Page 78 of Double or Nothing

“If you saw a photo or something, I promise it wasn’t real. Maybe some stunt the record execs made me pull, but Kat, there was no one after you for a year.”

“It wasn’t a photo, Sut, I saw it… with my own eyes.”

I stare at her, completely confused by what she saw or how she saw it.

“I showed up in New York.”

“What?” She came to New York? “When?”

“The day after the funeral.”

Taking her plate from her trembling hands, I set it on the table before pulling her to me.

“Why didn’t you come see me? Why didn’t—”

“I did. I showed up on your doorstep and knocked. I was still so hurt, by you, by losing her, but I knew… I knew if I saw you… you would make it all better.”

“I would have done anything.”

“Except you didn’t answer the door. A woman did. In your shirt. Your favorite shirt.” Tears stream down her face. “When I needed you, you were too busy with someone else to care.”

“No, that’s not…” I rack my brain trying to remember, trying to figure out what in the hell she’s talking about or who she could be referring to. There wasn’t anyone. Hell, the only people I spent any time with were Mac and Val, and… Val. Fuck.

“Christ, Kat. I wish you would have… Whatever you thought it was, it wasn’t. That was Val. She works for the label. She was one of the few friends I had in the beginning, and that’s all we were then… friends.”

“Then?”

Fuck. Me and my big stupid mouth.

“Yes, then. Come on, Kat, it’s not like you’ve been waiting for me. We both have pasts.”

She pulls away from me and gets off the couch, pacing around the room.

“You’re right, we weren’t together… I have no right to be upset. Except we wouldn’t be in this position if you had just listened to me. Six months, Sutton. That’s all you would have had to wait. Even then, I tried. I tried, and you were with her.”

“I wasn’t with her, Kat. I know you have no reason to believe me, but Christ, I wouldn’t do that to you. I was devastated when I heard about your mom, even more, when I couldn’t get to you, be there for you. Nothing happened between Val and me that night. I swear.”

“She sure didn’t make it seem that way.” Kat moves from the table over to the couch.

“Yeah, well, I learned later on that Val had a thing for me and an agenda.”

“Like trying to sabotage my career?”

I nod because what else can I do? That’s exactly what Val did, and I’m pretty sure it was because I rejected her the night before I left for Vegas.

“I promise you, Kitty Kat, whatever Val and I were to each other over the years, we aren’t anymore. We’re strictly business.”

“Stop, I don’t want to hear about it.”

Taking her hands, I lead her back to the couch.

“I know I fucked up. I know I hurt you. Through all of it, though, I never stopped loving you… not for one second. If you give me a chance, I’ll do whatever it takes to prove myself to you.”

“A chance? You… you want a chance?”

“I want you to give me another chance… us another chance.”

“Even if I could forgive you, how would that even work? We’re different people and lead different lives. I’m sorry, Sutton, but I’m not willing to give up this life I built on a chance.”

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