Page 37 of Botched

“On the same day, Veronica was backstage with him because she’d wanted to come to Vegas. She threw a whole ass fit when hecame back from his promo. Like demeaning him, screaming at him. He’d touched one of the showgirls on the hip, which seems pretty fucking tame for Theo, right?

“I’m not under some belief the guy is a saint, but you don’t need to bring your shit to work. She doesn’t need to tell him what a piece of shit he is, what a shitty lay he is, etcetera, just because of something he did forwork. And you know, not in front of his co-workers either. Theo actually apologized to her and gave her his card to go shopping. Although that was after I told her what a bitch she was being.”

Sawing off a piece of my syrup-covered waffle, I chew on that as I let what she said soak in. Does anything Veronica did justify cheating? No. No one deserves to be betrayed. That’s what the moral side of me says. But if I was in the same position as Theo, feeling stuck and demeaned, would I still be so morally high? I don’t know. It’s a slippery slope.

“He gave me his card to go shopping.” I slowly set my cup down as the realization dawns on me. “When we went shopping in Savannah on Theo’s dime.”

“That was probably Theo trying to win you over, make him like you more. Money rules everything in his eyes.”

I groan. This man is so goddamn complicated. He’s a dickbag, but he’s trying. He keeps trying, and I keep giving him nothing. I don’t owe Theo a damn thing, but…maybe he deserves for me to meet him halfway. Maybe I need to try more.

“I don’t like him being layered. He’s convinced he’s just an asshole.”

“Both can be true,” Hext adds. “He’s definitely an asshole, but maybe that’s not all he is. There’s more to him than his assholery. I guess. Jules is convinced of it. Personally? Undecided.”

“Have you talked to him since you blew up on him?” Jules asks.

“Nope,” I say, popping the ‘p’. “He hasn’t tried to talk to me either.”

“Well, tomorrow’s his birthday. So…maybe try to talk to him at work tomorrow?”

I planned on giving him the silent treatment unless we were in front of a camera, but now I feel like a dick if I do that. It’s his birthday. Well, shit. “I don’t wanna talk to him,” I mumble. Thinking back to the conversation that we had the night of the thunderstorm, I get an idea. “Do either of you have a kitchenette in your hotel room?”

“Hex does,” Jules volunteers. I don’t push to ask how or why she knows that. One thing at a time. Deciphering what relationship my work bestie has with her older, married mentor is not at the top of my to do list right now. It feels a lot like the less I know about it, the better.

“Can I come to your room tomorrow morning?” I ask.

Hext shrugs. “Don’t care.”

This plan is either a great idea, or it’s going to come back to bite me in the ass. So far, I’m not convinced it won’t be the latter.

Chapter Twenty-Six

THEODORE

Rise

Episode 574

New Orleans, Louisiana

Idon’t want to be here.

It’s my birthday. The company put out a stereotypical social media post to wish me a happy birthday, but my coworkers don’t give a single shit. I haven’t worked hard to make friends here.

I tried with Aurora. I was nice, and she spat in my face and threw a hissy fit because I wanted to help her. We haven’t spoken since the parking garage. I texted her—multiple times—but she left me on read. Fuck it. Fine. Whatever. This is why I don’t bother being nice; it always comes back to bite me in the ass.

I spent most of my weekend drunk, spending time in nightclubs, but I couldn’t go home with anyone. I had offers, but none of them were a spunky redhead whose laugh became the highlight of my week until I crossed a line.

Pushing open the door to the shitty locker room of this venue,I’m moderately surprised when I see Aurora already inside. She’s leaning against the white brick back wall.

“What do you want?” I sigh. Just because we’re working together doesn’t mean we have to hang out. We tried. It went to shit. She doesn’t have to spend her time around me if she’s going to glare at me and tear me a new one anytime I open my mouth.

She rolls her eyes. “Whatever happened to ‘hi, how are you?’”

I push my rolling suitcase against the wall, keeping my back to her so she can’t see my face. “Why would I waste my time asking? I don’t care how you are. I wish you were far away from me right now.”Lies.

All I want is for her to be close to me, but she wouldn’t even get in my fucking car. My reasons didn’t matter. She didn’t want to hear me out.

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