Page 86 of Priceless

“Have fun with your flowers.” She slipped away before I could scold her. But honestly, it was nice to have someone who had my back. And I hated packing and unpacking. I needed to thank my husbands when they got home for getting her to come with me.

My phone still buzzed when I sat back down. I would need to change the settings on all my notifications if it was going to be like this. I hadn’t thought that it would get this much attention. Sure, the guys were famous because of their wealth, but they weren’t the kind of people who were followed. Not often, at least, according to Trinity.

There was that guy at brunch, but nothing else.

The phone rang. “Hello?”

“Is this Ocean Caldwell?”

Something about the man’s voice on the other end of the line made me pause. “Who’s asking?”

“This is Gary Hampton with the Sunset City Standard. I’m looking for Ocean to ask for a comment on her recent marriage to the DuPont pack.”

Shit. I hadn’t asked them what to say or how to handle this. “No comment.”

I hung up before he could say anything else, staring at the notifications filling up my screen. I tried not to absorb them, but it was hard not to. So many of them looked negative. Angry emojis and vomiting faces. Some seemed okay. Others talked about my parents.

Before I could second guess my thinking, I called Trinity. She answered quickly. “Hello, my beautiful friend. Are you calling to tell me I can do an exclusive with you and your pack for the magazine? Those photos are fucking stunning, by the way.”

“I was actually hoping you might give me some tips on how to dodge calls from reporters. Just got one from Sunset City Standard, and if they’re calling, there will be more. My phone is overflowing with notifications, and it’s overwhelming.”

“Yeah.” I practically heard her wince. “If it makes you feel better, I genuinely didn’t think the news would hit this hard. But with how beautiful the photos are, and you four being fucking adorable, it’s taking off like a rocket.”

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair. “Not helpful, Rin.”

“Right. Well, your Alphas probably have someone in place for everything related to Public Relations already. You just have to talk to them, and they’ll help. Probably get a different number that’s private so you only take calls from the people you give it to. And for the love of god, don’t go on social media for a few days.”

“Too late. I don’t even know where to start with that.”

In the background, I heard papers shuffling on her desk. “Whatever they’re saying, O, it’s bullshit.”

“I know.” And I did know. But like everything else, it would creep in at the edges. “And I guess I’ll talk to the guys about a thing for the magazine.”

“I wasn’t serious about that. You’re going to get enough attention right now. If you ever want to do one? You know I’m game. I’ll make it all about you and your flower business and we’ll show the entire world what a badass you are. But until then, just try to hunker down and enjoy your pack.”

“Husbands,” I mumbled. “They’re not my Pack. You know this has a clock on it.”

“We’ll see. And it’s only been a couple of days. Way too early to be worrying about a clock.”

“Probably right.”

“I’m so sorry I have to go,” she said. “Text our group chat about lunch?”

I nodded. “Will do.”

There was already a voicemail, but I didn’t listen to it. I navigated back to their posts. Cam’s comment section was a mess.

Of course he’s feeding her cake. Makes sense. Probably ate the whole thing herself.

My stomach twisted. It was a strange kind of duality, knowing the comments meant nothing, and yet feeling the weight of them. These people didn’t know me, or Micah, Rett, and Cam. But they still felt like they could judge me in the same way that Laura had. In the same way most people did. And it was…

It was exhausting.

That’s what it was. I knew they didn’t matter, and it was easy to say that. But I was so tired knowing that even with friends who loved me, husbands who would protect me, and even employees who had my back, to the world I was still only one thing: fat.

For most everyone, that’s all I would ever be.

A fat girl who landed men she didn’t deserve. A fat woman whose size was her fault from eating everything in sight. Someone on their way to death with diabetes, because no one could be fat and healthy at the same time. A person who needed to be grateful for any and all attention because it was all she’d ever get.

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