New Dawn Breaking
I’D BYPASSED THE first three stages of grief and gone straight to the fourth stage—depression. Or maybe I was still a mix of all of them—the denial that the relationship with Nate was over, anger at myself over the whole damn thing, bargaining…okay, well, I hadn’t bothered with the bargaining stage. There was no way I’d ask him to take me back after the embarrassment and hurt I’d caused, even if I wanted to. And I didn’t want to. I’d hit the fourth stage of grief and accepted my depression.
It was two days after what I was referring to as the Oh Shit Event, and thank God it was a Sunday and I didn’t have to leave the house for work until tomorrow. I’d finally showered last night after the girls had come by and pushed me into the bathroom. Standing under the hot spray and letting it wash away my tears until the water turned cold hadn’t eased the tight fist clenched around my heart and stomach, but at least I was cried out for the moment.
Had I really been so stupid? It had been like tempting fate the whole time, just waiting for the ball to drop. I’d thought I’d been doing a good thing helping Ace, but to the detriment of not only myself, but my relationship with Nate.
My Nate. The most amazing human on the planet, who didn’t deserve what he’d seen two nights ago. Just his name had me wanting to shrivel up and die, and that was before I let myself remember the way he’d looked at me with the saddest eyes I’d ever seen.
Did he hate me? Rue the day I was born? I could deal with that more than I could deal with the hurt. It was too much to hope that he’d gone through the stages of grief and come out fine on the other side. I hated the expression FML, but it was true at the moment—fuck my life.
Because there I was, yet again. The destined-to-be-single matchmaker. I kept doing it to myself, always with good intentions but shitty follow-through.
My cell phone’s blaring ringtone pushed me out of my thoughts, and I fumbled for it on the nightstand, knocking over my alarm clock in the process.
Not Nate. Not one of the girls. Not Val, thank God. It was Ace, and shit if I wasn’t in the mood to talk to him. But I answered anyway, my voice coming out like rough gravel. “Ace, now’s not a good time—”
“Turn on channel four,” Martina said before the line went dead.
What? And why is Martina calling on Ace’s phone?
I hit redial, but when no one answered, curiosity hit. Dragging myself off the bed, I shuffled into the living room, picked the discarded bikini top off the remote, and flicked on the TV. Dirty-ass roommates, I thought, kicking their flip-flops under the coffee table.
When I stopped on channel four, the camera zoomed in on Ace as he walked up to a podium on a small stage, buttoning a sharp blue suit that showcased how large his frame really was. Unlike the last time I’d seen him, his expression was calm and resolute, and he nodded at the crowd of what looked like press before he spoke, his voice strong and clear.
“Thank you all for coming given the late notice. There have been quite a few stories going around in the press lately, and although I don’t usually address issues concerning my personal life, and don’t plan to do so again in the future, I would like to clarify something with you all today.
“It was never my intent to have this conversation, not today or any day. My private life is just that—private. But in the process of protecting my privacy, others were harmed to the detriment of their own lives. So this is me clearing the air.” He paused and looked down at the podium, as if gathering his thoughts. Then his head lifted, his expression determined, eyes blazing.
“The truth is…a story came out about me a few months ago, and while most of what you read in the press is usually false, this one happened to stumble upon the truth. I did indeed meet with a matchmaking company, and it was for two reasons. The first being I was looking for someone for myself, and it’s been difficult in my position to do so, regardless of what you’ve seen of me in magazines. The second was to find someone who would serve as a significant other to the public. Meaning someone who would act as my girlfriend for you all and anywhere there might be paparazzi lurking. Now, you may be asking why I’d need a separate public and private partner. And the reason for that is because I’ve been living a lie.”
Murmurs from the crowd rose, and Ace lifted his hand to silence them.
“I’m well aware of what my coming out to you all today might mean.” The murmurs grew to a roar, and Ace had to put up his hand again. “Yes, you heard that right. Telling you I’m a gay man might mean I lose the career I’ve worked so hard for. But as much as I hope that’s not the case, I can no longer live with myself if I can’t be open about who I am. There are many out there who struggle in the same way I do. With what their friends might think, with what their family tells them is wrong in God’s eyes or in theirs.
“But I’m here to tell you there’s nothing wrong with us. I’m not any less of a human being, of an actor, of a brother, son, lover, or friend, and neither are you. If who I choose to love weighs on your decision to see my films, if it somehow diminishes me in your eyes, then that’s your decision, and there’s not one thing I can do about it. I hope that’s not the case, though. That I even have to make an announcement in this day and age is unfortunate, but the reality is, I’ve lied for too long, and I’ve involved others now. There’s one person in particular who has gone above and beyond for me, and it cost her the person she loves. That’s my fault. And right now, I’d like to personally offer them both an apology.” Ace looked directly into the camera, his eyes penetrating straight through as if he were across from me and there was no one else in the room. “Shayne, I’m so sorry, and I’ll do anything I can to make things right for you both. You came to my aid when I was at my lowest point, and because you’re a selfless, generous human being and I was desperate, I let you. But that stops now. I owe you so much, so if and when you decide to start your own company, I’d like to not only invest, but I’d be honored to be your first client.”
As the crowd went wild with questions, my jaw dropped, and the remote fell out of my hand and clattered to the ground. What did he say? My own…? Has he lost his mind?
My cell phone began to ring from where I’d set it on the coffee table below me, but I couldn’t tear my eyes off Ace long enough to answer it. Had he really just come out on live television in front of the world? And not only that, but he wanted to—I could barely fathom the words—fund my own company?
I had to still be in a delirious state, because none of this made sense. After all the time spent covering for him, why had he come clean and opened himself up now?
That little voice in the back of my head told me exactly why. Because of you. Because of Nate.
Well, it was too late to save my relationship with Nate. With the way things had exploded, there was no coming back from that. But for Ace…this was a good step, a great step, and a flicker of pride alleviated the oppressing darkness in my chest.
My phone was still ringing on a continuous loop, someone calling and hanging up, calling and hanging up. One look at the screen when I glanced down had me grinding my teeth.
Val.
Two choices. I could either turn off my phone and probably lose my job, or…I could answer. Oh for the love of…
“Hello, Val—”
“What the fuck is this bullshit with Ace on my screen right now?”
Just jump right into it, why don’t you. “I-I don’t know—”
“Did you honestly think you could fucking double-cross me and get away with it? Your own company? Have you lost your pea-sized brain?”
“Whoa, hang on a sec. I don’t even know what he’s talking about right now. I swear, this is the first I’ve heard about any of this.”
“Sure it is. Tell you what,” she said. “You come to the office and talk me out of packing up your shit right now, and maybe I’ll hear you out.”
“Don’t do that. I’m on my way. This is just a misunderstanding, and—”
“It better fucking be, hooke
r. It better fucking be.”
Then she hung up, and I stood there, dazed, with my phone in my hand. Wait—why was she at the office on a Sunday? Hell. Looked like I’d have to put real clothes on after all.
When I looked back up at the TV, Martina was standing next to Ace and pointing to a reporter in the crowd, who asked, “Mr. Locke, is there someone special in your life right now?”
Ace gave him a side grin. “Not at the present time, no. But when there is, I still won’t tell you.”
A chuckle from the crowd, and then, “Mr. Locke, are you saying you’d like to be a client at this matchmaking firm?”
“Only if that firm is run by Miss Callahan. Listen, we all want to find love. Why not let someone with a talent for pairing up couples work their magic?” As he winked, his usual charm came back out to play, and his shoulders relaxed.
As he continued to answer questions, I threw on some clothes and was out the door. I didn’t put it past Val to already be dumping the contents of my office into a garbage bag, so the sooner I got there, the sooner I could get a handle on the situation.
But why?
Those two words sprang into my head out of nowhere. But why would I want to stop her? Obviously the reason was because I needed my job and loved it. And I needed my job so I could pay rent at a place I hated. And just as I merged onto the 101 heading downtown, the lighting bolt hit.
I didn’t have to live there anymore. Paige had made it abundantly clear more times than I could count that her place was my place, and as much as I hated the thought of taking advantage, she had offered. And if I was honest, the thought of getting away from the twins and my perv-monster landlord was so appealing I couldn’t even fathom coming back to the shithole.
So…if I wasn’t struggling for rent, there was no reason to stay at a place with a boss I didn’t respect, who didn’t respect me back, and who had morphed into this demented creature of evil who thought it was okay to treat people like flea-infested, rabid dogs. There was no reason I should have to put up with that any longer. None at all. Anything, and I do mean anything, was better than having to deal one more day with her.
And it was then that I knew.
I was done.
I was so completely over Val, over the years of being at her beck and call, and over having any association with her or her company, that my plan of heading down to HLS to stop her from packing my shit changed to heading down there to help her pack it.
Even if Ace wasn’t serious about investing, I’d figure something out, and I’d find a way to do things on my own terms, without compromising what was left of my integrity to do it. I may have royally fucked things up with Nate and the whole situation with Ace, but I wasn’t about to let that happen again.
The first smile in days spread across my face, like a new dawn breaking, and I pushed down on the accelerator.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Fuck You Very Much
AS I WALKED into HLS, the office was silent, the lights dimmed. Strolling past my desk, I felt not one iota of nervousness at what I was about to face. No, I was ready to kick the superbitch down a rung or five.
“Stop dawdling and get in here. I can hear you breathing,” echoed Val’s voice from down the hall.
Pushing open her door, the first thing I noticed was that she was lounged back in her chair with her leopard heels kicked up and crossed on her desk. A scowl was on her burgundy-painted lips, and she didn’t move as I entered. Instead, her eyes watched me with the focus and intensity of a hawk getting ready to strike its prey.
“About time you got here. What, did you get lost? Forget the way back to the place that made you famous?” She sniffed, raising her chin. “Infamous, more like.”
“I could never forget you, Val,” I said, smiling sweetly before I dropped the bomb on her. Oh, this was going to be fun. But then my eyes went back to the second thing I’d noticed when I’d entered, not that I could help but look, because perched on the edge of her desk was the most enormous hamper I’d ever seen. My thoughts immediately went back to the conversation I’d had with the girls a few days ago, but surely it wasn’t…they hadn’t…
“Wow, that’s an impressive hamper. Who sent it? And is that…chocolate-dipped fruit?” I asked, stepping closer to get a better look, but Val sat up and seized the note attached to the top before I could get a peek.
“None of your business. And it’s called a gift basket, not a fucking laundry hamper.” Then she opened the note and a savage smile crossed her lips. “‘To the woman who deserves the most exquisite delicacies life has to offer…you are truly one of a kind.’”
Oh my God. Oh my God, Paige…
As Val ripped through the cellophane, I had to bite down hard on my lip to keep a straight face. Then she plucked off one of the chocolate-covered strawberries and made a big show of eating the damn thing, as if to rub it in my face.
I couldn’t hold back the laugh anymore, and I covered my mouth and coughed like I was having a fit instead of laughing over the fact that she was eating a laxative dessert basket. God bless my friends and their timing.
“What?” Val asked. “You want one of these, do you? I’d share, but I noticed you sporting puddy pockets lately. You could probably use these instead.” She pushed a half-empty container of orange Tic Tacs across the desk toward me.
“I’m sorry, the what pockets?”
“Puddy pockets. The saggy bits under your ass. You might want to do something about those. Like squats. Or munch on some lettuce.” She finished off the strawberry and reached for one of the bananas on a stick.
It was unbelievable to me, in that moment, that the woman across from me was ever someone I knew. When I’d first met Val, she’d been a fireball, but there was vulnerability behind that hardened exterior, and she’d let that wall down a few times for me to glimpse over at her faded, unkempt lawn, the one she metaphorically spray-painted green to hide her sad, empty life.
But you can’t spray-paint shit and call it grass. Over the years, she’d turned into some kind of robot, like the Botox had frozen not only her face, but also her heart and the blood in her veins. The change had been so gradual that I hadn’t even noticed the extent of how bad it’d gotten. Like the story of the frogs in a lukewarm pot on the stove who didn’t jump out and save themselves because the heat was turned up so gradually that by the time they noticed, it was too late.
Or something like that.
“No,” I said, crossing my arms.
“No what?”
“No, I won’t be munching on lettuce or doing squats, because I don’t have anything on my body anywhere that sags. But when I do, I sure as hell won’t be injecting myself full of toxins just to keep my old ass clinging to twenty-five like I’m trying too hard.”
Hot damn. That’d felt good. I kind of wanted to pat myself on the back.
Val slowly rose to her feet, her frame towering in those five-inch heels, but I didn’t shrink back. “What the fuck did you just say to me?”
“You heard me,” I said, staring her right in the eye. “I’m not your errand girl, your assistant, your bitch, and as of today, I’m no longer even your employee. So you can find someone else to do your dirty work.”
She blinked at me for a long moment before a sneer crossed her lips. “Please. You wouldn’t know what to do without me. And even if you were serious, you couldn’t go anywhere without a referral, and after that little speech, you can kiss it goodbye.”
“You’ve never said one good thing about me and my work, so why would I expect you to start now?”
Val sighed and came around her desk to rest on the edge. “Is this about the Ace thing?”
“The Ace thing?”
“You’re mad because I tipped off the press about the gay thing,” she said, waving her hand.
“You what? But you said—”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Shayne, grow up. Business is business, and that story has had this place going fucking nuts with referrals for weeks now.”
“Which would’ve happened anyway if we had taken Ace on as a client and you hadn’t gone running your mouth. How could you do that? Why would you do that?”
Val ignored the question as she examined her nails one by one. What a vain, conniving little—
Wait. That was it. I’d been with her at too many meetings and seen her in action throwing herself at too many men to have missed it, but it was obvious now.
“He turned you down, didn’t he?”
Her head snapped up. “I beg your pardon?”
“Oh my God,” I said, pointing a finger at her. “At that first dinner meeting…he didn’t take you up on your advances, and that pissed you right off. You didn’t tattle on him to the press merely to get business. You did it because your fucking pride took a hit. Holy shit.”
“That’s so far from the truth—”
A hysterical laugh bubbled up in my throat. “No, it’s not. I’m right. I’m so right, and I can’t believe I didn’t put it all together before. This whole time I thought it was Nicole, but it turns out she’s just a bitch, not the narcissistic, deranged nutcase that you are.”
“You’re gonna pay for that, you little twat,” Val said as she pushed off the desk and took a menacing step toward me. I pulled the mace I usually carried in my purse out of my pocket and held it up, and she halted.
Hey, she had a bat in the office. I had to come prepared for unhinged.
“You take one more step and I’m spraying this bad boy right up your nose.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I would dare, and I’d love for you to try me.” My hand didn’t shake, and my grip stayed firm on the can. Is it bad I really did want her to move so I could use it?
With a sigh, Val tilted her head to the side. “So what is it, Shayne, huh? Would you rather I swaddle and rock you when you have a bad day? You know, when I found you, I was under the impression you could be self-sufficient, that you were the kind of gal who’d go after what you wanted and take no prisoners. Imagine my disappointment when I realized that all I got was a do-gooder like yourself, one who needs to be coddled. And unfortunately for you, I lost my patience for that sort of thing a long time ago.”
Hooker (L.A. Liaisons Book 2) Page 19
