Page 91 of My Real Love Affair

“Melody isn’t like you or me, Stacy.” My voice was hard now, all pretense of charm gone. “She’s good to her core. She built her entire platform on authenticity and helping other women see themselves as beautiful. She puts herself out there—really out there—not for fame or money or attention, but because she genuinely wants to make a difference.”

“I didn’t mean to suggest otherwise.”

“Yes, you did. You meant to suggest she was lying. That she knew about the edits and played dumb to save face. And that’s bullshit.” I was moving toward the door now. “I was batting way out of my league with her. She deserves better. Better than me, definitely. But also better than people questioning her integrity for podcast content.”

“Austin, if you’ll just sit down we can have a conversation. I’d like to finish the interview.”

“And you?” I turned back to her. “You should practice being better too. You claim to care about women’s issues,representation and authenticity. But the second you get someone vulnerable in your studio, you go for the cheap shot. For the gossip. For the thing that’ll get you clicks.”

Stacy’s face had gone red. “I don’t think that’s an accurate description.”

“You don’t have to think. You just have to do better. Which I’m pretty sure was the message of Melody’s entire interview, wasn’t it?”

I walked out, my heart pounding, hands shaking with adrenaline.

The production assistant called after me, saying something about finishing the interview, but I ignored them. I made it to my car, sat behind the wheel, and tried to calm down.

What the hell was wrong with me?

I had just walked out of a podcast interview. Defended Melody to someone who probably had a massive audience. Made myself look like either a white knight or an unhinged ex, depending on how Stacy chose to spin it.

But I couldn’t bring myself to regret it.

Because Stacy had implied Melody was lying. She had the audacity to suggest she had known about the photo edits and played victim.

And I couldn’t sit there and let that stand.

Even if Melody and I were done and she never wanted to see me again. Even if defending her made me look like a fool.

She deserved to have someone in her corner. Someone who knew the truth and was willing to say it out loud.

CHAPTER 28

MELODY

Traffic in Manhattan was a special kind of hell.

I’d lived here long enough to know this. I planned for it. I accepted it as the price of living in one of the most vibrant cities in the world. But sitting in the back of a cab that had moved approximately three feet in ten minutes, I was reconsidering all my life choices.

“We should’ve taken the subway,” Cleo said from beside me, scrolling through her phone.

“You’re the one who said we would have too many bags to carry.”

“I said wemighthave too many bags. That’s different.” She glanced up at the gridlock ahead of us. “Though at this rate, we could’ve walked and gotten there faster.”

We were going on a shopping spree. Something we did once a month or so. And carrying a bunch of bags on the subway wasn’t smart. Been there, done that. Lost a lot. We usually took a cab or rideshare. And while we didn’t technically have to be anywhere at any specific time, I just felt like we were burning daylight.

I pulled out my phone, looking for something to pass the time. “Want to listen to my podcast episode? It dropped this morning.”

Cleo’s face lit up. “Oh, absolutely. I want to hear you sounding all professional and put together.”

I pulled up the episode on my phone and hit play, holding it between us. The first minute was Stacy introducing me.

“Oh my god, she made you sound so impressive,” Cleo whispered as Stacy listed my credentials and accomplishments.

“Shh, I want to hear this part.”

We listened to my interview. I cringed at some of my responses. Did I really say “um” that many times? Overall, I sounded confident. Knowledgeable. Like someone who knew what they were talking about.