“Now is not the time for ‘I told you so,’ ass wipe,” I cut him off. I pinch the bridge of my nose as I pull into the back lot of Yokav Stadium and park in my usual spot. “I’ve done what you suggested and backed off a little. I’m doing what I can to make sure I don’t pull her into my bullshit until I can figure it out.”
When she kissed me yesterday, it’d been an unexpected—but welcome—surprise. And that fucking kiss changed everything for me. It made me want to find a solution that gives us an actual chance to get to know one another. It made me want to cook dinner for her and give her as many hugs as she wanted.
It made me wish I didn’t have a wife.
And that was a crushing thought.
Because I love Emaly too.
“I’m not trying to be a dick,” Ashton says with a lofty sigh. “We have a standing relationship with our source at TMZ, but we don’t always have that at other tabloids. I already bought out the images for a pretty penny, including the other two. You’re walking on a very fine line, my friend. Everything you do is under scrutiny, regardless of what good deeds are being done in the community.”
I close my eyes and lean back in the seat, letting my body melt into the leather. I’ve been around long enough to know that I can’t control everything, not even with all the money in theworld. There will be people, like that damn Uber driver, who will want a piece of that profit to say they got the best of me.
“How much did you have to pay?”
Ashton pauses, but eventually says, “Half a million for five images. You’re seen pulling her into your house in two of them. TMZ seemed to think it was a worthy paycheck for that kind of photography.”
It doesn’t matter that we hadn’t done anything more than talk. People will come up with their own narrative, whether it’s true or not.
I pull my phone back and glance at the thread I’ve been avoiding. I feel bad for ghosting her after I’m the one who asked if she was okay. If I’d met Winter first, maybe things would be different. I’d have more ability to make a difference in her life. If she’d let me.
But something tells me she wouldn’t.
“You’ve got to figure out what you want,” Ashton says, cutting into the silence.
But it’s notwhatI want that he’s referring to.
It’swhoI want.
My throat bobs. “Yeah, I know.”
“There might be other photos out there, so I’m going to try finding them before any get out. But I can’t make any promises, Tom. So while I work on making this shit disappear, I need you to behave at the gala tonight. I won’t be there to intercept any of the media bound to be in attendance since they announced you, Head, and Clarkson would be there.”
I don’t need him to babysit me anyway. “I’ll lay low. Just take care of this using whatever money necessary,” I say, before hanging up.
Scrubbing a palm down my face, I lean back and stare up at the ceiling of my car. It’s not often that I’ve had to pay outanybody for images. But as time went on, and rumors of my affairs started spreading, more of the media became interested.
I’m not sure why it’s all come to a head now. I know some people need to make ends meet, so maybe the pictures are a means of survival. But what are the odds that every person I run into will take a picture and sell it? It’s not that unheard of in more populated areas, but not in Fairbanks. I’m too new for it to solely be bad luck.
There’s something else going on.
When my phone goes off again, I half-groan, thinking it’s going to be Ashton. When I see Emaly’s name, I frown. “You good?”
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” she questions, sounding much more refreshed than she did the last time we spoke. I’d wanted to talk to her about what her father told me, and—
For fuck’s sake.
If Mikhail hired somebody to follow his daughter, then my guess is that some of these photos from TMZ were because of him as well.
“I haven’t heard from you in days since you lost your shit on me,” Emaly says as I move my jaw back and forth and try not to punch something.
I rub my eyes and sigh. “I didn’t lose my shit. I was worried because of what your father said, and I thought you should know he got someone to tail you. You’re welcome, by the way, since you never thanked me.”
I can imagine her rolling her eyes. “I didn’t thank you because I already knew. It’s pretty obvious when people are following you. He really should have hired someone better.”
I wish I could say the same, since I’m fairly positive he’s been doing it to me.
But this isn’t about me. “So you and Ronnie have been careful then?”
