I grip her shoulders, holding her still and steady. “Don’t respond. Let me figure this one out.” I hold her there until she agrees and then head for the kitchen, bracing myself for whatever shitstorm is about to come my way next.
Liv
Holly: OMG guys, I’m freaking out
Viv: What happened?
Holly: One of our guests just left a review that was… not good.Is this going to ruin us?!
Viv marches into my office, eyes on her phone, and drops into the chair. “Shit. Pull it up. Let’s read it.”
I click around on my laptop until the travel site is up, and I’m on the reviews page.
“Looks like it’s that Chloe girl. The one from the boat cruise.” My eyes scan the review, hand covering my mouth. Viv comes around to peer over my shoulder.
“That little cu?—”
“This is because she caught Luke kissing me.” I plant my face in my hands and groan. I told Viv all about that, and we agreed—the girl was a stage-five clinger. It never occurred to me she’d do something like this though.
Holly: Luke went to talk to our mom. I’m so stressed out.
“Are you going to tell her?” Viv looks up from her phone.
“Should I?” I stand, suddenly restless.
“Liv, she’s our friend. I think she deserves to know. Especiallynow.” Viv sits on the loveseat by the window, curling one leg under her.
“Ugh, I hate when you’re right.” I release a breath and pace, fingers flying across the screen, telling her everything.
Her text bubble appears, disappears, then reappears. It disappears once more and doesn’t return for minutes.
“Is she going to hate me?” I ask Viv, pausing my steps.
“I hope not.”
The phone chimes. My heart is thrashing wildly, my pulse hammering in my ears.
Holly: OMG
“She hates me.”
“Chill. Just give her a minute.”
Holly: So are you two like a thing?
Me: No, it’s nothing like that…
Holly: Oh.
Turns out, Holly isn’t upset at all. She’s glad Luke finally broke free from the slump he was in after Samantha left. She tells us how Luke’s been in a terrible mood the last couple of days andsuspects it’s because he might have developed some feelings, even though she has nothing to base that on.
It helps to know Holly isn’t angry about our secrecy, or that it resulted in this review, but the knot in my stomach makes me feel nauseous. It is partially my fault this happened. I’m tempted to text Luke, curious about how they plan to handle it, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
Once that door opens, I’m not sure I’ll be able to shut it again.
Fifty-Two
TRUST ME
