Page 134 of Wildflower
Late the next day, the entire creative team and two of the development pods are gathered in front of me after my plea for help. I asked Kaia, who I know lives with Rey now and has become my confidante in this, to start spreading the truth about the relationship and, as I thought, it travelled faster than any official message would.
I’m nervous.
I don’t enjoy attention, but it’s never made me nervous before. It’s my only chance, and I need to get them all on board. This has to work.
“This is going to be different from a regular release. It’s going to be messy, and we’ll need a solid support team once it gets out there.”
“How do you know people will even subscribe?”
“I’m going to have to keep that under wraps until the end, as long as you set up the mechanics of it, that’s enough. Any other questions before we kick off?”
“Is it true then, that you met at a masquerade and fell in love?” a small voice asks from the crowd, and everyone falls quiet. I should’ve known people would want to understand.
“Yes.”
The group erupts in ‘aaw’s and giggles, and I feel myself blushing. Something I never do. And I meet Sebastian’s eye at the back of the room. He’s been grovelling for two weeks. I’ve never seen my friend cry before, and I hope I never will again.
He stepped up for me in the end. This project isn’t cheap, and he’s making it happen faster than I could’ve done without him.
“Look,” I say, calming the group. “You all know Rey. She’s amazing, and I fucked up. Not just with her, but the message I sent was wrong. I thought I was doing the right thing for Infinio. Keeping the boundaries, and showing that rules apply to all, even me as founder and CEO.”
I walk along the front of the room, everyone’s eyes are glued to me.
“But it’s not about the rules,” I continue. “By caving in, I confirmed the narrative that was spreading online. That Rey wasn’t worth fighting for. It couldn’t be more wrong.”
I stop, looking at my small army of helpers.
“I’m fighting now, and I need you all.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
vote yes
REY
I wipe off the counter and rinse the cloth before hanging it up on the tap. “All done out here, Sanchez,” I call to the back room, and hear a muffled ‘okay, see ya’ through the walls. Being a barista is so far my favourite random job. After moving in with my friends, I got one in Camden Town instead of Hackney. It’s busy as hell, which I need, and the area by the canal is colourful. I’m slowly getting the feeling that things might just become okay again one day.
That’s of course until I’m alone in my room or in the shower or on the bus and all the memories come crashing back down. I’ve become the woman who cries on the bus. I’ve also become a fucking master in silent crying for that reason. No more sobbing and gasping.
I put in my earbuds and turn on my Ramones playlist. It’s the least romantic music I can think of, and it’s upbeat. I need upbeat. I hang up my apron and gather my purse and phone from behind the counter.
It’s been three weeks and three days since I received that phone call. Sometimes it feels like a year and other times just like yesterday. When Xander told me Mark had come to thehouse a few days later, I was furious with him for having kept it from me. What did Mark want? Why hasn’t he tried again?
Maybe he just wanted to ease his guilt and break up with me again face to face.
At least Mum has shown an inkling of regret. Dad must have had some chats with her, because she messaged first about a week ago saying she’s sorry, and she’s working on herself. Then again yesterday, saying she hopes I’m okay. So she’s thinking about me, and I like knowing that. We have a long way to go, but that helps.
I turn, closing and locking the front door to the coffee shop. A hand lands on my shoulder and I scream in fright.
“Oi!” a girl’s voice sounds through my loud music, and I find Kaia behind me.
I clutch my chest and pant. “Jesus fucking Christ, Kaia. You gave me a heart attack.”
“I was in the area, thought I’d come get a coffee from you.”
“I’m finished,” I say, pointing at the ‘closed’ sign on the door.
“Oh, bugger,” she says. Why does it sound like she’s joking?
