Page 119 of Good Girl's Guide to Love
“Who’s doing this?” Stella asks. “Because at this point, someone is clearly after Linc, and by proxy, you.”
“I have a feeling I know who, and hopefully now she won’t be a problem anymore.”
Quinn’s ears perk up. “Please tell me you’re talking about that bitch from the game. What was her name? Cunty?”
I laugh, because it should be her name. “Katie. His publicist. Or I should say,formerpublicist.”
“Oh, thank God,” Quinn says. “She was something. And when I say something, I mean a cunt.”
I start filling my sisters in on details I hadn’t bothered them with, but to my surprise, they know a lot of it.
Thanks, Quinn.
What they don’t know is what happened two days ago. The blow-up. The scene we caused in the Fury facility parking lot. The way she just went ballistic seemingly out of nowhere.
“Oh shit,” Quinn says. “She’s full-on boiled bunny.”
“Exactly,” I say. “She had the crazy eyes.”
“Thank God she’s gone,” Maeve adds.
“I’m not sure,” I add. “Linc fired her, and his agent terminated all of their contracts. But something still feels off. It’s like…I don’t know…I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop or something.”
“Do you want me to do some digging?” Stella asks. “I rhinestoned an FBI hat, and I only got to wear it once.”
“Can you?” I ask. Who needs private investigators when you have Stella Banks at the ready? “I hope I’m just being paranoidand overthinking this. But the look she gave me when she walked away? She’s not going away quietly.”
“You aren’t,” Maeve says, bringing me in for a side hug. “Trust your gut, Ainsley. If something feels wrong, don’t ignore it. And, lean on us when you need to.”
I nod in thanks. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys about the arrangement. We thought it would be better if no one knew the truth.”
“We understand,” Quinn says. “It was funny, though, thinking you pulled one over on us.”
“I thought we did so good,” I say. “Linc was especially proud of himself.”
“Oh, that man was worse than you were,” Stella says. “That whole breakfast…the way he looked at you? Let you lead the conversation? Didn’t flinch at Maeve’s intimidation, or Simon’s attempt at it? That man was a smitten kitten from the jump.”
I look over to Linc, who I happen to catch looking back at me. I’m greeted with a wink before Porter has to slap him on the back to signal that it’s his turn.
“I really love him,” I say. “I know I’ve been acting a little strange since we met, but I promise you, I’ve never felt more me in my life.”
“We can tell,” Stella says as she holds my hand. “Through all of this, the one thing you always looked was happy. And I think everyone will agree with me that’s all we want for each other, is to find love that makes us happy.”
I look back at Linc, who’s now laughing with my sister’s partners.
This is what I wanted. This is what was missing from my life. A man who loves me, whom I love in return. Who gets along with my family. Who wants to be part of this with me.
I finally found it. And like hell I’m going to let Katie, or anyone else, tear this away from me.
35
linc
We knewtoday was going to be the hardest game of our season. Not because Milwaukee is that good; I mean, they’re decent, but we were favored in every aspect.
The only thing that we needed to be aware of was that we knew Brad was going to give to his new team the full scouting report on how to stop our offense.
AKA: Me.
