Page 49 of I Did Something Bad
He takes a deep inhale and I do the same in an attempt to dilute the adrenaline coursing through me.
“I only want to help—” he starts.
“I don’tneedyour help—”
“Fucking hell, can you please not act like this?”
I scoff. “Likewhat?”
“Like you’re too good, too smart, tootogetherto accept anyone’s help, when, hey, news flash, those of us who know you also know when you’re lying to our faces. That’s what you did then, and I cannot believe that you’re still doing it now.”
My jaw drops, and Ben visibly reacts, which at least tells me that he didn’tmeanfor it to cut as deep as it did. “Well then,” I try to stay even-tempered, but I’m unable to pack the surge of tears and hurt back in anymore. “Guess it’s a good thing you found a new partner whoalwaysaccepts your help, even when it comes to something as trivial as picking out a fucking camera lens.”
Ben opens his mouth and I prepare myself for him to throwanother log on the blaze, but the next sound that I hear comes from behind me, and is a register too low to be his.
“Everything okay?”
In a half-assed combination of blinking rapidly and rubbing at my eyes with the palms of my hands, I say without looking back, “We’re good.”
Except my voice cracks, and I don’t have to see him to sense Tyler move to stand beside me. “Khin?” he asks.
“I said I’m fine,” I snap, head facing down and away from him.
After a long pause during which I assume he and Ben exchange silentlooks,he lets out a long sigh. I’m expecting him to remind us where we are, or tell me that I should take a walk to cool off, but instead, he asks softly, “Oh no, did they cancelSVU?”
A disgusting, snotty laugh leaps out of me and Ihaveto face him because how else am I going to make sure my punch lands on his arm as I reply, “Don’t you dare even joke about that.”
His eyes do a quick sweep of my face, but his expression isn’t reactive whatsoever. I, on the other hand, am two hiccupping sobs away from having a breakdown on my ex-husband’s new girlfriend’s impeccable lawn. I take a deep breath, square my shoulders, and lift my chin. “Just for the record,” I say, hating and consequently ignoring how wobbly my voice is. “I am generally an independent, self-sufficient, incredibly put-together woman. You just… have terrible timing.”
He looks like he’s pulling back a smile. “Did Reese Witherspoon back out ofLegally Blonde 3?”
Despite myself, I gasp, and Tyler laughs, and I let out a wet laugh of my own. “You know,” I say with a glare. “One day, you’re going to speak one of these terrible misfortunes into existence and I will personally hunt you down.”
“Oh yeah?” One brow raises in challenge. “And then what?”
“I’ll tell PETA you wouldloooveto sign a five-year spokesperson contract with them.”
He widens his eyes in horror. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Maybe I am, and maybe I’m not.” I shrug. “As long as Reese doesn’t back out ofLegally Blonde 3,you don’t have anything to worry about.”
He shakes his head. “What have I gotten myself into?” he asks, smile no longer restrained, and the sight makes my spine sizzle.
Our bodies both stiffen when Ben’s voice says from the side, “I’m gonna go back inside.”
Ben. Somehow,shockingly,I had forgotten about Ben. The last ten minutes come rushing back to me as though someone’s turned the volume from zero to a hundred in one flick. Wordlessly, Ben leaves, but Tyler doesn’t.
“So.” Tyler gives an awkward half shrug. “Do you wanna… talk?”
I blink, although my tears are still presenting him to me as a tall semi-blurry figure. “About what?”
“Anything?” he says, although it comes out like a question, as though he doesn’t know what we need to talk about either. “Whatever you want. We can talk about why you were fighting with your ex, or about how you think this shoot is going, or your opinion on the Carly Rae album that came out yesterday? Anything. Do you want to just… talk?”
I know I should say yes—if there ever was an opportunity to call a truce and get back on track, this is it—but I… can’t. I want to rally, but after my shouting match with Ben, I don’t have the energy to walk back into that house and be present for the rest of the shoot, let alone don a smile and slide into Cheery Interviewer mode.
