Trapp #4
“Oh no, what’s wrong?!” Vanessa’s words were directed toward Trapp, her eyebrows raised as she took him in for the first time since her arrival. Apparently, he did, in fact, look like shit, it would seem.
“The human dumped him,” Grayson supplied, already chuckling.
“Oh no!” Vanessa’s eyebrows were at risk of disappearing into her hair as her head swung back to him. “What happened!?”
Here you go, trial run of your version. He already knew that regardless of what he said, Grayson would tell her a different story the moment he left, but that didn’t matter.
Vanessa was about to become a Hemming, and if nothing else, she seemed to understand what that meant publicly.
She, too, knew how to stick to the script.
“She was offered a job in the school district where her mother and sister live, out of state. Her mom fell last year and has had a rough time with the physical therapy . . .” He took a deep breath, schooling his features, affecting a sad smile, as if he were announcing the departure of a butterfly he’d hatched.
Sad to see it go, but knowing it was an inevitability.
“She’s making the best decision she can.
I don’t blame her for it. But that doesn’t mean I’m willing to just leave the department, not when I have so much seniority. ”
Grayson clapped, loud and slow, as Trapp’s smile slipped back into a scowl. Vanessa’s head moved back and forth between them, her brows in danger of moving off her face entirely.
“Bravo. That was a magnificent first take. You even managed to work in the seniority angle! I would really zero in on the mom bit, lay it on thick. She didn’t have a choice .
. . but neither do you, if you and Vinlop are the only medics at the station who can respond to critical care situations.
What are you supposed to do? Move to Potatoville and mow the lawn at the park on weekends?
That would be an irresponsible use of your already wasted education.
By the time you deliver that at the coffee shop, I have no doubt you’ll somehow manage to make it sound like breaking up was your idea. ”
Vanessa scoffed, splashing Grayson as he laughed, shaking her head. “Don’t listen to him, Trapp. We both know he can’t help it — he’s terminally an asshole. Regardless of the reason, I’m really sorry to hear that. I liked Julia a lot.”
“Go clean yourself up so I can take you to dinner this week. I have an invite to that private supper club thing Dragnar is starting. Oh, I almost forgot with all your crying . . . Shay said they hired a new doctor for that clinic. Apparently she went to Mercy. He said he texted you while she was still interviewing to find out if you knew her, but you never responded.”
“Yeah, you know what? You are taking me to dinner. That’s the least you can fucking do.
Steak. Lobster. Full whiskey flight. You already know my phone is busted.
And a lot of people went to Mercy. I don’t know all of them.
Do you know every sixty-two-year-old socialite on the Eastern seaboard just because you fucked one of them? No? That’s how stupid you sound.”
“Woooow,” Vanessa laughed. “You two are relentless.”
“Go home, work on it in front of the mirror a few times,” Grayson continued as if Trapp hadn’t spoken.
“Get in front of it early enough, spread it around. Once Julia’s version of how terrible you are gets out, you’ll already have swayed public opinion.
Who are they going to believe? A human? Express how your heart is still open to love, despite this temporary setback.
I’m sure you’ll have it ready by the time you hit the station. ”
Trapp had already turned his back on the pool, making his way to the side gate with his arms raised, flipping his brother off with both hands.
A swift glance over his shoulder showed Vanessa carefully applying a second set of the eye patches to Grayson’s face, bobbing beside him in the water, a domestic tableau he felt too raw to witness.
“Shake it off. Get laid. Don’t pick any stupid fucking fights I’ll have to rescue you from. And don’t ever come to my pool smelling like a donkey’s asshole again,” Grayson called to his back, as Vaness laughed. “Sun blasted or not.”
Gray was right. It was a good first take.
He’d need to mentally work through the variables, come up with a few conversation-ending details that would make it clear neither he nor Julia was exiting the relationship on bad terms. He’d be back at work selling his side of things before word of his two days of indiscretion spread, and by then, no one would care.
After all, he was single again, looking to mend his bruised heart.
It had been worth coming over. Grayson never made anything easy, but he was good at this.
He talked shit, but he understood optics.
More than that, he understood Trapp better than anyone in the world, for better or worse.
He’s right. You can make it sound like splitting up was your idea.
By next week, she’ll already be gone, and your version will be all that matters.