Page 8 of Without Judgment

Tara spoke first. “Come on, honey, you’re among friends.”

I paused in my perusal of the menu and set it down, meeting her green eyes. “Exactly. Which is why I’m telling you it’s not me in the video. I don’t know if it’s revenge for me not taking him back or a setup to ruin my dad’s campaign.”

Perhaps it was the latter. The timing couldn’t be coincidence. Maybe this whole thing was about my father’s run for mayor.

Now it was Alicia’s turn to chime in. She flipped her perfectly curled hair over her shoulder and pursed her lips. “I’m sure your dad’s campaign will be fine. Everyone thinks Edward is the asshole for leaking the video. Plus, you looked damn good. I mean, all the guys think you’re some sort of sex star now. I’d own it for sure.”

I stared at my two friends incredulously. “You’d go with a lie about having done a sex video with your cheating ex rather than tell the truth?”

Both of them leaned in conspiratorially. Tara said, “Come on, Avery. You have to admit this is the best thing that could happen to your dating credentials. Now, instead of being the jilted ex whose best friend slept with her fiancé, you’re a celebrity who everyone is talking about.”

“Look what it did for Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. Sex scandals are the new way to gain notoriety,” Alicia offered. She sipped on her tea as if discussing her new shoes instead of my reputation.

My friends seemed envious.

I was at a loss. I’d come here to gain support and have my friends rally around me. Instead, I felt lonelier than ever.

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