as ever, her blonde hair combed and her makeup perfect.So different from that last image that had been burned into his brain.
As Kristy searched for something to say, Nick glanced at Claire.She sat still and straight in her chair.Her sparkly lips were tight at the corners.As she stared at Kristy, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
Fuck.
She knew.
Nick had been able to convince himself Claire knew nothing aboutHashtagNicksDickbecause the subject had never come up.However, it was clear she’d heard about the scandal.
Ah, shit.Had she seen the video?Although it had been deleted, he knew for a fact that nothing ever went away completely on the internet.
She wouldn’t want anything to do with him now.
“I’m surprised to see you here,” he said to Kristy.“It’s a bit out of the way for you.”
She nodded at her companion.“I’m visiting my cousin.She lives in the area.Look…we can leave.”
Someone at another table pulled out a cell phone.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
He could not deal with another video.
His pulse raced and an ache started up in his frontal lobe.Paralyzed with anxiety, he just sat there, unsure what to do.
“Actually,” said Claire, motioning to their waiter for the bill, “we’re just heading out.”Claire then stood and walked over to the table of the guy who held the cell phone.She stood right in front of him, hands on hips.“Did you take a picture or video without permission?”
“No.”His gaze sheepish, the man showed her the camera.“See?Nothing.”
“Good,” said Claire.She rejoined Nick at their table.
His face burning, he regarded her in awe.At that moment, Claire was a fucking superhero.
“Nick,” she said, “you didn’t want dessert, did you?”
He shook his head.
Their waiter brought them the bill.Nick grabbed it and paid, aware that Kristy was still hovering nearby, seemingly frozen in place.
What does she want?
Was she fumbling for an apology after all this time?
Frankly, he didn’t want it now.
