Page 115 of Fractured Frets

“Yes.” I wasn’t. Far from it. But Slip drew me over to the bar, poured himself another two fingers of vodka, and downed it. Then he refreshed his drink, and we joined the celebrations. Slip drinking vodka was nothing new, but that much, that fast, on top of the other couple of glasses he’d already had, was.

Thirty minutes later, he’d disappeared again. I wasn’t clingy, but he wasn’t himself and I was worried. I mingled with the guests inside, unable to see him. Heading outside, I spotted him by the pool with Harper, sitting on the outdoor sofa, their arms touching and with their backs toward me.

As they leaned in close to one another, they seemed to be lost in serious conversation. But then they laughed and joked and nudged each other. What cut me the most was how happy Harper looked. How calm and content Slip seemed. How comfortable they were with each other.

I gripped my flute tighter. How many times had I seen Noah talk like that with Jocelyn? They’d hung out, lying to my face and saying their relationship was nothing more than friendship...until the shit hit the fan on my wedding day...when they’d run off together...leaving me at the altar.

Then, Slip hugged Harper. A warm, deep hug. She kissed him, lingering on his cheek for way too long.

My heart splintered inside my chest. Queasiness pooled in the pit of my gut. Panic struck my veins.

Had all the gossip surrounding Slip and Harper been true? I’d been holding onto faith. I’d dared to believe him. I’d promised not to do anything rash before Slip and I got to spend more time together after the tour.

But pain split my head and heart.

I couldn’t sit here and be embarrassed by my husband, sitting and joking and flirting and hugging and being kissed by his ex, in front of family and friends.

I didn’t want to cause a scene. So I drew my shoulders back and headed over to them at a steady pace. As I turned to stand in front of them, I waggled a lazy finger between them and summoned my sweetest smile. But acid fell from my tongue. “Can you kindly tell me...what the fuck is going on?”

Chapter 32

MADDY

“Nothing is going on.” Irritation sliced through Slip’s tone as he shuffled away from Harper. His bloodshot eyes were glassier than they had been before. Fuck. What has he taken?

“Don’t lie to me.” Hurt twisted my insides. “Isn’t seeing each other every day on the tour enough? Now you’re going to sit here and carry on in front of my face?”

“Maddy, we’re not.” Harper held up her hands. “Seriously. We were talking about you.”

“It doesn’t matter who or what you’re talking about—it’s the closeness, the touching, the laughs.” I threw Harper a razor-sharp glare. “You’re still into him.” Then my heart tore in two as I turned to Slip. “And you’re happy around her.”

Slip shook his head. “We’re friends. That’s it.”

“Yeah, so were Noah and Jocelyn,” I snapped.

“Shit, Mads. No.” He shot to his feet and caught my arms. “This is nothing like that. You’re reading this all wrong.”

“Maddy?” Harper softened her tone. “I swear, there is nothing between us. We hardly see each other on tour—that’s why we were just chatting.”

I glared at her, waving my flute toward her face. “Thatwas not chatting.”

“Maddy, it’s the truth.” Harper’s calmness offered no solace. “I’m sorry for stirring you in Italy. It was kinda funny, but I didn’t mean to upset you. When I first came home it was awkward seeing the two of you together. But I got over it. Slip has never faltered in being yours.”

“Then why are you all over him?”

“What are you talking about?” She grimaced.

“There was nothing friendly about that kiss.”

“Yep. It was purely innocent.” There was no waver in her tone.

Fuck! Was I reading too much into it? Maybe I was just emotionally heightened after being cornered by my friends. I was worried about Slip. I didn’t know what to believe anymore.

“Babe, come here?” Slip drew me toward the glass fence that overlooked the hillside and Hollywood Boulevard below. Traffic snaked along the road. Hazy pollution filled the air. The setting sun scalded my heart. Slip wiped the sweat off his brow, then rubbed his cheek. “Please don’t do this. There is nothing going on between Harper and me.”

“It’s hard to believe when you’re acting like that. You don’t see me flirting and falling all over Cole, Lewis, and Flint, or any other guy when we’re talking, do you?”

“Um . . . no.” He winced. “I guess not.”

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