Page 50 of About Last Night
And he’d screwed everything up.
What the hell was she thinking?
She could never work for Tristan when he had the power to overrule anything she said or did just by touching her. To silence her. She’d been a fool to think otherwise.
And now Darla was bound to tell everyone at the station whatshe’d seen and once again she’d be the centre of whispered gossip and speculation. She shuddered at the thought.
She appeared to have got herself caught in a vicious circle.
That night, she ignored Tristan’s calls and pretended to be out when he knocked on her door for ten minutes straight, her chest tight with sorrow. It was never going to work between them. He seemed reluctant to give up his job managing the station, which he appeared to value more than his relationship with her, and she couldn’t keep working for him when that was the case.
Not that she hadn’t known from the beginning that this was doomed to fail.
After spending her teenage years being passed from parent to parent like a troublesome pet that nobody wanted any more, she needed to feel part of something solid. To be with someone who was willing to make gestures that made her feel safe and wanted and cared for. Not someone who was happy to ride roughshod over her opinions and integrity to get his own way.
And he’d made it perfectly clear he wasn’t the type to get married. Considering the way her heart had plummeted when she’d heard him say that, she knew a relationship with him would never survive.
She couldn’t be with someone who wasn’t prepared to put themselves on the line for her. It mattered too much. Even if Emily thought it was a mad whim and told her repeatedly that she was living in the dark ages to expect a piece of paper to keep a relationship together. Lula still wanted it. She wanted the promise of it. The romance.
To be loved so much by the person that she was in love with, who was prepared to take the leap of faith with her.
The show the next day was a tough one to get through. It felt as though her head was full of rocks and her mojo was hiding somewhere in the depths of her soul.
‘Hey, what’s with all the dirgey music?’ Claire asked when she brought Lula her fourth cup of coffee into the studio while a track was playing.
‘It’s a minor key kind of day, Claire. I’m expressing my melancholy.’
Claire paused and gave her a discerning look. ‘Does this have something to do with Tristan, by any chance?’
Lula glanced round sharply, blood rushing to her face. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, Darla’s been shooting her mouth off about finding you and Tristan—’ she gave an uncomfortable cough. ‘Being friendly with each other in his office.’
Lula’s brow pinched uncomfortably under her frown. ‘You know about that?’
Apparently, Tristan hadn’t been able to buy Darla off.
‘Yeah.’ She held up a hand. ‘Not that I blame you, he’s a total honey.’
Lula sighed and dropped her head into her hands. ‘I guess everyone thinks I’m a terrible tart who gets what she wants by sleeping with her bosses?’ She screwed up her face as she looked back at Claire, not really wanting to hear the answer, but unable to stop herself from asking the question.
Claire wrinkled her nose in surprise. ‘What? Don’t be ridiculous! Everyone here loves you. They want to see you happy and if that means having a hot fling with Tristan then fine, do it. We know you’d never screw us over, Lula, you’re too much of a professional for that.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes. Of course.’
‘I don’t know if I can do it any more though, Claire. I don’t feel like I have any control or power in this relationship.’
Claire shrugged. ‘Well, maybe when he’s found someone to take over the running of the station that won’t be a problem any more?’
‘Maybe. But there’s also the small matter of an ex-girlfriend that I don’t think he’s over yet.’
‘Really? You’d never have guessed. He doesn’t take his eyes off you for one second when you’re in the same room together. If you ask me, he’s one smitten kitten.’
Lula stared at her in surprise. ‘You think so?’
‘Absolutely. I say, go for it.’ She gave Lula a wink. ‘I would.’ Flashing her one last smile, she waltzed out of the studio, letting the heavy soundproof door close with aswishbehind her.
