I hear a click. The lock releases.
“Help!” I scream. “Let me out! Help!”
“Oh my god, Winnie!” Laura squeals, opening the door.
“Laura!” I rush at her.
She squawks, holding her arms out like she’s trying to keep me in the room.
But why would she do that?
“You have to help me,” I blurt. “I think I’ve been kidnapped. It might be Knox—wait, why are you at his house—”
My eyes adjust to the sunlight streaming in from the open door. I brush past her, looking around.
This isn’t Knox’s place. The view is mountains and firs, a secluded house dripping with wealth. We could be anywhere in the Pacific Northwest.
“Where are we? What are you doing here?” My voice goes thin. “Text Carolina, text my sister—get me out.”
Laura tilts her head, the smug smile spreading. “Oh my god. For someone who’s supposed to be a famous investment analyst, Winifred, you’re just not as smart as everyone says. I’m not impressed.”
My jaw tightens.
She smirks. “Silly! This is my second home. I can afford it. Of course, I could afford a lot more if I’d been with Fitz. But you stole him from me.” She tosses her hair.
“What the hell? I didn’t steal him!”
She pauses, waiting for the knife to twist, and then she unloads, fast and furious, like she’s been rehearsing this tantrum. “Yes, you did! You stole my man like you stole my café idea. I told everyone that I had a fantastic idea to open up a café-slash-bookstore at the Women Supporting Women networking mixer.”
“Are you fucking—every romance-novel heroine runs a struggling cupcake-bakeshop-bookstore hybrid. That’s not an original idea,” I argue. “It’s a fucking cliché. You did not invent that.”
I suck in an angry breath. “Not to mention I didn’t even touch Nolan. I’ve met Nolan a total of three times, all when you were there.”
“No. Fitz.”
I blink. “Seriously? You never had Fitz. I didn’t steal him from you. What is wrong with you? You’re insane.”
“He said he wasn’t looking for a relationship. He lied. He’s with you. What did you do to him? Curse him with an Etsy witch? Tell me.” Laura sounds unhinged. Even more so than usual.
“There is no reason for him to want you instead of me.” She bangs her chest. “I worked hard to look like this. I worked hard to make money. He doesn’t get to reject meand then turn around and get with you. I mean, proposing marriage? Your pictures are going to look like shit.”
The room tilts.
“Wait—he wanted to propose to me? You’ve completely lost it.” I feel faint.
She’s not done. “I saw him and your loser sister in the restaurant, looking at wedding rings for you. I mean, you run a café—you quit investment banking. You’re not good enough for him.” Her voice collapses into a scream. “You’re nothing! You’re nobody!”
“Oh my god, I made a horrible mistake,” I moan.
“Go back in that room,” she snaps.
“Fuck you, Loony Laura. You’re insane,” I bark.
“Loony—you started that nickname? Women are supposed to support other women, and you’re calling me names and stealing my man.” Venom laces her voice.
“Fitz doesn’t like you. He said you creep him out—we had dinner and laughed about you.”
Wrong thing to say.
