“Great. Just what I needed.” She pulled out her phone. “Are you getting a signal out here? I only have one bar.”
“Like I said, pretty spotty. But you’ll pick up a signal as we get back into town. Ready to head home or is there someplace else you’d like to go? It’s after lunchtime. I could run in someplace and grab food. I was going to fry up some bologna for myself, but you’d probably rather have something else.”
She shelved her hands on her slim hips, still breathing hard. “You can fry bologna?”
“Sure can. It’s pretty tasty, too, especially with cheese and a slice of fresh tomato. You look skeptical though, so we can stop somewhere, no problem.”
“No, no, not skeptical. I just don’t want to put you out. A drive-through is fine.”
“It’s hardly putting me out to throw a couple extra slices in the pan.”
“Well... if you’re sure. I’d appreciate it. Might as well embrace the Southern way.”
He tossed her a smile. “Might as well.”
eleven
Mia knew something was wrong the moment she got a cell signal, because her phone blew up with texts. From Brooke, from Nolan, from Lettie, and from several other friends and acquaintances.
What is going on?
She opened Brooke’s texts and began reading—and gasped.
“Everything all right?” Levi asked from the front seat.
Mia continued reading until she’d finished the long line of texts from her friend.
Then she opened Nolan’s first text.
As I mentioned this morning, we need to put out a press release ASAP. I’m having one drawn up. Should be ready for release by noon.
And his next text:
Jax beat us to the punch! Call me!
There was a link, but Mia scanned his other texts, dread snaking up her spine.
You there? We need to get on this, quick.
Where are you, Mia? This is bad.
“What now?” she whispered, her heart beating up into her throat. But she knew. All the things Jax had said on the phone last night he’d now said to the world at large.
“This can’t be happening.”
“Mia?” It was Levi again. “What’s wrong?”
She tapped on the link on Nolan’s text, and a celebrity website opened. She read the headline: JAX JORDAN BARES ALL, “MIA WOULDN’T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.” She scanned the article, in which Jax had divulged the details of her so-called unwanted overtures. He painted her as a desperate and pathetic woman who was obsessed with him. He painted himself as a loyal husband, simply trying to protect his family.
And worst of all—it came off as completely believable.
“No, no, no.” Tears stung the back of her eyes. She couldn’t believe Jax was doing this to her. But why not? This seemed to be the way of the world she lived in.
She dashed away a tear, angry with herself for crying.
Levi turned in his seat, his arm across the back. The car had come to a stop, she realized. They were in the marina’s parking lot, at the back.
“What’s wrong?” he asked again. “What can I do?”
