Page 79 of Resisting You
Rosa and I stood in the waiting room like statues, the adrenaline draining fast and leaving us both raw and shivering. She sank into one of the stiff plastic chairs, hugging her arms around herself.
I sat down beside her, elbows on my knees, running a hand through my hair. I wanted to say something—anything—to cut through the silence pressing between us. But all I could do was stare at the closed doors, praying Steve could save our dog.
"I’m scared, Noah," she said softly, her eyes lifting to mine—red-rimmed, confused. Hurt.
"Me too," I admitted. "Not just for Birdie. For us."
She looked at me then, really looked. There was still fire in her eyes, but it was laced with something gentler now—doubt, maybe. Or reluctant hope if I was being optimistic.
"I didn’t do what you think I did," I said, my voice low. "I don’t know how that contract ended up in the room. I don’t know whose bra that was. But I swear to you, Rosa, I didn’t touch anyone else. I didn’t betray you." I pause and look deep into the dark abyss of her eyes. I could freefall into those eyes of hers. “I wouldneverhurt you like that.”
Her lips parted like she was going to argue. But she didn’t. She just stared at me, her silence heavier than any accusation.
"I love you," I added. "Even when you’re pissed at me and calling me a liar. Even when I’m waking up to find the wholeworld turned sideways. This marriage may have started out as a drunken lapse in judgment turned press stunt… but it means more than that to me now.”
Rosa looked down at her hands, twisting the ring around her finger. For the first time since I’d woken up this morning, something inside me dared to hope.
“How can I make this right? Tell me.”
Rosa pressed her lips into a thin line and shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t trust Morgan. Even if I believed you that you had no idea how any of that stuff got into your—our—bedroom, as long as she’s in the picture, I think there’s always going to be someone trying to sabotage us.”
I pulled my phone from my pocket, tapped Morgan’s name, and put the call on speaker.
"Noah?" she answered quickly, her voice too cheerful. Too fake. "Is everything okay?"
"You can tear up the contract," I said flatly. "I’m never signing it."
Rosa’s face twisted, her mouth popping open in shock. “What are you doing?” she whispered.
After a pause, Morgan asked, "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but I’m not going to be a part of it.”
"Noah—"
“How’d you get into my room, anyway?” It was risky pressing her like this. But Rosa’s suspicions were sound and deserved investigating.
“You brought me to your room,” Morgan snapped, then her tone softened. “Do you really not remember? Last night was so special to me?—”
“Cut the shit, Morgan,” I interrupted her, not wanting to hear it. I know it’s not true. “I know you. I know you better than just about anyone. I was there when you slipped Miralaxinto Trichelle’s coffee so that you could do the Good Morning, America interview alone. I watched as you convinced your agent that your ex-roommate was stalking you even though the poor girl was just trying to get her degree from NYU. I know what you’re capable of. So don’t sit there and tell me I’m a cheater when we both know I’m not. I’m not soberly a cheater and I’m not drunkenly a cheater. Nevermind the fact that I could barely walk on my own last night, let alone take part in any sort of affair. I know you set me up.”
A sigh echoed on the other end of the call. “Fine. I slipped something into your drink last night and with you nearly comatose, the woman at the desk was kind enough to give me a copy of your room key that you hadlost.”
“You roofied me?” Oh my God. That was even worse than I thought.
“Ugh, you’re so dramatic sometimes, Noah.”
I slid my gaze toward Rosa who was now chewing her bottom lip and staring at me with wide eyes. “Sonothinghappened between us?” I repeated, just so I could reiterate it for Rosa to hear. “The bra on the bed was?—”
“Please, Noah. You could barely get yourself up to pee let alone get anything else up last night.”
I can’t believe I ever dated this awful woman. "Don’t call me again, Morgan.”
"Are you seriously going to let this movie deal slip through your fingers?” she snapped, the facade cracking. “You’re going to give up the role of a lifetime for a little nobody whose big dream in life is to be a shrink to the stars?” It was my turn to look shocked. I opened my mouth, searching for words that didn’t come. “Oh, you think I didn’t know you were pimping her out to our friends? That suddenly she had all these clients? Well how do you think those clients will feel when I tell everyone that your marriage is one big scam?”
I slide a look to Rosa who looks downright terrified now. “It’s not a scam?—”
“Noah, please don’t insult my intelligence. You two got drunkenly married in Atlantic City and now, only God knows why, you’re keeping the ruse up. There’s literal security footage of you two stumbling into your hotel after.”
