Page 136 of Tell Me When It's Over

“We did nothing wrong.”

“Again,” Gordy draws out, “I know. But I’m telling you, as your manager, that this is only the start. And you can’t snap at everyone who is going to come after you, calling you and Leighton nasty names and who knows what else.”

My fingers thread through my hair. I knew this was coming. As soon as I made up my mind about Lenny, about what I wanted, what I hoped she wanted, I saw it as an inevitability. “Is it going to be bad?”

Gordy’s lip flatten.

“Fuck.”

I haven’t looked online or done anything on my social media pages since I holed up with Leighton in my bedroom. I’ve been too wrapped up in her smell on my sheets, her body taking up half my mattress, and the little noises she makes whenever I explore her with my fingers and mouth.

Like always, my best friend stands with a professional but exhausted look on his face as he slides his cell phone out of his pocket. I don’t know who he’s texting, but I can only imagine it’s someone on my PR team when he blanches at the screen. When he’s done, he glances up at me, eyes firm, expression cautious, when he asks me, “Is it for the long haul?”

Without hesitation I say, “It always has been.”

He rubs his lips together and then nods slowly, expelling a breath. “Good. Because Chase Matthews just spoke up about the images floating around.” There’s no need to pause to tell me how bad that is, but he does it anyway. “It’s not looking good, Kyler.”

I close my eyes as the not so subtle rise of anger bubbles in my veins. It’s how I felt when Leighton told me she was going on a second date with Matthews. It’s the same one I got when I saw him kiss her that night.

And the night I walked in on them?

Pure rage.

At Chase for having that first with her.

At myself for letting him.

At life for putting her in mine the way it did, ready to be torn down because of her mother, and now me.

Katherine was her destruction before.

But I was going to do everything I can to make sure not to destroy the life she’s rebuilt after coming back to me.

“What can I do?” I ask, voice hard even after a few breaths.

Gordy sits back down, shaking his head as he loosens a sigh. “Guess I can’t tell you to reconsider?”

“Not a chance in hell.”

He watches me for a moment. “Good. She’s going to need that dedication. I’ve got a game plan, but you’re not going to like it.”

There’s only one reason why I wouldn’t like something he had to say.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Leighton / Present Day

Finishing my exam with a big smile of satisfaction on my face knowing all those hours of studying with Kyler paid off, I close the booklet and drop my pencil into my bag. Professor Adams doesn’t look too surprised that I’m the first one to walk up to her.

“I was wondering if we could speak a moment before you go?” she asks quietly, cognizant of the other fifteen or so students hovering over their desks.

I nod and follow her to the far corner of the room where it’s quieter for the others working. There’s a bittersweet feeling rising in the pit of my stomach knowing this is it. My first semester of college is almost done, apart from one exam and one group presentation tomorrow.

Professor Adams breaks me away from my thoughts. “Do you have all your classes picked for next semester?”

The smile comes easily, a giddiness settling into my limbs like it did before the fall semester began. “Yes. I’m taking that Business Management class you suggested with Dr. Brinkley. Thanks for sending him that email. I would have had to take another class as a prerequisite to get in otherwise.” And, honestly, I would have. Anything Marcia Adams suggested, I’d gladly do, even if it meant taking a stuffy intro class that doesn’t sound fun.

“He’s going to be glad I did,” she answers kindly. As she promised, she’s helped me figure out the best courses to take since the PR major is flexible depending on what area of focus students are interested in. There are some general courses everyone has to suck up, but overall, it’s a free for all when you get into the final two years of study, and my adviser and her have been flexible with helping me come up with a game plan for the remaining three and a half years I have at UCLA. “I showed a few of my partners the work you submitted, specifically the mock client proposal. They were all very impressed and find it hard to believe you have no experience for somebody who sees the business so clearly already at your age.”

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