Page 84 of Broken Headboards
Chapter Thirty-Four
Tess
Life sucks.
One moment you’re on top of the world, the next you’re sitting on the back of a cop car, the opportunity of a lifetime slipping through your fingers. Why the hell things had to turn out like this?
I had the perfect headboard I needed to win the contest. I was hours away from signing the deal, and I was almost sure that Austin wouldn’t be a sore loser about it. In the back of my mind, I held to the notion that he’d act nonchalant about my win, and that our relationship will continue, this time without all the bitter rivalry.
Yeah, I know.
I’m a freakin’ idiot.
But now there’s nothing I can do about it, is there? The board is going to reconvene and decide if our outburst will change anything, but my guess is that we’re both in deep trouble. After all, almost every single member of the board is a prissy asshole, and I doubt they’ll give a contract to first two participants ever in Headboard Fight Night.
Fuck it, I think, reaching for the tub of ice cream sitting on my coffee table. I take a spoonful straight into my mouth, then lean back against my couch and throw my head back, still musing about my situation.
This is fucked up.
I haven’t even been to the office in a week. What’s the point? Now that I ruined this, it’ll be almost impossible for me to score the Clarendon Tower contract. Sure, none of us were aware that Giovanni was working for the both of us at the same time, but let’s be real for a moment…my chances are gone.
So, yeah, why bother with work?
Sure, eventually I’ll have to go back to the office, but it’s going to be hard. I thought that by this timeDominaDesigns would be ready to take over the world, and now I’ll be stuck with playing second fiddle to Oakmont. So, yeah, I’m definitely not feeling that motivated.
“God, what now?” I mutter as I hear my phone ring. Somehow, I get enough courage to go up to my feet and head to the kitchen, where I left my phone. I pick it up from the counter, see Ashley’s name on the screen and sigh. Probably another one of her ideas to get me out of the house...or, worse, she wants to talk about Taylor.
I consider not picking up—after all, I’m definitely not in the mood to hear about Ashley’s sex life for an hour straight—but I just bite the bullet and press the round green icon.
“Have you seen it?” She fires off right away, not even giving me the time to take a breath.
“No, I haven’t seen anything. What are you talking about?”
“There’s gonna be an event of some kind at the lobby in a few hours,” she says, barely able to hide the excitement in her voice. I seriously hope this isn’t one of her charity galas. I’m done with the tango.
“Yeah, I think I’ll just stay home tonight. I need to—”
“You don’t need to do anything, Tess, let’s be serious,” she cuts me short. “What you’re trying to do is bury your head in the sand and I’ll be damned if I’ll let a friend of mine do that. So don’t give me that shit about being busy or whatever the hell. I’ll be there in an hour and the two of us will go to the lobby together.”
“Ashley, I—” She hangs up on me, the silence of no signal the only reply I get. “Great. Just great,” I finish.
I drag my feet back to the couch, and sink there while pondering my options. Okay, let’s be honest, I don’t have any option left here. Either I get ready and go down to the lobby with Ashley, or she’s going to drag me out of my apartment in pajamas.
I just hope Austin doesn’t go. After everything that happened, he probably hates my guts. That’s what hurts the most—not the contract I lost, or all the prestige and money I thought would be mine. What hurts the most is losing the man I love.
It’s been a week, and we still haven’t talked. There hasn’t been a single text message, or a call. And the last time I saw him, he watched me walk out on him, and that was because I couldn’t keep my cool and act like an adult. No, I had to throw a hissy fit after he told me he loved me.
He lost too.
It wasn’t just me that was in pain.
Even if he was willing to forgive me for that outburst, I bet he doesn’t want anything to do with someone as crazy as me.
FML.
Sighing heavily, I force myself to take a shower and then get inside a sexy dress, in the hopes that maybe my reflection in the mirror will help me lift my spirits. Nothing beats a perfect face of make-up and a tight dress to make me feel better.
But as I start getting dressed, I can’t help but wonder if Austin would like this dress or if he’d prefer something else. I can’t stop myself from doing it, and I wonder how long till it’ll be before I forget him.
