Page 117 of Living on the Edge

“And now, neither am I.” I get up and pour myself another cup of coffee as my phone rings.

Ryleigh.

I don’t know what to say but I answer anyway, walking out toward the patio for a bit of privacy.

“What did you do?” I ask by way of greeting.

“I didn’t do anything,” she says quickly. “Angus, I swear. I don’t know how this happened.”

“You’re the only one who knew,” I say. “Other than the two people who were involved, only you and me.”

“I don’t know.” She starts to cry. “I’m so sorry. Yousawwhat I sent him.”

“But you emailed him a bunch more times.”

“Only twice!” she sobs. “And I was asking him what was going on… I’ll show you?—”

“It’s incredibly easy to hide emails,” I say quietly. “Or create temporary accounts. You can delete records of emails like they never existed. Same with texts. And honestly, you’re the only one with something to gain. I’ve been trying to come up with a reason for anyone else to do it, but everything leads back to you.”

“To what end?” she cries out. “I have you! Technically, I don’t need a job or health insurance—a multi-millionaire told me he loved me and asked me to move in with him. Why would I give that up for a job working for a man I hate?”

“That’s what’s tripping me up too,” I say after a moment. “But this is too much. Too much embarrassment, too much lying… Maybe you told Taryn and she told Callum. I don’t think you did it maliciously, but I don’t see us getting past this. I can’t trust you… You’ve just thrown me, my family, and worst of all, the band, to the wolves. This article is everywhere. My phone has been blowing up the last fifteen minutes…”

“Look, I’m trying to find out what happened. Give me a few hours and I can?—”

“I gave you everything,” I interrupt quietly. “Access to my band, my friends, my family, and more than that—I gave you my heart. I don’t know what you thought, that maybe you could have it all, but you can’t. Not with me. I’m sorry, Ryleigh. Whatever this is, I want no part of it. Take care of yourself.”

I disconnect the call and then just stand there.

I don’t know what to do next.

I have the money and resources to fix my reputation and that of my band. My mother apparently already has a plan in place to minimize damage to the Hollingsworth reputation. I just have to figure out how to explain the whole sordid tale to the band.

They’re my priority even though very little of this has anything to do with them.

Besides, Casey has a wide reach—I know she can fix this.

Even if I have to pay for it out of my own pocket.

Ryleigh’s betrayal hits harder, though. She had to know this would end us. But she did it anyway. And I can’t fathom how I’m going to get past it.

I’ve never had a broken heart as an adult.

As far as I’m concerned, this is the first—and the last.

Chapter36

Ryleigh

My apartment iswarm and musty after being empty for more than two months. The fridge is basically empty, there’s a pile of bills on the counter, and everything needs a good dusting, but I don’t get out of bed for two days. I subsist on water and the handful of granola bars left in my backpack.

After the first two days, I shower, place an order to have groceries delivered, and pay all my bills for the month. Then I spend most of what’s left in my checking account on takeout and wine.

Finally, when a good chunk of the money in my account is gone and I snap out of the initial shock, I drag myself back into the shower. I find something decent to wear that’s clean, put gas in my car, and drive to see a friend from college. Her father owns a handful of local chain restaurants, and after telling her about the clusterfuck of my life, she gets him to hire me as the assistant manager to one.

I worked for them before, as a waitress in college, so they know me.

I’m done with both journalism and rock and roll.

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