Page 42 of Ten Rules for Faking It
Had Simon screwed things up for her? The interview with him sucked, but it wasn’t that big a deal, was it?
The website and all their social media were still going crazy with the contest. Companies and corporations were contacting them for ad time and upping the prices they were willing to pay. They were bringing in more corporate sponsors than any of them had imagined. She had no reason to worry.That doesn’t always make it go away, though.
She braced her back against the softness of her couch, let herself sink into it. Stacey got up and grabbed some coffee. Whether she was just being a good friend or giving them a moment to talk, Everly didn’t know. What she did know was she owed Stacey a dinner or a bottle of expensive wine. Something to thank her for how awesome she’d been.
Stacey came back with two mugs and handed one to Everly before returning to her seat.
Everly sipped. Waited. Sipped again. Patience was not her strong suit. “What’s going on?”
Chris met her gaze finally. “I wanted to talk to you about calling off the contest.”
Everly jolted forward, sloshing coffee over the rim of the mug and on her hand. “Damn it.”
Chris rushed forward, took the cup from her. “Did you burn yourself? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she ground out, shaking the scalding liquid off her fingers.
Stacey stood as well, going to grab a cloth, she hoped, and Chris took Everly’s wrist to examine the burn. “You need to run cold water on your hand.”
Shaking him off, his touch seeming hotter than the coffee, she stood and walked ahead of him, ran the water. “I’m fine. I’m fine.” But the water stung as she slipped her hand under the spray. Looking at him over her shoulder, she saw his brow was furrowed in worry. “What do you mean, call it off?”
“Yes, explain yourself,” Stacey said, joining them in the kitchen. She tossed the cloth she’d used in the sink. Everly would put it in the wash later. Right now, she needed to hear what Chris had to say.
Stacey pointed at him. “We aren’t quitters.”
Chris gave an exaggerated sigh, placed his hands on his hips, and stared down at the floor. When he looked up, he pinned Stacey with a glare. “Do youeverremember that I’m your boss?”
Stacey rolled her eyes. “Sorry. Explain yourself,boss.”
Everly bit her lip to keep from laughing, because it didn’t look like Chris found her all that funny. She turned off the water, which brought Chris’s attention back to her. He grabbed a tea towel from the bar on the stove and came closer, taking her hand in his. Her heart galloped, and she told it to chill out. Then she focused on keeping her body stiff so she didn’t do something stupid like lean in and rest against him.
“It’s still red,” he commented, brows furrowed.
She tugged her hand away, drying it with the towel. “It’s fine. Can you please answer the question?”
“Your ex is using this as a promotional tool to turn the spotlight on himself,” he said.
“Uh, yeah,” Stacey said.
Chris stayed focused on Everly. “I don’t want you to feel stuck. We can take a different approach. I won’t have him sullying your name all over town.”
She didn’t even feel the smile sneak up on her, but she felt it in the way her cheeks stretched. She probably looked like a fool. “Sully? What am I, a heroine in a historical romance novel? Are you worried I won’t make a good impression on high society?”
Stacey cracked up but tried to look serious. “Perhaps you could challenge Simon to a duel.”
“At dawn,” Everly added.
Stacey rolled her eyes. “Duh. That’s the only time you can challenge someone to a duel.”
“I don’t think it is. I’m pretty sure you can do it at sunset, too.”
Chris made a growly sound of impatience, which sent a shiver running over Everly’s skin. “As funny as you two are, I’m being serious. I didn’t anticipate he’d try to tell his side, and I should have. You don’t need to feel boxed in by his actions or this contest.”
Rubbing the material of the tea towel soothed her flutteringheart. Mildly. “This is what I signed up for. We’re using what happened as promotion, so it doesn’t surprise me that he would as well. I’m not backing out or giving up.” She thought of her list. Rule six:Be bold, even if it gives you hives.She could do bold. She paused.No hives.“I said I’d do this, and I will. If he wants to paint a different picture, that’s on him.”
Running a hand through his hair, Chris stared at her like he expected her to change her mind. She and Stacey exchanged a glance. Stacey shrugged.
“Despite the security, this could draw the wrong kind of people in. His stupid interview could have people trashing you online instead of supporting you.”
