Page 68 of One Little Lie
Lexi: Then make it enough. Show him it’s enough.
Rylan: How?
Lexi: Every Westbrook on this mountain knows he’s in love with you, but they don’t know why he’s being a fucking idiot. Force him to acknowledge his love for you.
Ari: How does she do that?
Lexi: Nothing makes a Westbrook snap faster than jealousy.
Rylan: That sounds … underhanded.
Lexi: Listen, he’s been dicking around for years. Everyone is worried about him. Force his hand a little. He’ll either break through whatever’s holding him back, or …
Rylan: Or?
Lexi: Or you’ll know you’ve done everything you can. You can’t fix someone that’s not ready to fix themself.
Rylan: So, your advice is to make him jealous?
Lexi: Westbrooks don’t like to lose. Especially their women. And they hate to share. They’re good men, but they protect what’s theirs. Make him acknowledge that you’re meant to be his.
Rylan: You’re scary. And mean.
Lexi: And amazing and usually right. It’s your call, Ry, but that’s my advice.
Lexi: (Eye rolling emoji) Easton agrees.
We eat and stew in near silence. Except for the occasional question from our waiter, we haven’t exchanged a single word.
“Can I offer you any dessert?”
Hatty’s head whips to mine, and I see a hopeful glimmer in his eye, but I shake my head no.
“Have you seen this girl?” he asks instead, pulling up a photo on his phone.
Recognition hits first, and we both see it in the waiter’s expression.
“Ah, no. Sorry. Never seen her.”
He scurries away, and I watch as a frown appears on Hatty’s face.
“He was lying,” I offer.
Hatty scrubs a hand roughly over his face. It’s a new habit I hadn’t noticed before, and it’s sexy as hell. My second glass of wine is giving me the courage to peruse his handsome face more openly. His strong jaw twitches as he follows my gaze. His perfectly straight nose leads to full, sexy lips.
“I know,” he grinds out through clenched teeth. “Are you talking to me again?”
“We have nothing to say to each other until you start being honest with me, Hatty.”
“I’m being as honest as I can.”
“And I’m telling you it isn’t good enough.”
The waiter drops off the check, and I catch his arm. Hatty stiffens in his chair, his gaze laser focused on my hand holding the stranger’s arm.
Holy crap, Lexi was right.
“Is there a bar around here? Somewhere we can see the ocean? With music and dancing?”
