Page 130 of Broken Romeo
Nolan tosses his bloody tissue into the waste can beside the door. “Let me make this clear,” he says. “I wasn’t asking your permission to be there. I’m a part of this production team, and Katie and I will both be at that meeting tomorrow. With my lawyer.”
That’s the last place in the world I want to be tomorrow.
“He’s right,” Holden says, his gaze fastened onto me. “You both helped create these characters. You earned the roles. You deserve to be at the meeting that determines the fate of the show.”
Shaking his head, Nolan mutters, “Well, look at that. He does have a spine.”
“I’m sorry about this,” Holden says, stepping closer to Nolan and me. It’s non-confrontational, and only then do I see the real reason his eyes glow. Regret. “I really am. I shouldn’t have lost control like that. But you need to apologize, too.”
Holden’s gaze skims over me, and my heart sputters, skidding to a stop in my chest. I know what he’s saying. I can read his thoughts. He’s right. I’m owed an apology. Nolan was so out of line after our song.
Nolan snorts. “Like hell I’m apologizing to you—”
“Not to him,” I interrupt them both. “You need to apologize to me, Nolan. You can’t just kiss me without my consent. You were warned of that the first week of rehearsals. It doesn’t excuse Holden punching you, but at the very least, you owe me an apology.”
Nolan’s mouth firms into a frown and he nods. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Katie.”
With that, he tugs the door open and disappears through the crowd as Amy and Senator Dorsey break off into their own conversation. It seems like the perfect opportunity for me to slip away. It’s been a long night and I’m exhausted.
Senator Dorsey looks up, catching me as I back toward the door. “So, I take it Holden never told you I was one of the producers?”
“No,” I say, moving my gaze to Holden. “He didn’t.”
Holden launches forward and this time I don’t step back as he takes my hand in his. “Because he wasn’t supposed to be. I didn’t even know he was a producer of our show until a few days ago.”
Senator Dorsey scoffs a mean sounding laugh. “What? You think Reid Bradley just stepped down from his position as director on his own? I had to pay that man a million dollars to leave the show so you could have this chance at directing.”
A gasp strangles in my throat, and Holden’s face pales, going a ghostly shade of white.
“You did what?” he hisses.
Senator Dorsey rolls his eyes. “Well, I wouldn’t have bothered if I’d known you were just going to cast your college crush in the other leading role.”
Holden shakes his head and his trembling hands ball into fists. “You bastard.”
Senator Dorsey snorts, directing the next statement directly to me. “Then again, maybe I should have known this would happen after you dragged Reid to that awful Fringe show of hers.”
I blink, the realization of his words hitting like a blow to my gut. I glance up at Holden who’s not looking at me. “You dragged Reid to see my show? You said… you said he discovered me on his own. That he saw me and contacted my agent to have me audition.”
Holden takes a step toward me, but I counter it, moving back. “Katherine, please. Let me explain. Having you audition was Reid’s idea. The moment he saw you on stage, he wanted you to come in and read for this part. All I did was plant the seed—”
“All you did was plant the seed?” I repeat, his words like poison on my tongue.
Senator Dorsey pulls his phone from his pocket, interrupting Holden by reading aloud from a text message on his screen. “Dad… I wish I could see your face as I deliver the news that I’ve casted Kate. All your bullshit was for nothing. And now you’ll be forced to see the two of us together. Week after week. Making headlines. And it will drive you crazy.”
Senator Dorsey finishes reading, then holds his phone up to me. The text message on the screen is from Holden and dated the day he came to see me when I was working at the coffee shop.
“I’m sorry, Kate,” the senator says. “You weren’t ever supposed to have this part. It was all just a giant revenge plot my son cooked up.”
“No!” Holden rakes his hands through his hair. “I mean, yes, I sent that. But it’s not what you think. That’s not why you got this part, Kate.”
Kate. Not Katherine. Somehow, even though Holden calling me Katherine started off as a source of frustration, it now means more when he doesn’t call me by my full name.
“Please. Let me explain—”
“You lied to me,” I whisper. This shouldn’t be a surprise. But it is. Somehow, after all this time, I still find it surprising that Holden can lie so easily to me.
I need to get out of here. I need to get away from everyone at this party. These horrible, lying assholes who will do anything to get ahead.