Page 98 of Five Alarm Love
“That’s the weakest excuse I’ve heard in a long time.”She took a sip of water and regretted it when her stomach churned.“You have security on your accounts and your phone.Or you should.”
“I do—”
Like a dam burst, the words tumbled out.“I mean, the one thing I asked.No pictures.No social media.None of it.”She gulped.“I hate it.People I don’t even know are commenting.Critiquing me.The post even mentions genetics and all.”She covered her face.“Oh my God.”
“You have to believe me.Lou.I did not do this.”
She smacked her hand on the table, startling herself.“Who else could have?”
“I don’t know.Someone could have logged in or—” His brows rose, then slammed down in a thunderclap.“Hold on.”He pulled his phone out and tapped on the screen, then swiped his finger up, scrolling.
“What?”she asked.
“I screenshot it.”
“That’s not any better—”
He briefly touched her hand with his fingertips.“In case I needed to evaluate the post later.The timestamp of the post was right after I texted you this morning.”He paused.“No way.”
“What is it?”
“Had to be him.”He dropped one fist into the other hand.“Hunter did this.”He half stood, then sat back down.“I’m going to kill him.”
For a split second, she believed him.Or at least wanted to believe him.
But her own cousin wouldn’t do this to her, would he?He was family.Her mouth went dry.
“I asked for you to do one thing,” she said.“I know you love social media.But that was the condition.”
“Lou—”
“You took a picture?”
“Damn it, Lou.This morning, waking up with you was the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.”
Every word kicked her in the chest.
He rushed ahead.“I saw you laying there.You were so damn beautiful.I wanted to remember that moment forever, and so I snapped a picture.For myself.Nothing racy at all.Only to remember.You.Us.How perfect it was.I’m so sorry.You have no idea how sorry I am that this happened.”He swallowed.“I will do anything—anything—to fix this.”
This was Tuli.Her friend for life.The guy who always had her back.The man she had—Lou gulped against a rock-hard lump in her throat.She scanned his devastated expression.His mouth hung open and his forehead was furrowed, like he was the one about to cry.
Right then, she knew.
He hadn’t posted the picture.He wouldn’t have.Not even unintentionally.
But that didn’t fix the other issues rising up right now.The questions rising from deep inside of her psyche and boiling to the surface.The things that had little to do with Tuli and all to do with Lou.
Nodding, she blew out a shaky lungful of air.“I believe you.I do.”
“Thank God.Look, I’m going to figure out how to make this right, so we can move past this.”He made to stand.
She reached out for his hand, stilling him, and shook her head.“It’s not about the post, Tuli.This shook me down to my boots.I feel so exposed.”
When she paused, he settled back in the chair and said, “I get it.You’re a very private person.”
“I didn’t realize how private.”
“Huh?”
