Page 46 of Double Booked

I had a bad feeling about where this was going but that wasn’t bad just yet. “What else does it say?”

Jessica winced and my stomach dropped further. “The person writes how outside influences are promoting immoral relationships that are corrupting the town and its businesses and business owners.” She hesitated.

“And? Just tell me, Jessica.” I said sharply, a sour taste in my mouth. I pulled out my phone, typing in the Oakville Times into the search bar.

“There’s a picture of you leaving the guys’ office.”

The article loads on my phone and I see what picture she’s talking about. It must have been taken the other day after I left the office after my ‘reward’.”

Fuck.

Fuck was right. It was clear from the picture that I had been just fucked. My hair was a mess and I didn’t realize how disheveled I actually looked. Apparently Oakville isn’t as progressive as they thought. What did this mean for Colton, Justin and I’s relationship? Would this jeopardize my ability to build a life here with them?

There were comments on the article but before I scrolled down to read them, my phone rang. Colton. My thumb hesitated for a moment then swiped to answer it.

“Hey,” he said when I answered. “How’s your day with Jessica going? Are you almost done in Somerset? We were thinking of taking the afternoon office.” He forced his tone to be upbeat but I could hear the strain in it. I bet he had seen the article and was calling to try and keep me from panicking but it was too late.

“I saw the article.” I said blandly.

Colton cursed. “I was hoping you hadn’t and we could tell you before you saw it. I’m so sorry, baby girl.”

“It’s fine,” I replied automatically although nothing about this felt fine. It was too much and my mind raced as all of the worst case scenarios flashed through it. Fuck, what about my author career too? I wasn’t a romance author so steamy relationships weren’t the best press for me especially not when I was trying to be taken seriously as a business owner. Fuck, what if my parents found out? My brain spun and I could feel my breaths getting shallow.

“It’s not,” Justin’s voice came through the phone and he must have taken it from Colton. “It’s not but we’re going to figure this out.” What was there to figure out? The article wasn’t unnecessarily false. I was the outsider in their eyes and I was corrupting their sons. I couldn’t stay. There was no way. I knew I was panicking but I couldn’t see another way out.

“Come home, sweetheart,” Justin soothed. “Come home and we’re going to figure this out together.”

Jessica had stepped a few feet away and was on the phone ranting that she was going to “kill the little bitch. Her and her fucking cousin.”

“Who runs the gossip column?” I asked.

Justin swore. “Fuck, Vicky’s cousin. God-fucking-damnit I didn’t realize.” I could hear Colton’s raised voice in the background and I shut my eyes as the ground swayed. I knew she didn’t like me but to do this? What had I ever done to her?

There was a soft touch at my elbow and I opened my eyes. Jessica looked at me with concern. “Is that them?”

I nodded and she took the phone from me. “It’s Jessica. Yeah, we’re headed home now. I’ll drop her off at yours.” She hung up the phone and handed it back to me. “Come on,” she looped her elbow through mine. “I’ve got a couple of bitches to throat punch.”

I let out a watery laugh and let her guide me to her car down the street. “Justin said Vicky’s cousin ran the gossip column.”

Jessica nodded, her green eyes flashing angrily. “Yeah, Veronica’s always been a little bitch and has had a massive crush on Justin in high school but I bet Vicky put her up to it. But don’t worry about it. The only reason we even have a gossip column is Veronica’s dad owns the paper. No one actually reads or believes it.”

I thought of all the comments on the article I hadn’t been able to read yet. I wasn’t sure that was actually true.

Jessica drove me straight to Colton’s house and both men were waiting on the porch as we pulled in. She offered to drive me to my car but I declined. I didn’t want to see anyone in town until I talked to Colton and Justin. I couldn’t handle it if someone were to say something or look at me with judgment in their eyes.

Colton straightened from where he was leaning up against the railing and Justin rose to his feet when Jessica pulled into the driveway.

I got out of the passenger seat and then Colton was there pulling me into his arms. “I’m so sorry, baby girl. I already called Todd over at the Times and gave him an earful.”

“It’s fine,” I said automatically again and Justin’s eyes flashed at me from over Colton’s shoulder.

“It’s not fine and we’re going to take care of it.”

Maybe it was their words or the feeling of being in their arms but I could feel my body relaxing and my mind cleared. When I pulled away, Jessica stood next to her open car door. She handed my bag to Justin. “You two take care of her. I have some bitches to put in their place.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I argued.

“Oh no, yes I do. No one fucks with my best friend and gets away with it. Those girls forget that I went to high school with them. I have plenty of embarrassing pictures if they want to talk about morals.”

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