She downs the rest of her margarita and plants the cup in the sand before leaning back onto the beach bed. “My ex has been watching the show.”
“How do you know he’s been watching?” Though what I’m really thinking is that I’m pretty sure everyone’s exes are watching.
“She.”
“Oh, sorry, I just assumed,” I say, feeling incredibly foolish.
She leans her head toward me and takes a bite out of her mango. “I like who I like, and just FYI, if you weren’t totally in love with Henry, you’d totally be my type.”
“Wait, wait, wait, I have so many questions, but first off, I think if I were in love with Henry, I’d know.”
She gives me a look that says she’s not willing to contest her point.
“Fine,” I say, “we can hash that out later, but first, can we go back to how exactly you know that your ex is watching the show? Do you have secret ties to the outside world that you’re keeping from me?”
She laughs wildly. “I wish my life was that scandalous.”
I cringe a little. If she only knew.
“No, she got wind from some gossip blog that we were headed to New York for filming, and she took the overnight train from Chicago to New York and showed up at our hotel the morning of the fashion show challenge.”
“Ho-ly sh—”
“I know. I was a little bit freaked out but also weirdly endeared by the whole thing. Who doesn’t love a grand gesture?”
“How did she even find you in the city?”
“Her brother is a concierge at the St. Regis. There is not a New York City question he can’t answer or find the answer to. Admittedly, as a librarian I find concierge back channels deeply sexy.”
“That is so very specific.”
“Mmmm.” She moans dramatically. “That sexy, sexy information.”
I nearly choke on a chunk of mango as I snort out a laugh. “Okay, so what exactly did your ex say?”
“She said she’ll be waiting.”
“That’s it?”
“Well, when we left this morning, she was still in my bed.” She bites down on her bottom lip.
I gasp and shoot up right to my feet so I’m hovering above her, standing on the beach bed. “Stacy! You naughty, naughty librarian!”
She hides her face in her hands, and her squeal of excitement turns into a groan.
I sink back down to my knees. “Are you freaking out?”
She nods wordlessly.
“Does it feel like your insides are screaming?” I ask like a doctor listing off possible symptoms.
“God, yes. And the thing is, I haven’t gone on a solo date yet. Chloe hasn’t either. We’re definitely the next to go. Top three is without a doubt you, Sara Claire, and Addison. But I just didn’t want to be the girl who left because of her ex. The internet would slut shame me the same way they are doing with Anna.”
“Oh no,” I say. “Did your ex say if it was bad?”
She nods. “Taylor said the Twitter buzz was harsh.”
Selfishly, I nearly ask her what she’s heard about me. The bits of information I’ve received from Beck have only made me hungry for more, but Stacy is a woman in crisis.
