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“I know we give you a hard time, but we care about you. I’m sorry if I’ve ever said something that hurt your feelings in regards to being naive or innocent.”

I exhaled slowly, my eyes stinging. “Thank you. I’m sorry I haven’t been a good friend.”

“Well, we have time to make up for that. Get home, see your boy, and come over as soon as you can. Once Tommy finishes having his breakdown, he’ll jump into action.”

“Thank you.” My phone started to ring and I saw Salt’s name as I stepped out of the elevator. “I’ve got to go.”

“Okay. Be safe.”

We hung up, and I immediately answered Salt’s phone call.

“Simon,” I rasped. I stepped into my hotel room and locked the door behind me. “It wasn’t me. It wasn’t me. Whatever he said, whatever it was, it wasn’t me.”

He released a shaky breath. “Okay. One, are you okay?”

“Yes,” I said. “Are you?”

“No,” he said. “But I will be.”

“What did he say?”

He let out a gentle hum. “I don’t need to repeat it to you.”

“I need to know,” I whispered.

“The text said ‘Simon, we’re done. When I return to Nashville, you’ll be nothing more than a client. You aren’t good enough for me. I deserve someone who isn’t like you.’”

I leaned against the wall, my heart still racing. “He was wrong. He couldn’t be more wrong. I’m not leaving you, Simon.”

“I—” His voice faltered. “I didn’t react well to the text message. I’m at Nancy and Beth’s.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

“It’s not your fault at all,” he said.

“We’re going to fire him. I’m leaving tomorrow instead of Monday, and I’m going to meet up with Tommy. And Ellen. I need to text Ellen. And Scott, for that matter. We’re going to get rid of him. The fact that he sent you this message is crazy.”

Salt let out a soft hum. I closed my eyes and let out a slow breath.

“Did you believe him?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“And then you couldn’t get a hold of me because he blocked the number.”

“Yeah,” he murmured. “I don’t know if I’m right for you, Pepper. That’s the thing about that message. Maybe he wasn’t wrong. Maybe we are moving too fast. Maybe…”

“No. Jeff is too good at saying things that can unravel you,” I said. “He reached out to that bass player and confirmed his suspicions about us. And then he read our texts. But, he’s wrong. You are good enough for me. And I do deserve someone like you. I don’t care what the world says, we love on our own timeline and in our own way.”

“Love.”

“Yes,” I whispered. “Can we switch to video?”

“I’m a mess right now, Pepper. I don’t want you to see me like this.”

“Please?”

He hesitated for a moment, but then pressed the video call button, turning on his camera. I did the same, sucking in a breath as I looked at him. He was in bed, his eyes dark and stormy and full of so much sadness.

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