Page 50 of Love on Ice

I hear someone calling my name as I push open my eyes. My head hurts, I may have drunk a couple of tequilas before bed to settle my nerves after that run-in with Josh yesterday. My mouth is as dry as the Sahara.

“Harper, are you okay? You haven’t been answering your damn phone,” the voice calls out again.

Huh. Why is Kimmy in my home? I look down at my clock and it’s past ten in the morning. Then the door to my bedroom busts open, and in walks Kimmy, Issy, and Meadow.

“What the hell?” I squeal, surprised to see my friends in my bedroom.

“We’ve been trying to call you,” Meadow says.

I pick up my phone and see the missed calls. “What’s happened?” I sit up in my bed.

“You haven’t seen it?” Issy asks.

“Seen what?” My friends all look at each other and I can see they are contemplating who is going to be the person to deliver the news to me. “Guys, you’re scaring me.”

“You’re dating Felix St. Pierre? Why the hell didn’t you tell me? I love that guy,” Sam says, barging into my bedroom. I scream.

“Where the hell did you come from?” Kimmy asks my brother.

“Um, from down the street,” he says, shaking his head. “You weren’t answering your phone.” He looks at me.

What the hell is going on? This has to be a dream because this seriously can’t be happening. I pinch my arm. “Ow” No. It’s not a dream. This is really happening.

“Page Six dropped another news article about you, with photos of Felix St. Pierre, kissing you on your front doorstep,” Meadow explains. The color drains from my face. “They said there was an altercation between Josh and Felix.”

“He didn’t touch you, did he? I’ll fucking kill him.” Sam sneers.

“No, he didn’t,” I answer my brother, who starts pacing the room angrily.

Meadow continues, “There are pictures of you both walking off your plane, looking happy, and getting into the same car together. They say you were both on a secret holiday, nursing each other’s broken hearts.” Shit. They caught all that. How could I have been so stupid? I let my guard down.

“You were there with Felix? I thought you were alone,” Sam asks.

“They just ran into each other. I didn’t realize when I booked Felix there that they would be arriving together,” Issy explains to Sam.

“So, you’re not dating Felix?” my brother asks.

“Of course, she isn’t. When would she have time? She only broke up with Josh last week,” Kimmy tells my brother.

“But he’s kissing you?” Sam says.

“It wasn’t romantic, more in a comforting kind of way to stop me from shaking,” I answer quietly. All this noise is making my head ache. “This is bad, isn’t it?” I ask, looking at my friends.

Meadow shrugs. “The comments are nice.”

“They are?” I ask, surprised.

“More for Felix, than you. But a lot of people didn’t agree with Josh trying to ambush you at your home and screaming at you when he was the one cheating on you,” Meadow explains.

“How’s Felix, does he know?” I ask Issy.

She shakes her head. “He was still asleep when I left.”

“Shit. This is the last thing he needs. He’s already on thin ice with the board over the blow job incident.”

“Dad’s not going to let anything happen to Felix. He saved you from a crazed ex,” my brother assures me.

“You think?” I ask.

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