Page 19 of Hidden Truths

Great first day, Harlow.

“I asked if you wanted to relax before dinner. I’m ordering pizza since we’ve all had an eventful day,” he repeats, the smirk still on his face, and I swear I see a twinkle in his eyes. At that moment, I remember this man is used to being checked out by women. Women much more attractive and successful than me. That thought is sobering, and the smile that almost crossed my face is lost.

“Yeah, that sounds good. Pizza is good.” I break the eye contact when I see Cal’s smile fall.

I make my way over to my suitcase. I need to keep my hands busy because the urge I have to apologize to him for literally no reason is making me angry.

“Right. I’ll let you know when the pizza is here,” he says, and the confusion in his voice has the words ‘I’m sorry’ so close to the surface that I have to cough to tamp them down.

“Sounds good,” I say instead.

The moment I hear the door click shut, I throw myself backwards onto the bed. Of course, it feels like a damn cloud. I let out a sigh and stare at the flowers adorning the ceiling. Cal has always had a personality that attracts people like flies to a flame. The type of personality I used to think was an act.

Or maybe it was safer for me to think it was an act than to acknowledge that he’s genuine. I’ve only spent one day with him and between the way he is with his daughter and how much he clearly cares for his friends . . . Well, it’s obvious that there’s more to Callahan Griffin than I assumed.

Maybe that’s why I keep having the urge to apologize to him. For assuming the worst when he hasn’t done anything to deserve that. Being a man-whore isn’t a crime.

I roll onto my stomach and groan into one of the fluffy pillows. It’s going to be a lot harder to dig for more information on Ezra if I care about Cal.

I think back to the night Ezra went missing. I was with a group of girls I knew from school but wasn’t really friends with, when Cal approached and immediately started flirting. My walls went up, and I went into defensive mode, using my sarcasm and sharp tongue to keep him out. I guess I could use the same strategy. I just need to be more subtle about it. I can’t outright attack the man I work for, but I can’t let him in either.

This is a job, and I need to remember that.

seven

CAL

“Stop looking at your watch.”

I glare at my sister. “It’s not a crime to know what time it is.”

“It should be a crime considering you just stopped in the middle of a song,again,to check your watch,” Belle says with her hands on her hips.

“I need to make sure Harlow hasn’t texted me! What if something happened to Cora, and I don’t know about it because I’m over here singing about how much you love Kai? Which is a little weird, if I’m being honest.”

“I didn’t write this one specifically about Kai. It’s more of a broad love song that people can relate to,” Belle defends, but I catch her glancing over at Kai and smiling.

“Gross,” I mutter.

“Let’s break for lunch and get back to it in an hour,” Jon’s voice comes through over the speaker in the sound booth. He’s been great as our manager, way better than the last one. He never yells at us for arguing with each other, although I bet he wants to.

I don’t argue. Instead, I rush out of the booth and grab my phone to text Harlow.

How’s Cora? Does she miss me? Do you guys need anything?

Harlow

Who is this?

Hilarious.

Harlow

I know. Thank you.

Harlow…

Harlow

---