Jane started to answer, but Merry interrupted her again, saying with a sigh, “It’s been tiring, hasn’t it?”

By this time, Jane knew there was no point to even thinking she could get a word in edgewise. She simply waited for the other woman to speak again, and Merry didn’t prove her wrong.

“Why don’t we bury the hatchet between us?”

And what, Jane wondered even as she allowed herself a cautious nod. There had to be more. There always was with women like Merry.

“Great. Let’s make it official, too. How do you feel about swinging by my party?”

And what, Jane wondered again.

“I could maybe find you a nice guy?”

And there it was.

The look and sound of pity—-

Which even Jane knew was somewhat deserved because she was one of those rare pathetic breeds who, at her grand old age of twenty-seven, had yet to have a boyfriend, much less a lover.

That was the problem with Facebook, Jane thought. Everything about the past could no longer be hidden.

And that was when she had the craziest idea.

Facebook exposed the past, Jane thought almost feverishly, but the present could still be manipulated.

If she could find the guts to hit on a beautiful stranger and make out with him, then surely she could do this, too?

Be yourself. It was the whisper of the devils again, aka Jaike and her billionaire husband.

Jane met Merry’s gaze. “Thank you, but I have a date for the weekend.” And as she spoke, she casually gathered her hair to place it over one shoulder, revealing at the same time the huge-as-ass hickey that the British stranger had gifted her with.

Thank you, baby, she thought again.

Merry’s green eyes hardened.

“I’ll ask him, though. It’s just that he’s always busy with his job...” Jane let her voice trail off, the words a subtle dig at Merry’s aspiring actor boyfriend. The guy was pretty, but he also had no job to speak of, and his only acting credit had been a supporting role in a franchise film...five years ago.

Merry’s lips curved into a sneer masquerading as a smile. “Just let me know.”

As the other woman walked away, Jane thought, Boom.

But when she turned around, Jane realized that her legs were shaking badly.

Oh my God, she had Spoken Up again.

She had faced her fears.

And she had survived.

Boom, Jane thought again, and this time a smile started to wobble on her lips.

By the time she had gathered her things and she made her way to the elevator, ‘booming’ in her mind, she was happily humming Nicki Minaj’s Super Bass.

Granted, she had to make up a little lie in order to score a victory but—-

It wasn’t like she’d see her ‘baby’ again.

But Jane was wrong.