Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ashley
I leaned back in my chair and looked over the official photos from the fashion parade. As predicted, sales of mint green shirts went through the roof the last few days. If I saw them everywhere, I'd only have myself to blame. What is it they say? Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.
I wanted the parade to be a hit and I wanted to get Kris' attention. Mission accomplished. At what cost? My eyeballs hurt every time I saw that colour, and my sleep for the last two nights was patchy at best.
I hadn't tried to contact Kris, and he hadn't called or texted me. I'd posted a couple of work related things on social media, and he'd liked them, but that was all. I presumed it was his way of letting me know he was out there still, but giving me some space.
It was sweet, but I was almost sure I was stringing him along. Part of me wanted to call him and end it, once and for all. The other part wanted to call him and ask him to move back in.
Things between us were comfortable before the Brandi thing, familiar. It would be so easy to fall back into the same old routines, as though nothing happened.
But it had happened and I couldn't get past that.
If I was honest with myself, I was thinking about Chase more than Kris.
I enjoyed having someone to talk to, who knew what I was going through.
Operation ‘Make the Exes Jealous’, aside, I liked him.
He was smart, funny, hot. Exactly the kind of guy I didn't look twice at, because they never looked at me.
I found myself staring at a photo of him. He stood at the end of the catwalk, looking intently at something to the side of the camera. His mouth was slightly upturned, but the real smile was in his eyes.
I thought back and my heart skipped a beat. I had stood to the side of the camera. He couldn't have looked at me like that though.
Could he?
No, there must have been someone beside or behind me. People turned up to support the team. He must have smiled at one of them.
So why did I wish his eyes smiled at me like that?
Don't be stupid, Ash, I told myself. He wanted to get Brandi's attention, just the way you wanted to get Kris'. Nothing more, nothing less.
Damn though, he looked good in those black jeans. I scrolled down to a few photos later and admired his ass.
"Nice view," Mel said over my shoulder.
I jumped so hard she took a step back so I didn't hit her in the face.
"Yeah." I clicked on the top of the screen to close it, and brought up the emails from various designers, which I was supposed to be reading right now.
"You should talk to him." She plonked down on her chair and swivelled around to look at me.
Was it bad that I wasn't sure which 'him' she meant?
Rather than tell her that, I said, "I should be working."
"Looking at fashion parades is part of our work," she pointed out.
"Ones not put on by us," I said.
"It never hurts to have a refresher," Mel said. "I haven't seen that suit the blonde guy was wearing." She let out a dreamy sigh.
"Did anyone see the suit?" I asked, only half-joking.
Mel snorted. "Good point. He should come with a warning label." She grinned wickedly. "And nothing else."
I barked a short laugh. "I have a feeling he wouldn't go for that." He didn't seem to like people staring when he was dressed. Naked, he'd probably be one big blush.
I was blushing just thinking about it.
"You could ask," Mel said. "That would give you an excuse to see Chase again."
So that was the 'him' huh? That figured.
"Why would I want an excuse?" I asked. "Or need one? We're just friends, that's all."
"Uh ha." Mel nodded. "Of course you are. That's why you're looking at photos of him and sighing like a schoolgirl."
"I am not," I protested. "I was just…reminding myself which style shirt he wore. We should get more in different colours. Blue would be nice, don't you think?"
"Nice deflection." She gave me a slow, sarcastic clap. "Keep telling yourself that."
"I will," I said. "Later, I'm going to call Kris and invite him to meet me for dinner."
Mel regarded me for a moment, then shook her head. "Suit yourself. Remember if you do that— Once a cheater, always a cheater."
She turned away then, leaving me staring at the back of her head.
Her words echoed through my mind. That was exactly what held me back from calling or texting him. He did it once, what was to keep him from doing it again?
My heart pounded and ached at the same time.
It shouldn't be this difficult. Meet a guy, fall in love, live happily ever after. That's how it went in the books I read. After the third act, break up.
Didn't I deserve a happily ever after too? One not tainted with lies, cheating and uncertainty?
Was that all a future with Kris would hold?
I stood up. "I need to get something to eat. Do you need anything?"
Mel waved a hand over her shoulder without looking around. "I'm good," she said. "Thanks anyway."
"Okay." I grabbed my bag and phone and pushed my chair under my desk. Apart from the computer, there was little to suggest anyone worked there very often. I'd taken down the photos of Kris, along with the plush teddy bear he gave me for our first Valentine's Day.
Everything else, I stored neatly in the drawer, even my pens. It was an office. If I didn't put those out of sight, they'd walk away. Funny how pens managed to grow legs so easily.
I stepped out of the building into the autumn sunshine and shivered at the bite in the air. Winter would be here soon enough. Too soon, in my book.
"Miss Levitt," a voice called out from the side of the road.
I turned around.
A man approached. He was taller than me, and about twice my age.
"Yes?" I asked cautiously.
"Harvey Danbury." He stuck out his hand.
I shook it before it registered who he was. I couldn't take my hand back fast enough.
"I've heard of you," I said coolly.
He smiled, a greasy smile that made my insides squirm. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear."
"Or read, if you wrote it," I said. "I've heard you like to make up your own version of reality."
He chuckled. "Is that what they say? Well, at least they're talking about me. You know what they say. The minute they stop talking about you is the time to worry, because careers live or die by public attention."
"They die faster if someone's reputation is destroyed by lies," I said. "Did you want something?"
"Lies are just a version of the truth someone doesn't want to hear," he said. "I'd like a few words from you about Chase McKinney."
I figured that was the purpose of this conversation, so I didn't look surprised when he said it. It immediately occurred to me that he'd likely infer something from that, but it was done now.
"I have nothing to say about him," I said.
"It's over already?" Harvey asked.
I frowned. "I didn't say that."
"You didn't deny it," he pointed out.
My tongue darted across my lips. "Is there anything I can say that you won't twist to suit some bullshit story angle you think people want to read?"
"You could tell me the truth," he said. "In your own words. I won't need to embellish anything."
I snorted. He'd embellish a piece of toast if it got him views and clicks. Great, now I really wanted toast. With too much butter and peanut butter on it.
"We're friends, nothing more," I said finally.
"Friends who hold hands?" he asked.
Crap, I forgot about that. I shrugged and tried not to panic.
"Sometimes friends hold hands," I said lamely.
"Do friends often refer to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend?" He looked like the proverbial cat that got the cream.
"Sometimes," I said. "Why, do you not have any friends? If you did, you'd know that."
Rather than seeming offended, he laughed. "Ash burns, huh? I can take it. I've taken worse from people much more famous and influential than you."
"Maybe you can go and harass them then?" I suggested.
He cocked his head. "Serious question. If you and Chase are over, then why not spill? Most girls would do it, just to make a name for themselves. Imagine the places you could take your career, if you took this opportunity."
"I must not be most girls then," I replied evenly. "I like my job. I don't need to dish dirt on friends to elevate myself. I'm sad anyone would think that's okay, but they have to sleep at night."
"How about I give you a cut of the—"
I interrupted him. "I'm not interested. I have nothing to say. Go and sniff around some other story. I'm sure you'll find a bunch of 'most girls' if they're so common. Let them dish."
"I have," he said smugly. "I just had a nice long conversation with a Miss Brandi. She calls herself Chase's ex-girlfriend. Quite the chat. She had a lot to say. I thought you might provide some balance to the article."
"You want me to confirm the things she said?" I asked. "I have even less to say about her than I do about Chase. I barely know her."
"Do I sense some bad blood?" he asked. "A catfight or two? Love triangle between you, her and Chase?" His eyebrows rose. "Chase chose you, then broke it off?"
I exhaled slowly. "You should write novels. You're good at making up crap."
"Why would I want to do that?" he asked, with that sleazy smile of his. "Tabloids make me so much more money than novels ever would."
"If that's true," I said, "then the world is in a really sad state."
"The world is a shithole," Harvey agreed. "I'm just trying to make a living here. It's nothing personal."
It was totally personal, but I was done arguing with him. "Sounds like you have your mud. I'm sure you'll think up an ugly angle that'll make you a fortune. I hope you stop and think, some day, about the people you hurt while you try to make a living."
"Ironic for someone who works in the fashion industry," he said. Before I could respond to that, he turned and walked away. He seemed way too pleased with himself.
I glanced at the time on my phone. It was too early to leave work, but this was important.
I clicked on contacts, selected Chase's number and wrote a quick text, my thumbs dancing across the screen.
He responded a few moments later.
I sent back a last text and slipped into a cafe to buy a sandwich and a cup of coffee. The rest of the afternoon was going to go painfully slowly. I would have to keep busy and hope to goodness I got to talk to Chase before it was too late.