“Why do you think he pulled out?” Lex asked me.
“Because Johnny made out with his wife at a party.” That was Shane.
I looked at him. And for the first time since I’d smashed my phone against the wall, then went blank… I actually felt something again. Blistering anger.
“What?” Shane said. “I’m just saying. Food for thought, no?”
“Taylor?” Lex looked entirely confused. “There’s no way. Really?”
“She wasn’t fucking married to Cary,” I grit out. “That was years ago.”
“While they were dating or something,” Shane supplied.
“They weren’t.”
“Not what I heard,” Shane said. At the look I was giving him, he added, “Devi and I talk. She likes to keep her finger on the pulse of these things. You know, who hooked up with who. Etcetera.”
I glanced at Dane, who tossed Shane a mildly annoyed look. Devi was Dane’s wife.
“So you’re gossiping with the women?” I said.
Shane shrugged. “Beats gossiping with the men. Women know the really interesting shit. Guys don’t share like that.”
This time when I looked at Dane, he conceded, “True.”
“Case in point,” Shane said, “Lex didn’t even know this dirt about you.”
“It’s not dirt. Can we get back on track here?”
“How are things with Noah?” Lex changed the subject.
“Good. I talked to him today. He says he’s not going anywhere.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to save us, but it was something.
“Noah’s good for it,” Shane said supportively. “He’ll have your back.”
“Why are you assuming this is all on me? It’s my fault this is happening?”
Shane and Lex exchanged a look, like,Who else’s fault would it be?
“Surely Noah has done nothing wrong,” I pressed, the anger broiling in my veins.
“I mean, let’s be real,” Lex said. “Noah’s awesome.”
“Great guy,” Dane agreed.
I took Dane’s drink from in front of him and helped myself to it. “You’re buying the next round. Fucking billionaire, and I’m buying you drinks.”
Shane laughed.
“My wife’s calling.” Dane pulled out his ringing phone and got up. “Don’t be surprised if I don’t come back.” He slapped me on the shoulder and wandered away to take the call.
“Shit,” I muttered. “He’s right. I should have a fucking plan.” I looked for him across the nearly empty club, but he’d stepped outside, his bodyguard going with him.
Dane was definitely a guy whose opinion I should probably be seeking on this. He ran a multibillion dollar empire and knew how to foster business relationships. But his wife was pregnant. I didn’t want to get on Devi’s bad side by taking up too much of his time and energy. Devi seemed cool with me these days, but we’d definitely gotten off to a rocky start; she’d gone to high school with all of us and according to her memory, I was a total dick back then. Luckily, she’d wanted things to work with her and Dane enough that she decided to put up with me.
Fuck.Did I really alienate people so easily?
Was this shit actually my fault?
