Page 114 of Try Hard
I rolled my eyes. “Fine, I’m calling out everyone who thinks they have any right dictating who I love or commenting negatively on her because they think I should be with them instead. It’s weird and it’s time to call it out.”
“Hell, yes! I’ve been telling you that for years.”
That was true. It hit me like a sledgehammer. Every time there’d been a run of discourse about my body, debating if I was too manly, too fat, too ugly, Row had wanted me to call it out. I hadn’t. Not the way she wanted. I did campaigns about the comments without addressing them directly. They were important. I wanted to demonstrate to every other person out there that their body was strong and capable as it was, thatwe didn’t have to fit these narrow, judgemental boxes to be beautiful and worthy. And calling it out directly had always felt a little risky. The world we lived in made it so. The ability to ruin my career, to make me a target, to ruin everything I’d built… all because I wanted to call out rude, unnecessary comments? It felt weird now.
But, as Andra said, I wasn’t a kid anymore, and I had something worth protecting no matter the cost.
“There is the possibility,” Andra told Row, giving me a minute to think, “that your business might receive some comments or a drop in customers, depending on what Eve says, how it’s taken, and how much it blows up. I’d suggest the risk is fairly minimal, but you never know.”
“The business will be fine,” Row said quickly. “Protect your girlfriend, Eve. We’ll weather what comes just fine.”
I couldn’t help the slight smile that crept onto my face. Row would have supported my choice either way, but whoever it was making her squeal and breathless on the other side of the phone was making her particularly sentimental. I was happy for her.
“Thank you,” I told them both earnestly. “I’ll stay in touch and run the proposed statement by you both before I publish it. But, for now, I have to go see Ophelia.”
Row laughed. “It’s cute how you can’t help but call her Ophelia when you’re in protective mode.”
Soph shot me a shit-eating grin like she wholeheartedly agreed.
I shook my head. “It’s what I usually call her. And I’m going now. Bye.”
I hung up after their hurried goodbyes and Row’s next squeal being cut off by the call ending. When things were less stressful, I looked forward to asking her all about that.
Soph stood with me. “You going over to Ophelia’s?”
“Yeah.”
“Good luck. I hope she’s okay.”
I smiled gratefully. A part of me worried this was going to be the thing that ruined what I had with Ophelia. When I’d been planning, it had been easier to ignore those thoughts, but now that all I had left was going to see her when she still hadn’t replied, the fear was almost suffocating. She didn’t want attention, had reasons it was painful for her. I wasn’t going to force her to stay with the person who’d brought this all to her doorstep.
The thought of having to say goodbye to her again was physically painful, but I’d give her anything she wanted. And, regardless of the outcome, I was finally ready to clearly and directly tell those who crossed boundaries to piss off. Incredible people like Ophelia really did come into your life and give you a strength you’d never dreamt possible.
“Thank you,” I told Soph, giving her a quick hug.
“Do you want me to make macaroni cheese for dinner?”
I laughed. I really must look like shit if she was offering that. “Sounds good. Thanks, Soph.”
“Any time,” she said, and despite all the teasing in our relationship, I knew she meant it. No matter what the world threw at me, I was safe with her, with my family. I hoped I could be that safety for Ophelia.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Fia
My boss, Simon, had been talking in my ear for an hour already by the time there was a knock at the door. Fuad had managed to wrangle himself an invite to the meeting somehow, and I wasn’t sure if that was making things better or worse. In the moments where Simon stopped speaking, Fuad was quick to chime in, leaving me to simmer in silence, but maybe that was just drawing the whole thing out and delaying the inevitable.
I pulled the door open, certain it was going to be some parcel delivery. The sight of Eve was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. In a tornado of discomfort and powerlessness, she was home. She was grounding and real, and her mere presence saturated me with a confidence I hadn’t been feeling since Simon had sent me an urgent meeting request.
She stepped through the door looking concerned. That wasn’t difficult to comprehend. Eve understood my desire for privacy. She’d worried about the attention her presence in mylife would bring. Despite it all, I wasn’t sorry. I’d do it all again to be around her.
I just had to figure out how to get through this next part.
“So,” Simon said, sounding like all his Christmases had come at once, “you can tell we’re eager to get started. We need to ride this wave. It’ll be great for business.”
“I’m on annual leave,” I said sharply, leaning into Eve’s chest and grateful for her arms that wrapped protectively around me. Plenty of people had been scared away by the spikier side of my character, but not Eve. She was the same warm, sweet woman as always.
“Oh, of course. But, when you’re back, we’ll need to start recording immediately. People want news and, right now, you’re the news!”
