Page 129 of Deeper

A chorus of chuckling had me looking over, catching Zander and Jolie together once more. She was in his ear, smiling all big as she spoke. She pulled back just a bit, gazing at Zander who broke out into a huge grin, mouthing something I couldn’t read. Nazanin was around, looking on with a satisfied grin on her face. Cameras were flashing and Piper was instigating more and more group photos.

Worse, in another second, Jolie’s hand captured Zander’s, he didn’t pull away, and she took him with her easily as she smiled back to him, ushering him somewhere away from the group.

But…he’s mine.

My heart tore in two, and then in two more, and then it disintegrated deep in my chest, falling to ashes to never be collected again.

In his deep, husky voice, Teddy stepped closer to me and started singing the lyrics of “Jolene” by Dolly Parton, rubbing salt on my wounds.

I faced him, unable to hide my hurt. “Why do you have to be like this?”

At once he stopped, a seriousness taking him from boy to man. “Like what?”

“Such a bastard!” My chest was rising and falling and I feared I’d do something lame like cry. There was nothing I could do in this situation. I’d already lost.

Teddy’s forehead adopted a crease as he appeared thoughtful. “I won’t be staying long. I didn’t want to come.”

I wiped at my eyes, embarrassed to hear my voice crack. “Then why are you here?”

There was that grin again as well as a simple shrug. “Because I was hungry.”

For that I was able to release a pained laugh. “I’m sure there are easier ways to get food than this.”

Teddy opened his mouth.

“Oh no, not happening.” In a blur, Paul was coming and seizing my arm and taking me away. “You got split-ends, Theodore!” Paul shouted back as he ushered me down the path from the gazebo.

I struggled against Paul, trying not to cause a scene. “Let me go.”

Paul did no such thing as he excused his way through the crowd and had us back up the patio steps and into the house.

He let me go once we were alone, safely away from Teddy. “Let’s take five.”

My lips trembled and my eyes watered. “I gotta go.”

Paul sighed, watching me. “Bianka, the only reason I’m withyouright now is to keep myself from going and ripping Zander’s head off.”

I’d already seen enough. When presented with an invitation from his ex, Zander hadn’t declined. He’d gone away with her to do God knows what.

I let out a sob, going and staring up at the ceiling to keep it together. “It’s not fair.”

“He’s a fucking idiot.” Paul handed me his Gucci pocket square to dab my eyes with. “He knows better than this. She’s going to be his downfall.”

“I’m going to go.”

“Bia— Okay, just let me walk you out to the car.” Paul took me under his arm and led me back to the front door.

I didn’t bother chancing a look behind me, at the world I was leaving behind, at the world I never belonged in anyway.

27

OUTSIDE

Paul saw me out to the valet so our truck could chauffer me back to the hotel. The party was still going on without us, but we didn’t care. It had long since lost its splendor and glitter.

“They say, ‘Be all that you can be,’ and he decides to be a prick,” Paul said as he hung in the window as I sat in the back seat. “Go figure.”

I wanted to laugh, but my heart hurt too much. This one was a low blow, even if it were my fault. “Thank you, Paul.”

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