Page 8 of The One I Love

“I know,” was all she said, then she added, “I hate how this might impact you.”

For a moment, he said nothing, and she knew without a single doubt that’s why Jerome had wanted to speak with him.

“Jerome thinks I’m toxic, doesn’t he?”

“It doesn’t matter what Jerome or anyone else thinks.”

What do you think?she wanted to ask, but she wasn’t certain she was ready to hear his answer.

“I’m lying low for a while,” she told him. “I emailed my management team and put all publicity for the launch of the cosmetics line on hold temporarily.”

“Why?” Puzzlement filled his voice. “You did nothing wrong.”

“I’m not up to facing the press right now.” She gave a little laugh, even though she’d never felt less like laughing. “The last thing I want is to step out of Silver Creek and find a reporter at my door and a camera aimed at me.”

“That makes sense.” Anson paused. “I know it’s late, but I wondered if I could come over tonight? If you feel up to it, that is.”

Though Eve wanted to see him in the worst way, she found herself feeling frightened. Not of what he’d say—Anson would always be kind—but of what she might see in his eyes.

“Tomorrow would be better.” Eve spoke quickly, wanting to get all the words out. “There’s some business stuff I need to take care of tonight. Nyla and Britt stopped over, so I didn’t get much done. I still need to talk to my parents and my grandparents. Gran will be supportive. I’m not sure about Pops. I—”

Eve realized with sudden horror that she was rambling. She never rambled. Or rather, she hadn’t in years. Clamping her lips together, she told herself to get a grip.

“I want to see you, Eve.” Anson’s softly spoken words wrapped around her heart and had more tears slipping down her cheeks. “Would tomorrow morning work?”

“Yes. Park in the garage. I’ll let security know to expect you.” She swallowed against the lump in her throat. “I’d like to see you, too.”

“Good. How about ten thirty? There are a few things I need to take care of at the office first.”

“Okay.”

She was ready to end the call when she heard him say her name.

“Eve.”

Everything in her stilled.

“None of this is your fault. If you don’t remember anything else, remember that.”

CHAPTERTHREE

Cameron closed his eyes. He’d just watched a few seconds of his sister having sex with some guy. He wondered how he would ever unsee those images.

He hadn’t watched more once he’d verified that the woman in the video was indeed Eve.

He and June had been having dinner at his place when his brother JR had called and given him the news. Cameron couldn’t believe someone had done this to Eve.

Cameron blew out a breath. “I wish I hadn’t seen even the little bit I did.”

June ran a soothing hand down his arm. “Why even watch it at all?”

“I needed to see enough to know for sure it was her. Eve has to be devastated. For someone to film something so intimate, then put it out there…”

Cameron now understood better his family’s concern anytime one of them dated someone who wasn’t known to the family. JR had gotten engaged after dating Britt for only two months. Before that, she’d been a stranger. Only knowing that she’d fallen in love with JR’s alter ego, construction worker Amos Lee, had placated their father’s fears that Britt might be after the family fortune.

June, he knew, would be an equally hard sell because of the money she’d accepted from his grandmother Hal. Though that had been completely innocent, his parents and grandfather didn’t yet see it that way.

Now, this thing with Eve…

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