Page 81 of Forever Wild

Kelsey scoffs. “Of course it’s not true, Bryn. Anyone who knows you knows that.”

I sit down, picking at plastic still encircling the top of my pity ice cream. “Jameson hasn’t talked to me since his practice round ended. Do you think he saw this and...”

And what? Just decided to completely ghost his girlfriend? Jameson wouldn’t do that. He loves me. He would let me explain. He wouldn’t just blindly believe the lies spewed by a toxic article that was about as click-baity as any I’d ever seen.

But for all the growth that Jameson has made in the last few months, he is also still healing from the wounds Alexis left behind. Still fears, more than anything, people using him for his money and connections—exactly what the article implies I am doing.

“No. Of course not, honey. He wouldn’t believe those lies about you.” Mom runs her hand through my hair, but I pull away, unable to believe this is happening.

Their kindness in the wake of my humiliation is making my skin crawl, the weight of their sympathetic stares crushing my lungs until there is no room for breath. I know they mean well, but I need them to leave.

“Right. Yeah. I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding.” I get up, herding the busybodies toward the door. “I appreciate you both coming by, but I’m sure it will all turn out the way it’s supposed to.” Catching my mom’s look of uncertainty, I give her a hug and say, “Truly, Mom, I’m fine. It was obviously a shock, but I’m fine now. And Kelsey is here, should I decide I need moral support.”

We both look back at Kelsey, who is puttering around the kitchen, making dinner for herself, and Mom raises her eyebrow as if to ask “You think she’s going to offer you moral support?” But I just roll my eyes and close the door, wishing I were in bed.

I head back into the kitchen and grab my phone off the kitchen counter where I left it sitting next to my unfinished burrito bowl and melting ice cream. I consider finishing them both, but the burrito half I ate is already like a stone sitting in my stomach, growing heavier with each thought running through my head. I don’t know how my meeting with Conrad was leaked, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that Jameson is going to see me using him to access money and men to get ahead—just like Alexis.

***

I sigh, tucking my hands into the oversized sweatshirt I threw on after barely making it through the end of my workday today. I quickly shut down any talk about the article itself, though a few colleagues tried to offer their words of support or anger at such blatant lies. I’m sure a few of them think it is true—the ones who know how badly I want this promotion, the ones who heard me taking credit for bringing Jameson on to the commercial campaign.

Kyle made sure to comment on the article, sweetly noting that he hoped it wouldn’t impact my presentation next week. As if I didn’t have enough to worry about.

I sent Jameson another text, asking for the chance to explain. Then, hours later, when I knew he had to be back at his hotel for the night, I sent him another. I called. FaceTimed. But everything went straight to voicemail.

Izzy and Becca barge in, bringing with them the faint, almost metallic smell that always accompanies cold days, bearing a pizza from Wild Crusts, the one pizza place in town.

Plopping down next to me and shoving her legs under my blanket, Izzy leans her head on my shoulder, a position we’ve sat in so many times throughout our lives, before saying, “Who would’ve thought that you would ever be interesting enough to get a gossip article written about you?!”

Becca glares at my sister over the slice of pizza she just stuck in her mouth as I huff out a laugh. “Have you heard from Jameson yet?” she asks cautiously.

“No. Not a text, not a call, not even a ‘fuck off’ to let me know where I stand.” I burrow deeper into the couch, wishing I could avoid this day. This hurt.

“What a dick,” my sister grumbles, reaching forward to grab a slice of pizza for herself.

“Iz...” Becca shoots my sister a warning look, almost like she’d already told her to be on her best behavior. My sister is kind—and sarcastic, yes—but she feels deeply. And when someone hurts someone she loves, she can be brutal, holding grudges far past the point when others have let go.

Shrugging, Izzy says, “How could he not respond? It’s his fault—his fame—that made that article even exist. No one would write an article about Bryn if she weren’t dating Jameson. If I were him, I would be here, begging for Bryn’s forgiveness.”

“He’s in the middle of a golf tournament, Izzy. The Waste Management Phoenix Open is this week. He can’t just drop out so he can fly here. This is his career,” I say.

“He can pick up a fucking phone and call someone.” Her dark eyes flash with rage. “Or he could extend you the same courtesy that you do any human and answer his phone when it rings. Respond to one text.”

I glance between the two of them. “I take it Kelsey has been keeping you up to date on the situation?”

“Mom called after she left this afternoon, and, yeah, Kelsey has been begrudgingly answering our texts about you today.”

As if summoned, Kelsey strolls into the room before curling up on the couch next to Becca. “It’s been very annoying. Almost as annoying as having a random pizza party at my house at ten on a Wednesday night.”

Becca rolls her eyes at the end of Kelsey’s tirade before bringing the conversation back to Jameson again. “All I’m saying is that there could be an explanation for why he hasn’t responded. Maybe his phone is dead.”

“And the entire Phoenix area is out of chargers?” Kelsey asks before leaning forward to grab her own slice of pizza.

“Okay, maybe someone stole his phone.”

Izzy raises an eyebrow. “At the exact same time an article comes out about his girlfriend?”

“Coincidences do happen!”

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