Page 77 of Pretty Heartache

I open my mouth to object, when Ember sidles up beside me.

“Yeah, Addy,” she teases, digging her elbow into my shoulder. “Are you in the campaign, too?”

“I wasn’t planning on it.” I wince, nervously looking up at Ember. When she doesn’t let up on her grin, I narrow my eyes, kicking myself for not being more prepared to resist her persistence.

“Not to put any pressure on you,” Merit says, “but it would be amazing if I could say I did a photoshoot withtheAdeline Mayfield.”

Her admiration warms my heart, but I don’t feel like I deserve it. As with any creative field, I’ve battled with imposter syndrome. I’m no stranger to adoration of fans. I watched my mother get it all through my childhood. But me… I don’t feel like I deserve it.

I give Merit a smile through the reflection in her mirror.

“Maybe next time,” Ember answers for me.

I sigh with relief, thankful Ember didn’t press me in front of Merit.

Ember stays standing beside me while her assistant finishes up Merit’s base makeup, taking over to do her eyes and lips. I sit and watch, occasionally pulling out my phone to check for text messages from Micah.

I have one sitting on my screen, unread. I click on it and immediately blush.

Sitting here in my old office, imagining you bent over my desk, wearing nothing but my blue tie resting between those supple breasts. I can’t decide which part of you I’d want to fuck first. Your tits or that delicious pussy of yours.

“Holy shit, I’m going to need to splash some cold ass fucking holy water on my face after reading that text.”

I snap my head up and see Ember standing over me.

Merit isn’t in her seat any longer. She’s moved over to the hair station on the other side of the studio. It’s just Ember and me now.

Still, fiery hot heat engulfs the length of my body. Ember’s eyes are bugging out of her head and her jaw has dropped lower than I’ve ever seen on her before.

I shut the screen to my phone and drop it into my lap. “What are you doing?” I ask.

“I didn’t mean to spy,” she says, unable to wipe the grin off her face. “But I had to know what text it was that got you smiling like that.” She waves her brush in the air like a wand. “I can’t remember the last time I saw you this happy.”

I rest my elbow on the arm and cover my face with my hand, too embarrassed to look at my best friend. I hear her take a seat next to me—the one Merit was sitting in. The wood creaks under her weight. She taps my knee, and I slowly remove my hand from my face.

“Was that Micah?” she asks, clearly stunned.

I tuck my bottom lip under my teeth and scrunch my nose. “Yes.”

“Oh, my God.” She puffs out her chest and rocks back in her seat as if the wind has been knocked out of her. It reminds me of our summers spent at the pool, when she’d come running over to me, giggling with excitement and gushing that Teddy, her secret crush, had glanced in her direction.

“I can’t believe this,” she whispers as she sucks in a breath, then leans forward. “Are you sleeping with Micah?”

I snap my mouth shut and simply give her a look.

She gasps, and I fight the urge to laugh. She’s right, though. I am happy.

“When?” she blurts out. “How?”

I shrug, thinking back to when Micah gave in the night of Ember’s birthday, but knowing it didn’t start then. It’s been a slow build, and if I think about it, I don’t know exactly when it began. My feelings for Micah have always been locked inside a vault, but at some point, Micah cracked the safe.

“I don’t know.” I blow out a heavy breath. “It just kind of happened.”

“Just kind of happened?” Ember presses both her hands to her cheeks before she holds her hand out, pointing to my phone. “Sleeping with Micah Harding doesn’tjust happen.”

“It’s a long story.” I look around at the dozens of people buzzing in Ember’s studio. I don’t mind having this conversation with my best friend. In fact, now that I’m with her, I think I could use some girl talk. But not here. Part of me wants to keep what’s going on between Micah and me between us.

“We don’t have to talk about it right now.” Ember senses my hesitancy. “But we definitely should meet for drinks. I have a feeling I’m going to need one. Especially if he’s been sending you texts like that.” Her eyes widen. “I can only imagine how he is in bed.”

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