Page 40 of The Emerson Effect
“I lost you there, for a minute.”
“Sorry. I…sorry,” I say, shaking my head.
“It’s okay,” he murmurs.
“Anyway,” I say, my voice brighter than before, “I may not have roommates, but I do have three best friends. Joey is my bestest bestie, and then there’s her older sister Callie andherbest friend, Raven.”
“Yourbestest bestie,huh?”
“Yep,” I say, popping the “p.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” he says in a low voice, and my chest hollows out.
If all goes well, and we finish this whole plan of ours, he will meet Joey. The others, too. It seems weird, like some kind of fever dream thattheEmerson will be here, hanging out with my friends and me like we have a real relationship.
“So, that’s the superficial information,” Emerson says, once again pulling me from my thoughts. “How about something deeper?”
“Like what?” I ask, the words edged with suspicion and the slightest tinge of fear.
“Like why we do this whole social media influencer thing. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
No. Hell, no. I don’t want to tell him about my ex. Or my own blind stupidity. And even though I don’t agree to the bargain, Emerson starts to talk.
“My dad walked out on my mom and sister right after I moved out.”
“What?” I chirp. “You have a sister? How old is she?”
“She’s nineteen now, but she was only twelve when I moved out, and Dad bailed on them. Mom has trouble making ends meet, and she certainly doesn’t have a college fund set up for Kennedy. After I got laid off from my marketing job, I realized I could make more money making content for BingBang, so I ran with it. I help Mom with some of her bills, and I’m saving to help Kennedy transfer from community college to a four-year school.”
“Wow. That’s…”
My words trail off. I don’t know what to say. He’s fuckingamazing.
“Okay, enough about me. Your turn,” he says, and I feel the blood drain from my face.
My reasons aren’t even a fraction as noble as his. How can I tell him the truth after learning he’s a God damn saint?
“Come on, Twila. It can’t be that bad. And a boyfriend would know the truth, right?”
“You’re not my boyfriend,” pops out of my mouth before I can stop it.
“I know that,” he replies, and I flinch at the twinge of hurt in his crystal blue eyes.
“Sorry. Reflex,” I mumble, then sigh. “Fine. I’ll tell you. But you’re not allowed to judge me or flaunt your superiority over me.”
“I would never,” he whispers, and I swallow thickly as I nod.
“Long story, short, I let my ex move in with me for a while. He stole my identity and opened credit cards in my name to buyhis side piece a bunch of expensive gifts. He did a fabulous job of covering his tracks, and by the time I found out, I was ten-thousand dollars in debt and my credit was shot.”
His eyes have gone wide by the time I finish. “And he got away with it? You couldn’t file a fraud claim?”
A bitter laugh slips out of me. “Believe me, I tried. But the cards were in my name. The bills were delivered to my address. Purchases were made onmyAmazon account. Frommytablet. Hell, he even switched some of my subscribed purchases for personal items to his card so it would look like I’d been using it.”
“Mother fucker,” he spits, and I startle slightly at the vehemence in his voice. “You trusted him, and he took advantage of you, Twila. That’s nothing to be ashamed of or feel like you would be judged for.”
“Thanks,” I whisper, feeling pounds lighter after spilling my guts and receiving nothing but support from him. “You’re the only person I’ve told about the cheating part.”
“You haven’t told Joey?” he asks, and I shake my head.
