Chapter 36
We order our coffees, and Teddy tries to pay for mine. “We’re paying separately,” I say cooly to the cashier. The cashier looks at Teddy and then me before nodding.
“Still as independent as ever,” Teddy tsks.
“That’s why I owe no one anything,” I say flatly.
When our drinks come, we grab them and walk over to the closest picnic table.
I sit across from him, and my right leg won’t stop bouncing.
It takes all my energy not to leap across the table and strangle him.
Instead, I hold my coffee cup between my hands and study him as a lioness sizing up a zebra.
“What do you want?” I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.
He clears his throat and flashes that dazzling smile of his. It used to make my heart stop, but now all it does is encourage me to punch him until his teeth fall out.
“No, how’ve you been? I haven’t been that great.” He sips his coffee and shifts his weight.
“Just cut to the chase,” I reply, hoping my voice has some sting in it.
He nods. “Veronica. We should get back together. We were so good, and I—”
It’s hard to hear what else he says because I can’t stop laughing. He looks appalled at my reaction. I used to apologize when I hurt him, but now I don’t feel the urge to.
“Veronica. Please.” The tips of his ears redden.
I wipe a tear with the back of my hand and settle down. “Maybe you thought we worked. But we were oil and water.”
“Come on. We’re both social media influencers. We’re both…”
“I’m a professional mermaid who uses social media. There’s a difference. I don’t post stupid pranks for attention.”
He winces at my verbal dig.
“You cheated on me. Publicly humiliated me, and I had to sue you to take down the video, and now you come crawling back months later licking your wounds. Why? Did your new girl ditch you for someone better?”
His gaze drops to his coffee cup. He’s never this quiet.
“Ha! I’m right.” I shake my head. “Wow.”
Does Teddy think I’m that damaged? That I’d take him back after everything? I’d rather drown.
He licks his lips, searching for the right words as his brow wrinkles.
“Please listen. It was all a mistake. I should’ve never done any of that to you.
You were so kind to help me build my following, and I threw it in your face.
Jessica was a temptress. A she-devil. I thought she loved me.
But while in New York, all she cared about was money.
Nearly bled me dry! I had to leave. The apartment lease alone got to the point where—”
“Poor you. Used. Beaten down. Made a fool of. I wonder how that feels. Oh, wait, I know.”
“Can’t you just—”
My blood turns to fire. I want to pour my hot coffee over his head and leave, but I’m better than that.
“What do you think will happen? I’ll be so happy you want me back.
I’ll cry and leap into your arms. We move back in together.
Get fucking married? What? And then another girl bats her eyelashes at you or says your channel is amazing, and you chase after her.
Leave me to clean up the mess again. Maybe you post it online again for all to see.
Yeah. That’s never going to happen.” I stand and plant a hand on my hip. “I never want to see you again.”
“We could work this out. I’d be loyal. I swear.” There’s a wobble in his voice. He’s full of crap. He knows how to act like a kicked puppy, and I will not fall for it.
Not when he dissed my mermaiding. He’d say little jabs about how silly it was.
He had real fans, and mine were simple-minded children and their parents.
He claimed he’d have to support me when I built his following from what I learned from my career.
He never spoiled me. Made me feel special.
Never came to a mermaid event. Told me how hot I was in a tail.
Held me in his arms. Hell, he never shared more than a couple of dinners with my parents.
But Sully has. He makes me feel seen. He takes my career seriously.
Teddy catches the flicker of doubt in my eyes. He pushes up from his chair, reaching out like he might actually care—then stops himself, his hand dropping like dead weight. “Figures. You’re tangled up with that rocker now, huh?”
A wrecking ball slams into my chest. I heave as my heart restarts. “What? How do you know about him?”
Teddy shrugs. “You wouldn’t answer my texts. I was worried, so I came around a bit…”
My anger shakes my bones. It takes all my strength to keep from strangling him in public. “You followed me? It was you in that car at my apartment complex.”
He nods. “Guilty. I was at the restaurant once and maybe a few other places.” He shrugs like it’s nothing to worry about. He’s being protective. “And I don’t like that guy. He’s not even American. He’s stringing you along.”
“Unlike you?” I bite back, throwing most of my coffee in the nearby trash can. I walk toward my car.
Teddy trails behind me. “I love you. He just likes fucking fans.”
I pause, sinking my fingernails into my palms, and take a shaky breath. He smiles. He doesn’t know I’m about to snap. “Go to hell and stay there.” I turn my back on him.
Teddy cuts me off. “Look at this.” He shoves his phone under my nose. It’s a picture of Sully and Gigi. They’re somewhere dark, but I can see they’re close, too close.
“He’s with her. She’s his type. What does that make you?” Pity drips from his voice.
Confused. Lost. Hurt. But I’ll never admit that to Teddy.
“I don’t believe you. You think showing me this terribly lit picture will send me into your arms?” I push past him and don’t stop walking.
“Text me when you realize I’m right!” Teddy shouts.
I clench my teeth to keep from shouting back obscenities.
Hot tears slip down my cheeks, and I wipe them away before anyone sees.
Sully wouldn’t be with Gigi. He said he wasn’t.
I want to believe him—I do—but the sting in my chest says I’m scared.
Scared that I’m wrong. Scared I’ll get burned again.
I might be falling for Sully…or maybe I’m free-falling into something that’ll leave me shattered.