Page 28 of For You & No One Else (Say Everything 3)

Seven

Nothing.

Come on.Eliza knocked again, louder.

She didn’t know Beckham’s specific tech expertise, but she had a feeling that even if he didn’t know how to help her, he’d know who to point her toward. But his door didn’t open. He wasn’t there. She should’ve come here before her client appointments this afternoon instead of after. She must’ve missed him.

She pressed her head against his door, frustrated and still a little hungover. She’d felt a surge of momentum in Andi’s office this morning and wanted to keep moving. She’d been busy this afternoon with appointments, but the minute she’d walked the last client out, the whole thing had hit her all over again. She had two more canceled appointments in her inbox and a call from a client concerned about how Eliza was doing, checking on her. Sweet but not cool. People weren’t paying her so thattheycould worry abouther.

But all of it had just underlined the reality she was living in now. She’d been publicly shamed on the internet. Her drunken, shirt-opening tirade was currently being viewed by God knew who, and Ryan was probably laughing about it with his friends, sending the link around, proudly watching his clicks increase. She didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to picture it. It would make her go buy a baseball bat or that ice pick Andi had suggested.

“Eliza?”

Beckham’s voice drifted over her like a welcome breeze, breaking her from her murderous thoughts.

“Is everything okay?” he asked from somewhere to her right.

She lifted her head. He was standing in the hallway with coffee and a concerned look on his face. Today’s vintage shirt was a Beastie Boys “Sabotage” tee.

“Whoa, what’s wrong?” he asked, stepping forward.

Great. Apparently she looked as shitty as she felt, based on the concern on his face. She tipped up her chin, trying to look more put together. “You have a minute?”

A deep line had appeared between his brows, but to his credit, he nodded without asking more questions. “Yeah, sure. Door’s unlocked. Go on in.”

She turned the knob and went straight to his comfy blue couch. For being a therapist, she was sure ending up onhiscouch a lot.

He followed in behind her. “Hey, look, if this is about the stuff I said last night… It was late and I’m sorry if I made it weird. And—”

She peered up at him, amused by his rambling. “Beckham, I barfed in your trash can and drunkenly said embarrassing things to you. I think I win on the making-it-weird part.”

He narrowed his eyes, evaluating her. “How much do you remember about last night?”

Her face got warm. She vaguely remembered a mortifying comment about what she’d like to do to his tattoos. She cleared her throat. “Enough. I’m definitely not here to talk aboutthat. Let’s forget the things I said under the influence.”

He nodded, gaze still examining her. “O…kay. Then what’s up?”

“I’m sorry to come to you with this. I know you’re busy with your own work,” she said. “But you’re the only person I could think of.”

He arched a brow. “Well, with an endorsement like that…”

She opened her mouth to explain, but despite her best efforts not to get emotional, her eyes began to burn again. “Dammit.”

“Shit, Eli.” He set down his coffee and sat on the couch next to her. “Now you’re freaking me out. What’s wrong?”

She couldn’t get the words out. Instead, she pulled her phone from her purse and brought up the link. She handed it to him, knowing what he’d see, but if he was going to help her, he’d see it anyway. She needed to get this part out of the way. “Just watch.”

He gave her a wary look but took her phone and then clicked the link. She turned her head away while he did. Hearing her drunken words again was enough to send a fresh wave of embarrassment through her. She could sense him tense next to her, and then he sucked in a breath. Before the video ended, he was on his feet again.

“The fuck?” he said, anger hot in his voice. “He got you drunk and thenfilmedyou?”

She looked up, her shoulder muscles tight and her face burning. “And someone recognized me and put my name and links in the thread. I had comments all over my YouTube this morning and some on my Instagram.” She inhaled a deep breath. “People are already canceling appointments.”

His jaw clenched. “This is…”

“Awful,” she filled in. “I know. I’ve been freaking out most of the morning, but I have a plan to try to turn this around.”

“A plan?” He sent her a look. “Does it involve tracking him down at his office and punching him in that smug face of his? Because that seems like a solid plan A. I’m here for plan A.”

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