Page 79 of It Happened on a Sunday
Me:You okay?
Sloane:I’m great
That doesn’t seem right. I stop walking and stare at the phone suspiciously. I want to ask if she’s lying to me, but that seems a little harsh, so I settle for:
Me:Really?
Sloane:You don’t actually think this came as a surprise to me, do you?
Me:It came as a shock to me
Sloane:Poor, innocent boy, thinking we could hide behind a couple of trees
Sloane:I noticed the girls
Me:And you didn’t try to tamp things down?
Sloane:They already had the pic at the Willow. So what if they get a conversation between us?
Me:That moment was supposed to be ours. You don’t look like the Black Widow in it either
The second I hit send, I want to take the message back. Especially since Sloane doesn’t answer right away.
My mind races to come up with a reason why she let it happen. Either she doesn’t care if we get photographed together becauseshe doesn’t plan on letting it happen again, or she doesn’t care because shedoesplan on it happening again.
I know which one of those two scenarios I’m rooting for, but in some ways, Sloane is still a mystery to me. I may have been able to coax her out for a little while today, but her guard is still up.
However, there’s nothing quite as pathetic as some lovesick jerk standing in the middle of a hotel hallway staring forlornly at his phone, so I start walking again. At least if I’m in my room, I’ll feel slightly less pitiful.
I’m just stepping off the elevator when a new text comes through. I open it embarrassingly quickly, only to be disappointed when I realize it’s not from Sloane. It’s from my agent.
Vivian:I’m getting on a plane in ten minutes. I’ll be at the hotel by 7 a.m. We can do breakfast before the fundraiser.
Well, fuck.
Considering she had absolutely no plans to come to this week’s game, I can only imagine Vivian’s sudden interest and urgency have something to do with Sloane. Whether it’s the kiss pic or the fifty K fine I have no doubt she’s been told about that got her on that plane, I don’t know. Either way, she’s not going to be happy when she gets here.
Well, she can get in line. I had to take the ass-chewing from Branson. I sure as shit don’t have to take it from her. Not about Sloane.
My phone buzzes again, and I’m ready to text Vivian to cool her jets. Politely, of course. But this time, the message is from Sloane.
I open it so fast I practically break a finger.
Sloane:To be clear, I AM the Black Widow
Sloane:And cheer up. There will be plenty moremeals we don’t have to share with fans
All of a sudden, my bad mood evaporates. Fuck the fifty thousand and fuck whatever lecture Vivian thinks she needs to give me. Because for the first time, Sloane’s made a point of saying she’s in this with me. That there’ll bemoreof us.
I can’t wait.
Chapter 35
Sloane
“You were amazing!” Lucinda tells me as she gets me out of the last costume of the night.
“They were a great crowd.” I grab my T-shirt and yank it over my head. “A lot of fun to perform for.”
