Page 70 of Curvy Love

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“Did you honestly think I wouldn’t notice you trying to swoop in and steal Abbott from me?” Sabrina says and gone is the petulant child and in her place is a steely cold bitch.

The blood in my veins chills. “Did the PR company not explain everything to you?”

“The PR company did contact me, but I’m not an idiot, Willow. I can see the truth in front of me and I saw the pictures of the two of you. I saw how you looked at him. My God, you’re in love with him and it’s just so sad and pathetic.” She gives me a placating look. “What would make you think he would choose you when he could have me?”

I don’t answer because these are obviously rhetorical questions. Cruel ones that I have no answers to anyways. My heart is thundering in my ears and I may or may not be crying and at this point I don’t even care. I’ve endured this woman and her toddler tantrums for nearly a year, I don’t have to listen to her belittle me.

“I hope you and Abbott will be very happy together.” I spin and grab my stuff and leave.

“I’m not done talking to you!” Sabrina shrieks.

But I don’t have to listen to her because I no longer work for her. The sudden weight off my shoulders is so overwhelming I nearly collapse on the way to my car. Why didn’t I quit sooner? I could have borrowed the money from Ezra. Was my stupid pride worth being verbally abused by that shrew of a woman? No, no, it was not.

I am crying now and my vision is blurred by my tears. I managed to make it to the nearest HEB parking lot and pull over. I send a quick text to Laurel and tell her where I am and that I need her to come get me. She doesn’t ask any questions, just says she’s on her way.

When she gets there, she leads me over to the passenger seat and takes the driver’s, then silently takes me home. Paisley is there waiting with chocolate milk because it’s my favorite. Then my sisters wrap me in hugs and a blanket and hug me while I cry for an indeterminate amount of time.

“I love him,” I say.

“I know, sweetie,” Laurel says.

“It will be okay,” Paisley says. “I promise.”

I don’t believe her, but I’m too tired and too sad to argue. Maybe tomorrow.

chapterthirty-two

From the websiteGossipLane.com

Oh, my lovely gossip sipper! Do I have the best treat for you? The gossip fairies have been so generous with us. Remember the digital flirtation I told you about between Sabrina Wilde and Abbott James? Remember how some frumpy nobody bid on him at the bachelor auction and he took that frumpy nobody on a “date” and was photographed all over Austin?

Wait for it … because you are not going to believe the true story! The date was just a ruse!

That frumpy nobody is actually Sabrina Wilde’s personal assistant!

One can only assume that the gossip got a little too hot and the clever Ms. Wilde sent her PA to bid on the bachelor in question to throw us off the scent. And then she forced him to date that PA so that she could keep her own burgeoning relationship with him a secret.

Well played, Ms. Wilde. Well, played.

chapterthirty-three

ABBOTT

I am so fucking mad I think I could tear a soccer ball in half with my bare hands. Thankfully, Reid is a gossip hound and tipped me off about the nonsense going on about me on social media. Not only on that gossip lane place, but also on my own account for fucks sake. An account I have never once logged into myself. But that is about to change.

Lezlee’s office door opens and her terrified manservant steps out of the way. He doesn’t look at me at all as I storm into her inner sanctum.

“There was no reason to yell at Garett like that. I think he pissed himself a little,” she said.

“Don’t give a fuck.”

“Sit down. You’re making me dizzy with all the pacing.” She taps on her desk. “Sit and tell me what’s the matter.”

“You want to know what’s the matter? I’ll tell you what the fuck is the matter. Why don’t you log into my social media account. The one with the pictures.”

“Instagram?”

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