Page 19 of Butterfly Effect

Wade’s eyebrows bounce as he clears his throat. I threaten him with a side-eyed glare.

The staff murmurs.

“It’s not what you think,” I explain. “Okay, I…wasn’t sober. I’ll admit it. But Vaughn was being inappropriate and?—”

“We’re lucky I stepped in and got her outta there before she tried to beat the living hell?—”

“What! I wasn’t gonna?—”

Wade gazes ahead, as blank and unfeeling as I’ve ever seen him, and lets out a barely audible mutter. “He would’ve deserved it.”

Before I get a chance to question why any of this matters to him, Mel holds up a hand for us to stop.

“You realize what this looks like, though, right?” She moves her hair so it drapes over one shoulder.

“We didn’t sleep together!”

A rebellious smirk stretches the corner of Wade’s lips. “Not last night, anyway.”

Jules groans.

I kick Wade’s shin.

“Are you an actual idiot, or do you really not know when to shut up?” I say through my teeth.

“No, no. This is good, guys.” Jules nods and motions for us to calm down with his hands. “The more we know, the better we can manage…this.”

Mel and Jordan agree. So does Elliott what’s-his-face.

“Boehner, this couldn’t have come at a better time. The press catches you with a different girl every night.”

Excellent. Now, I’m one of the many.

My stomach lurches. Wade slides over a mini water bottle. I scowl but accept.

“So?” He shrugs.

“So?” Jules parrots in a mocking whine. “Hockey is a family sport, buddy. I get you’re young, the team’s young, but there’s a reason Radek and Jaeger are the most popular in the franchise.” He taps the gold band on his left ring finger.

“Being popular isn’t everything,” Wade retorts.

“Fine. But it took us two years to recover sales after Radek’s scandal—” Elliott adds on, his voice warbling and trailing off as the ringing in my ears flares.

Boehner looks bored. For once, he’s right. Elliott is a bore.

“Can’t we deny it? Tell the truth and move on?”

“You could, but they’d turn it against you,” Mel argues.

“Exactly, Langley. Might as well lean into it.” Jules posts both hands onto the tabletop on Wade’s side. “Being with Ms. Finch will be good for your image. Your redemption story. The beautiful, successful journalist who’s caught the playboy’s attention. Fans are already eating up the possibility of your relationship. When we confirm it?—”

I choke on a sip, causing the water to dribble from my mouth and down my chin. “Excuse me?”

Jordan snaps. “Yes! That’s perfect.”

“It’s not perfect!” My tone rises an octave. “How is thatperfect?” I switch glances between her, Mel, and Jules. “You can’t be serious!”

“Wait.” Wade’s brow wrinkles as he rubs a hand across his chin. “What are you saying?”

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