Page 245 of Love Unwritten
My face turns red. “I guess so.”
“How does it feel?”
“To be a millionaire?” I ask.
“No! To beat the Wicked Witch of West Hollywood!”
“Is that what they’re calling her?”
Willow winks. “Do you like it? I came up with it myself.”
My laugh is cut off by a chair scraping against the marble floor as Ava rises onto her stiletto heels. Neither Rafael, Willow, nor I look in her direction, which seems to anger her based on the way she walks over to my side of the courtroom and clears her throat.
“Ava.” Cole steps in front of the table, blocking her from view. “I’d say it’s nice to see you, but my grandma raised me not to lie.”
“Aw. Was your mom too busy screwing her security guard to teach you herself?”
Exactly how small is Hollywood? Because these two seem way too familiar with one another, and I had absolutely no idea.
Cole’s laugh is jarring when compared to the ones I’ve heard before, and it makes the hairs on the back of my neck rise. “Perhaps you should save that sharp tongue for your new songs.”
“If I want songwriting advice from someone who hasn’t won a single award for theirs, I’ll be sure to ask you for help,” Ava sneers.
“Speaking of awards, you owe Ellie that Grammy of yours.” Willow steps beside Cole, earning a glance from him. His brows furrow for a moment before his sly smile slips back into place.
Ava lets out a long, dramatic sigh. “Ellie?”
I stiffen. After more than a year wishing that Ava had given me a chance to explain my side of the story, I no longer feel the same way.
I’m ready to move on. For good.
Rafael’s head snaps in her direction, and his thunderous expression reminds me of dark clouds looming before the sky opens up. “She clearly doesn’t want to speak to you, so do us all a favor and go.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch her squinting at him. “And you are?”
“Your worst nightmare if you don’t find the closest exit.”
Ava sucks in a breath. “Wait. Aren’t you Rafael Lopez?”
He ignores her.
Cole motions toward the exit. “Goodbye, Ava. Tell Darius that I’ll see him in hell.”
Her heels click against the marble flooring as she walks through the exit.
“What was that all about?” I ask Cole once she leaves.
He shrugs. “I really can’t stand her boyfriend.”
“You’re telling me,” Rafael says before he and Cole share a look. Since my trip to Europe, the two of them have become friendlier, especially since Cole visits Lake Wisteria more often now in hopes of us writing another successful album together.
I don’t plan on ever asking Cole why he hates Darius, but I have a feeling it is personal, along with whatever anger he holds toward Ava. I’m not sure what happened in the year since I left Los Angeles, but I doubt I’ll ever get an answer out of Cole, so there’s no point in giving it much thought.
“Anyone up for some drinks?” Cole plasters on his usual smile, although the haunted look in his eyes remains.
“Hell yes.” Willow tosses her hair over her shoulder.
Rafael looks down at me, and I nod.