“Good grief,” Cassie mumbles, “if you can’t say it, I will.” She turns to Axel. “She’s from here.”
Axel looks dubious. “Here? I don’t understand.”
“She’s my childhood friend. The same London who had a crush on you back in the day. Y’all had band together, for goodness' sake. I can’t believe you didn’t recognize her.”
Confusion washes over his face. “You’re that London?”
“I am.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
My voice breaks. “I wanted to, but I didn’t know how.”
He jams a hand through his hair. “I don’t understand. How did you end up working for Bianca? And decorating for the party?”
Cassie jumps in. “She claims it was a coincidence, but I think there’s more to the story.” She folds her arms over her chest, waiting for me to answer.
“There is. I’m Jovie Chord.”
I’m met with a stunned silence, and then Cassie screeches. “What?”
“No.” Axel shakes his head. “You can’t be.”
“I am.” Despair clutches me in a tight hold. “I’m so sorry.”
“How could you write this?” Cassie shouts, holding up her phone.
“I didn’t. My editor called yesterday and said she had some new information. She talked to Max’s girlfriend, Rachel. Rachel claimed it was Axel who sold the song to Rebel Deeds. I told my editor I didn’t believe it. I had no idea that she’d go behind my back and write a story pretending to be me.”
“I can’t believe you wrote all of that awful stuff about me.” Hurt twists Axel’s features. “I thought it was odd that you never would take me to your house, but I never expected this …”
“I’m sorry,” I croak. Tears rush to my eyes. “I thought I knew the man you were—and then I met you and everything changed.”
His eyes burn hot with anger. “Why did you come to my house in the first place?”
“I was sent out to write a story—to find out why you split from the band. Bianca owed my editor a favor. That’s why I was given the job of decorating.”
He shakes his head in disgust. “I should’ve never trusted you.”
My knees go weak as a cry rips from my throat. “I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you the truth, but I didn’t know how. Please, give me a chance to make this right.”
“You’ve done enough,” Cassie snarls. “You need to leave.”
“Why?” Axel questions. “Why did you write all of those things? Why did you hate me so much?”
I bury my hands in my hair. “It was the dance. You stood me up. I was humiliated.”
“What?” He stares in disbelief. “You did all of that because of some dance? Way back in high school?”
“Junior high, actually.” A deep sense of shame fills me. “I know it was stupid. I was wrong about you, and I’ll have to live with that.” My voice falters. “For what it’s worth, I love you.” There, I said it. Tears fill my eyes. “I always have.” A sob rises in my throat. “I’ll go now.” I turn and flee as the dam breaks, and I completely lose it.
Chapter
Fifteen
There’sa single knock before the door opens, and Mom sticks her head in. “How ya doing?”
“Okay,” I say glumly, “considering my life is in shambles.” This is the worst Christmas Eve ever! I haven’t heard a word from Axel since I fled his house several days ago. Harmony, on the other hand, said plenty and then put me on probation. I called her on the carpet for publishing the article in my name, but she told me in no uncertain terms that she has the authority to do it as the editor.
