“Don’t make any rash decisions, Amethyst. You can hate me as you want, but as someone who was also duped by Patrick, you can do better. He’s not a good guy. Just because Preston did you wrong doesn’t mean you have to accept the crumbs that Patrick is feeding you.” I let out a loud sigh. “That’s all I’m going to say. I have own mess going on, thanks to you.”
She sniffs and I can tell from the expression on her face that she feels slightly bad, but she doesn’t say anything. I’m close to tears and I don’t want to break down in front of her. Next thing I’ll know she’ll be writing a poem about my heartbreak. I want so desperately to find Hunter and talk to him, but I have to go to my sister. Even though, I know in my heart she doesn’t deserve it. Iwant to be better than her. I was almost positive she would never be there for me, but I didn’t want to be her.
I want to make sure she gets out of that situation and that she doesn’t go back to Garth. That she doesn’t put up with it. She deserves better. I decide to call Hunter on my way out because I know there’s no way that I can pack up all my stuff and go to my sister. I’m surprised when he answers, but I’m grateful.
“Hey,” I say.
“Look, what is it?” His voice is cold.
“I really want to explain to you.”
“Pack up your stuff and go.”
“Tina was in an accident.”
“Shit. Is she okay?” His tone immediately changes. “Are you okay?”
“She’s fine. I guess Garth was driving drunk, and anyway, he’s been arrested, I guess for a DUI. She’s stuck. I’m going to go and pick her up.”
“Just go,” he says. “Do what you have to do.”
“I won’t be able to pack my stuff before I leave, though.”
“That’s fine. Do it when you get back.”
“Will you talk to me, Hunter? Will?—”
“You are a reporter, Gina. You lied to me.”
“I didn’t tell you I wasn’t a reporter.”
“You never told me that you were one. I thought you were special. I trusted you. You don’t understand the things I thought.” He pauses. “I feel like a fool.”
“I was going to tell you. There were so many times I was going to tell you.”
“I wish I could believe you.” His voice cracks. “But how can I?”
“I guess I fucked up,” I say as I hurry toward the front door and to my car. “I guess I deserve you not listening to me, but?—”
“No, Gina, I was stupid. I let my guard down. I let you into my heart, and you were the wrong person. I wanted to believe you, but I should have believed the you that I met that very first day. You’re just a liar. A con artist.”
“I’m not. I’m not. Please don’t say that.”
“What do you want me to say? I thought this was really special, Gina. Honestly, I thought this was more than just fun. I thought this was—we were?—”
“I love you,” I say softly. “I know you probably don’t want to hear this right now, but I love you, Hunter.”
“I love you, Gina. I’m not going to lie and say that I don’t. I love you, and I love the you that I thought that I knew. But I don’t know you. I don’t know the very basic things about you. So how could this ever really be real? You were writing a story about me.”
“No. I’ll admit it,” I say as I start the car. “I came to get an undercover story about you. Initially, I thought it was going to be about your engagement.”
“So that’s why you kept asking me if I had a girlfriend and if I was engaged. Not because you cared yourself, but because of this story.”
“No. Truly, no. I liked you, and I liked kissing you, and it just felt weird that maybe I was enjoying kissing and being with someone who was with someone else. And yeah, it was—I don’t know what to say. I was conflicted for a while. I did come here for a story, and I thought if I was a good journalist, I would get the story. And then Holly was calling me?—”
“Who the fuck is Holly?”
“My editor in chief. And she was like, I’m going to lose my job if I don’t get the story. And I was like, I’m going to get the story. And then I got to know you, and I fell in love with you, and I didn’t want to write the story. I didn’t even want you to tell me your secret because I didn’t want you to ever think that that waswhy I was here. Or that it was the reason I got close to you. I’m just not that person, Hunter. I’m not that person. I wanted to tell you. There were so many times it was on the tip of my tongue, and then it didn’t feel right. I was going to tell you the night my sister called, and then I was going to tell you the night that the paparazzi were following you. And I was like, I can’t tell him now because he’s going to just think I’m as bad as them.”
