22. Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Two
Alyssa
A lone in my hotel room, I scrolled through my social media notifications.
I’d been under assault for almost two weeks.
Every day, Jazz posted new photos of Pasha or me or the two of us together, with new claims about the supposed illicit, dangerous, and deceptive relationship we had.
All garbage with no basis other than random photos and a narrative Jazz had created.
Still, the onslaught of hate from men and some women I’d never met was getting a bit much. I’d blocked and muted more people in the last few days than I’d ever thought possible. How were there so many vile people in the world?
I hadn’t had a chance to talk to Mia, but we were both tagged in almost every post Jazz made.
Mia’s notifications were probably flooded on a daily basis with random people’s insights into her life, her songs, the way she ran her business.
Perhaps this onslaught wasn’t any worse than normal.
If it wasn’t for Pasha, my thick skin would have started to crack and bleed.
Every night, Pasha came to my room, and every night, I’d pass him my phone, and he’d scroll through my mentions, blocking and muting people while we talked about our day.
I’d agreed to let him help with the notifications after he found me crying over one particularly nasty comment made by a dancer I used to know.
We’d been friends, once, and the comment had stung more than any of Jazz’s posts.
This person knew me and still believed I was a terrible person for violating such a small piece of my contract.
After we’d talked, Pasha had suggested deleting all my social media apps from my phone, since I never knew what I’d find.
But I already felt disconnected from my friends and family while on tour.
With only four days between the wedding and rehearsals for Sarah’s tour, I wanted to be in the loop when I saw everyone.
So my social media accounts were staying, even if their presence strained my emotional resilience.
When a knock sounded on my hotel room door, I jumped. I’d been caught up in the vitriol against Mia, Pasha, and me. Tucking my phone in my back pocket, I checked the peephole.
Mia. Alone. She never went anywhere alone.
Opening the door, I stepped to the side to welcome Mia into the room, and then I peered into the hallway.
Ah. Mia hadn’t come alone. Not quite so weird, then.
Gerald stood a few feet away, and he gave me a small salute.
In response, I smiled and closed the door, my mind ticking through all the reasons Mia might have come.
“Are you pumped for our last practice today?” I asked and followed Mia deeper into my hotel room.
Pasha had been in charge of room assignments, and his suite had an adjoining door with mine. Since I hadn’t been expecting company, the doors between the rooms were wide open. We weren’t hiding anymore, but I felt a twinge of embarrassment at being so obvious.
Mia stared at the clear view into Pasha’s room, neat and tidy as always, before focusing on me. “Sure, yeah. The dance is great. I didn’t come about that, actually. ”
“Oh.” My heart sank. I’d avoided a lecture about contracts and obligations and letting Mia down. Was that what was coming? I’d hoped we’d skipped that part when Mia hadn’t even spoken to me about our lies.
Pasha had borne the brunt of our betrayal, and I’d been mostly okay with that. Selfish, maybe. But I didn’t like confrontation, especially when I realized I’d been in the wrong.
“Uh, what can I do for you, then?” I perched on a nearby chair and gestured for Mia to take a seat.
Mia didn’t sit. Instead, she went to the balcony window and peered out at the crashing waves. “Did you”—she cleared her throat. “Have you been muting and blocking people like I suggested?”
I scooched deeper into the chair and tugged my phone out of my back pocket. “Yeah, mostly.” Not at first, but now I blocked without second-guessing myself. Muted people for one annoying response. I didn’t owe any of these anonymous people anything.
“Good. Good. Great.” Mia spun on her heel. “I just wanted to come see how you were handling the fallout. It’s been… a lot.”
I searched Mia’s face, her downcast eyes. “For you too?”
“Sure, yeah. Having people rake you over hot coals never gets less painful. Even when the hot coals are artificial, fake.” She rubbed her face.
“I don’t know—I hope you’re not reading it—but people have been particularly nasty because I’m supposed to be all about women’s empowerment.
I own that. I built my reputation off the back of the fallout from Kenny Connors.
So, you know, that’s mine. But it stings when people create this false comparison.
Jazz being fired and you and Pasha being together don’t have anything to do with female empowerment.
My morals and values are just fine. Thank you very much. ”
“Right.” I stared at Mia in stunned silence. Was Mia having a hard time? She was getting married tomorrow. From everything I’d heard from my friends who’d gotten married, a wedding was a big deal.
For me, marriage had been something for someday with someone. Now, when I envisioned a man at the end of the aisle, the figure took shape, the image lighting up my heart.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Oh, me? Sure. Yeah. I just—Tyler banned me from social media until after the wedding—so I don’t know what’s been happening today.”
Today? She’d been keeping up with the nonsense every day before that? No wonder she looked rattled.
My sanity had been saved by Pasha clearing my notifications at least once a day, sometimes more. “I’m really sorry.” There was more I should say, but I couldn’t figure out how to phrase it. I’d never apologize for being with Pasha. “I regret how everything came out.”
“Me too.” Mia tapped a manicured nail against the wooden frame of the window. “I handle stuff like this all the time—well, it’s been a while since it’s been this bad—but still, I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m doing okay. Pasha’s been great at helping to manage assholes who think they have a right to weigh in.”
“So, being with him has been worth all this? If you had to do it again and all that jazz…?”
“Worth it?” I raised my eyebrows. “You’re asking me if Pasha is worth the harassment?”
“Sure.” She shrugged. “Over a guy. Because of a guy. Was the stress worth the relationship?”
I laughed. “A guy? He’s not just any guy.
He’s…” What was he? “I never realized men like him existed. I’d never found one.
Douchebags, li ars, losers, cheats, thieves.
Those were the guys I was attracted to, the ones I dated.
He’s the best guy I’ve ever known. Hands down. He’s got the trophy in the bag.”
Mia gave a satisfied nod. “Then I guess it’s worth all this. I’ll see you at rehearsal later.” At the door, Mia turned back and examined me. “Your routine is truly amazing. And I hope after the wedding, once everyone sees how brilliant you are, they’re talking about that instead of about this.”
I placed my hand over my heart, a soft glow building in my chest. “Thank you. God, that means a lot. A whole lot.”
“Tomorrow’s your last full day on the island. But it’s going to be a busy one. I’ve given Pasha the rest of the day off—except for our final rehearsal. I hope you two have a good day together.”
“Thank you.” I took a depth breath, finding my courage. “I know I already said ‘sorry,’ and I am. But I’m even sorrier for letting you down. You gave me this job. You trusted me with the routine. I shouldn’t have violated my contract.”
Mia’s lips quirked up in a partial smile. “You clearly haven’t been following as many hashtags as me. Look up the hypocrite one and my name. You’ll get a whole host of mistakes I’ve made.”
I pressed my hand to my heart again. “Oh, Mia.”
She waved me off. “No, sorry. That was a shitty way to say I’ve made mistakes too.
I mean, look at me and Tyler. He became my employee, and people who don’t understand how pregnancy works think that’s when our relationship started.
Feelings aren’t neat and tidy, and I get that.
I wish you’d done things differently, but I’m not holding what’s happened against you. Okay? Are we cool?”
A wave of gratitude washed over me. “Yeah. We’re cool. ”
“Excellent. Enjoy your day.” Mia closed the door behind her.
With a satisfied sigh, I left my phone on the bed and went to find Pasha.
***
Sweat beaded across my middle, and a little river ran down my back. “You ready for the water yet?” I shifted the straps of my bikini top. Tan lines would not go with my dress.
In his lounge chair, Pasha frowned and stuck a bookmark in his book, which he tossed aside. “You want to get wet with me?”
I gave him a sultry glance. “I’m always wet when I’m with you.” I batted my eyelashes at him and turned onto my side, my top tumbling to the soft sand between our chairs.
Hunger entered his gaze as he perused me. “You should always dress like this.”
“Most people wouldn’t call this dressed.”
A smile touched his lips. “I call you perfect.” He crawled over to my chaise lounge and his lips closed over my nipple, his tongue swirling the bud.
Desire zipped down to my core. I sank my hands into his hair with a sigh, cupping his head as he teased and taunted each nipple.
“Is this a good idea?” My voice was breathy, barely audible.
“Mmm,” he muttered into my neck. “I’m not sure I care.”
My laugh was husky. “I know this is a private beach away from the resort, but other people could stumble on us.”
Paparazzi, for example, though Pasha had cleared the resort and surrounding area of anyone who had a whiff of a journalistic or photographic background. Mia and Tyler would be using this beach for their honeymoon in a few days if Tyler had his way. Privacy was key .
“Just tell me to stop.” His voice was strained with desire. He flexed his hips, pressing his erection against me.