Page 94 of Mic Drop

Or maybe it’s the encounter I just endured.

For whatever reason, my protective walls come tumbling down in this moment. Out here on the sidewalk, I turn into the arms of my manager—my friend—and sob.

Chapter 26

Jenna

Suzette Pounds, Divorce Attorney

Still haven’t been able to serve Bennett.

Iread Suzette’s text again. Where can he be? According to her, he hasn’t been seen at Secluded Rest—or anywhere in Aroostook or the Hamptons—for the past week.

My phone pings again. I glance at the screen, where a Google alert notifies me that all of UC is in Europe, preparing for the next part of their tour. There’s a photo of the entire band in front of a sign saying Nice, France. At least now I know where he is.

As if the man of the hour knew I was thinking about him, Bennett’s name comes up on my messages.

ROCK STAR

Turn on the television.

That man won’t quit! Why won’t he just accept service of the damn papers and leave me alone? Numb, I walk into the clinic’s break room—the only spot with a television—and turn it on. Francis and Logan greet me once more. Interviewing Lissa again.Joy. Why is Bennett telling me to watch them? And what’s on the table between them? Some sort of box?

Francis passes Lissa some pieces of paper. “Is this your handwriting, Ms. Baker?”

The woman of the hour tosses her long blonde hair over her shoulder, takes the papers, and glances at them, her fake eyelashes batting. “Where did you get these?” She flips through the little notes.

What’s going on?I have no one to ask, yet my confusion permeates the room.

Francis replies, “So you did send these?” When Lissa remains silent, the screen cuts to a graphic of the papers, so the viewers can see what Lissa’s seeing. My head flies backward. These are some steamy love notes. The one on the screen clearly shows the name Curtiss as the person with whom she was corresponding.

Bennett’s ex-best friend.

My heart beats faster.

The cameras return to the studio, where Lissa’s shoulder raises. “Curtiss and I dated after high school. After I was with Bennett. I can’t believe Curtiss kept these, but then again, he always was sort of a loser.”

Lissa’s foot taps an uneven beat. I lean forward as Logan picks up the box. He continues, “In those notes, you paint a pretty explicit picture of what you two were up to. We didn’t put up the most graphic ones, out of deference to our viewers.”

My pulse increases. Despite our impending divorce, Bennett doesn’t deserve this.

Logan continues, “The note Francis is now holding explicitly states you’re pregnant. And we have proof.” He opens the box’s lid, to reveal a positive pregnancy test. On the inside of the lid, it says, “Curtiss and Lissa, and a date.” The yearafterBennett left to join UC. Myhand flies over my stomach. To no one, I whisper, “He did it. He got the proof.”

On-screen, Lissa jumps to her feet. “This is ridiculous. That’s not my pregnancy test!”

Logan points to her name engraved on the inside of the box. “How do you explain this?”

“It’s a lie!”

Lissa opens her mouth to spew more, when a balding, yet attractive guy walks onto the stage. “Hi, Lissa. Wow. You’re even bonier than I remember.” He sits next to her on a chair that magically appeared.

Curtiss?

“You’re bald and fat, Curtiss,” she snarks.

He rubs the top of his shiny head. “Be that as it may, at least I’m not a liar.”

Lissa gasps. Francis jumps into the void. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce you to Curtiss Fanone, Lissa’s one-time boyfriend. Apparently, also, the father of the baby she lost. Not the rock star Bennett Hardy.” Francis holds up a DNA test confirming the test was from Lissa and Curtiss. “We tested it.”

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