Page 73 of Tell Me Lies: Manlove Edition

He hustled up the steps to his office and checked his bag to ensure he had his tablet with him.

“If it isn’t Will Rohr in the flesh.” Carsten leaned against the doorframe to Will’s office. “It’s been ages, hasn’t it?”

He bristled and stopped in the middle of the corridor. He had to be dreaming. Or was it a nightmare? Carsten was in his life and standing before him.

“Don’t you talk? You’ve always been so loud and funny.” Carsten remained against the doorway. “Cat got your tongue?”

“No,” he managed. He summoned his courage and stiffened his spine. “You’re here.”

“I am.”

He strode up to his office door and unlocked it with his key card. “How can I help you?”

“I hear you’re the artist behind my poster for the concert here on campus.” Carsten followed him into the office. “It’s sold out.”

“I know.” He hadn’t tried to get tickets, but he’d been encouraged to do so. Why see someone he detested?

“Are you coming to the concert?” Carsten closed the door behind him. “Do you get special tickets because you did the art?”

“I’m not going.” He positioned himself behind his desk. “I’m not into country music.” Never had been. Maybe because Carsten was a star in the genre…

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Carsten frowned and the crinkles around his eyes added to his attractiveness.

Shame, really. Carsten was even better looking in person than he was in his photos. Will understood why the fans rushed to him and why he was so popular. His music wasn’t half bad, either.His attitude destroyed the illusion, though.

“I came by to congratulate you on the art. It’s better than I thought it might be,” Carsten said. “I worried it wasn’t going to turn out well.”

“Because I hate you?” He might as well be blunt. “Because you treated me like shit and I never forgot?”

Carsten’s eyes widened, but he regained his composure within seconds. “You haven’t forgotten that, have you?”

He had to be kidding? “Forgotten it? You made my life hell in high school.”

“I was hard on you, yes.”

“Hard?” he blurted. The gall of this man. “You told me I was slime and needed to die.”

“I…” Carsten shut his mouth.

“Yeah. Forgot that, didn’t you? Or how you told everyone I was fucking half the football players because we lost that playoff game. I had nothing to do with the football team and only paid attention to them because I was in the marching band. You pantsed me and punched me.” He’d kept this venom under control for so many years, but seeing Carsten made the hurt rush right now. “You made my life miserable.”

“It’s always about you.” Carsten shook his head. “You think you were so poorly treated. You brought it on yourself.”

“What?” He needed Carsten to leave right now. He rounded his desk and stepped into Carsten’s personal space. “Get. Out.”

“Why?”

“This is my office and I have appointments this afternoon.” He regained his composure. If he let Carsten bother him again, he’d never forgive himself. He was a professional. “Excuse me. I have work to do.”

“You do.” Carsten didn’t back away. He met Will’s gaze. “You’re supposed to be meeting with me.”

“Pardon?” He knew his schedule and Carsten wasn’t on it.

“You’re to be meeting with me until one.” Carsten hooked his fingers in his front pockets. “To discuss the art and see an old friend.”

“Old friend?” Jesus. “You’ve got the wrong person. I did the art for you because it was a job. I have no desire to be friends with you.”

“I really hurt you that badly?”

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