She started to ask why her friend was calling Sean on a busy Saturday night. But because of the recent article and media circus surrounding it, they’d both stopped taking calls from the restaurant’s line.
“She got one of those Google alerts tonight,” he said. “It isn’t good.”
She laughed wryly. “Well, it’s not like we have any more family skeletons they can drag from the closet.”
Sean gave her a grim look. “They know you and Liam were faking your relationship.”
Her stomach dropped like an anchor even as her pulse sped.Liam.This could have a terrible effect on his career. Did he know? “When did this release?”
“The alert came in this afternoon, but she didn’t check her phone until tonight.”
“So it’s been out awhile.” Spencer surely would’ve alerted Liam by now. He hadn’t bothered to contact her. But then, she’d made it perfectly clear she didn’t want to hear from him.
“She said his fans are pretty upset. And they’re not too happy with you either.”
Chloe’s publisher wouldn’t love this. And she hoped the bad publicity wouldn’t tank the movie. But the film release was a long way off. The dust would settle and people would forget.
She hoped.
“What do you want to do?” Sean asked.
“What can I do? The secret’s out. People are going to form opinions—and voice them, I’m sure. There’s no stopping that.”
Sean blinked. “So you’re just gonna let it happen?”
“What choice do I have?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you could... make a statement or something. Defend yourself.”
“And say what, Sean? Ididenter a fake relationship with Liam. They’re not going to care why I did it, only that it was done.” They were already talking about her anyway, though the thoughts would surely be less sympathetic this time.
“What about folks around here? You know this news is gonna fly around town.”
He was right. Gossip spread like wildfire around here. Facing the people who knew her would be embarrassing. Somehow they’d actually believed a celebrity like Liam could care for her. But they’d soon learn it had only been a ruse. Heat traveled up her neck and scorched her cheeks. How humiliating.
But it couldn’t be much worse than the shame that had been revealed this past week. “It is what it is. Answering questions will only add fuel to the fire. If we ignore it, the story will blow over eventually. Until then I’ll just go on living my life.”
Sean gave her an incredulous stare. “Wow. All right. Whatever you say.” Noise sounded out front as the last of her customers were probably leaving.
“You need some help out front?” he asked.
She drifted her gaze over the kitchen. “No, I got it. I’d rather stay busy anyway. You know?”
“I hear you. Call me if you need to talk about anything. And stay off social media,” he called over his shoulder as he exited through the back.
“Oh, believe me,” she muttered, “I will.”
Chloe returned to the dining room. The last customers had cleared out and the waitstaff had left for the evening. Chloe turnedthe Closed sign and locked the door, then went about the last of her duties, her mind laden with worry. What was Liam dealing with? Maybe she shouldn’t care after what he’d done to her, but she couldn’t help it.
This was his career. He’d spent years building a fan base—would it turn against him? Would this scandal jeopardize the parts he’d already been offered? Surely it would since their efforts to salvage his reputation had exploded in their faces.
She turned the chairs up on the tables for the cleaning crew that would come in later, then she closed out the register. Her steps felt heavy as she locked up and left. Her feelings for Liam clearly hadn’t gone away, that much was clear. Had she thought they’d shut off like a spigot just because he’d hurt her? She should’ve known better.
She started her car and pulled from the lot, her thoughts again turning to the repercussions Liam would face. If he didn’t already regret his relationship with her, he surely would now. He was probably ruing the day he’d ever met her.
She should probably be doing the same thing. But even after all she’d been through and all she was still going through, she couldn’t quite get there. Maybe she was hurting, but she was also learning things about herself. Coming to grips with what her father had done and the shame it had left her with.
God, why does growth have to come with such pain?
