43. Jake
CHAPTER 43
JAKE
W e helped June get dry and into comfortable clothes, but she wouldn’t look us in the eye. She’s been sitting on the couch, staring at the blank TV screen for over half an hour. She’s stopped crying, but she won’t speak or react to anything we say to her.
After another failed attempt to get her to talk to me, I join Ryan and Lachy in the kitchen. Ryan is making soup with whatever ingredients June had in the fridge.
“Still no reaction?” Lachy asks me but keeps his attention on June.
“No. I’m worried.”
“Katrina is coming over after work. Maybe she needs her friend more than she needs us.” Lachy crosses his arms, frowning.
I rub my face. “What if we are the problem? She wouldn’t be in this situation if we hadn’t had the idea to hook up at the party.”
Ryan fills a bowl with the steamy broth he cooked. “I’ll try to get her to eat something.”
“You’re not the problem,” June chimes softly.
She’s still staring ahead, so I’m not sure if I heard her or imagined it. I trade a look with Ryan and Lachy, then we all join her in the living room. I take a seat on her right and Lachy on her left, while Ryan sits on the coffee table in front of her, holding the bowl of soup.
“We’re so sorry, my love,” I say, hoping she can hear the remorse in my voice.
She dips her chin. “I know you are.”
“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have taken you to Malcolm’s office. I will never forgive myself,” Lachy replies.
June takes his hand and squeezes it. “It’s not your fault. I don’t want anyone blaming themselves for what happened.”
“You’re going to be okay. I promise,” I say.
She lets out a shaky breath. “No, I won’t. My life is ruined. By now, everyone I know has seen that video. Do you know how I found out about it?” She glances at me. “My baby sister called. She saw the video. Do you know how mortifying that is?”
“It may seem like the end of the world now. But people will eventually forget,” Ryan pipes up.
She shakes her head, and new tears roll down her cheeks. “I will always be branded as that stupid girl who made a sex tape with three hockey players.”
“It didn’t turn out terribly for Kim Kardashian.” Ryan smiles.
“Do you think I want to be like her?”
He winces. Why did he say that? Stupid-ass comment, Ryan.
I take her hand. “Fine. It will suck for a while, but it won’t be as bad when everyone knows you’re dating all of us.”
“I don’t think that will matter to anyone, especially not to my parents.”
“Have you heard from them?” Lachy asks.
“I don’t know. I put my phone on mute and haven’t looked at it since I got home.” She shudders. “I’m afraid to find out.”
“Do you want me to check?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “Not right now. Have you heard from Melissa?”
“No. Why? Did you call her?”
“No, but isn’t this the sort of thing she would be all over?”
“Yeah...” I begin to seriously worry about Melissa’s radio silence. This isn’t like her at all.
I look at Ryan and see my worry mirrored in his eyes. “I’ll call her again. Meanwhile, I want you to eat something. Try the soup.” He offers June the bowl.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Please, try a couple spoonfuls. You’ll feel better.”
“I’m afraid I might hurl. Every time I think about that video, I feel sick.”
“Then don’t think about it, lass.”
Ryan takes the bowl of soup back to the kitchen. A moment later, he says, “Uh... June. I think you should check your messages.”
She looks over her shoulder. “Why?”
“Katrina just messaged me on Instagram. It seems your parents are coming to LA.”
“What?” She jumps off the couch, her face turning as white as paper. “How does she know?”
Ryan shrugs. “I don’t know. She just said that your parents are coming to town.”
Damn everything to hell. This can’t be good.
June runs to her room, and I debate following her, but she returns a moment later with her phone in hand. Her brows are furrowed and she’s swiping at her screen. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
She’s freaking out, and there’s nothing I can do besides wait for her to share her burden with us. When she presses her phone to her ear, I know she’s either calling someone or listening to her voicemail.
“Tell me you tried to stop Mom and Dad from coming here, August.”
I watch June’s eyes grow larger, and then her expression crumbles. “I have a support system,” she grits out. “Do you seriously think Mom , of all people, is coming to help me?”
June presses her palm against her forehead and begins to pace. “You’re wrong, August. I’m not spiraling because Bill dumped me.” Another pause, then she says. “Well, it’s too bad you don’t believe me. I have to go.”
June clicks the end-call button with extra force and keeps staring at the screen, breathing hard.
“So, your parents are really coming to LA?” Ryan asks.
“Yes. My stupid-ass brother just dropped them off at the airport. He thinks the sex video was a cry for help. He gave my parents the idea to come.”
I move closer and pull her into my arms. “Let them come and see that you’re not spiraling.”
“The problem is that I am currently spiraling, and my parents coming here will only make everything worse.”
Ryan and Lachy join us and hug June too, making a sandwich filling out of her.
“We won’t let them, Peaches. You’re our girl, and they’ll have to come through us to get to you.”
“Which means they’re out of luck. I’m not called the Scottish Wall for nothing.”
June presses her cheek against my chest. “I don’t know if I should cry or laugh.”
“Please, don’t cry anymore, my love. I can’t stand it.” I kiss the top of her head.
“I’m sorry. I might not be completely out of tears yet.”
“Tell me what you need from us, lass. Anything.” Lachy brushes a lock of her hair off her face.
“You can tell me who’s responsible for that video. I think I’ll feel better if I start plotting my revenge against the asshole.”
I tense, unsure if I want June to know it was Wendy. Malcolm’s wife will get what’s coming to her, but I don’t want June to get her hands dirty.
“It was Wendy,” Ryan blurts out before I can signal with my eyes for him to keep his mouth shut.
Fuck. I guess I’m the only one who thought about the repercussions.
June laughs in derision. “Of course. Who else? We’ll wait for Katrina. She’ll have good ideas.”
I pull back and look into her eyes. There’s no malice or hatred in them, just sadness. Plotting revenge might be her way to cope right now, but she won’t follow through on it. That’s not who she is. But that doesn’t mean I won’t. That bitch will pay for hurting the love of my life.