Page 59 of Almost
I brush past him into his apartment, crossing my arms over my chest while Eric has the nerve to look confused. “Do you have something you need to tell me?” I ask, trying to keep my voice level.
“Lia, what’s going on?”
“Did you answer my phone when Sebastian called me?” I ask bluntly because I’m done beating around the bush with people. I’m tired because I didn’t sleep at all after Owen left with Sebastian. It’s been driving me nuts all day trying to figure out if I heard Sebastian correctly last night. I almost asked him earlier, but I didn’t see the point. The person I need to ask is Eric.
At least Eric has the nerve to look somewhat remorseful. “Yeah, I did.”
I let out an exasperated sigh, trying to hold my temper together, but it’s a losing battle. “Why the fuck would you do that?”
“Because I was trying to get you to give us another shot. He called you at five thirty the morning after your gallery opening. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why he was calling. The vibration of your phone woke me up, and I just answered it.”
The morning after the gallery opening? If I had been the one to answer that phone call, everything would be different. “What did you say to him?” I ask, trying to wrap my head around this without screaming at Eric. I understand where he’s coming from; we were about to get back together, but that gave him no right to answer my phone for me, and hide it from me.
Eric crosses his arms over his chest. “Why does it matter? He’s getting married in less than two weeks. All I’ve heard you say about him is how you want Sebastian to leave you alone. That was the message I passed along.”
Don’t stomp your foot.I clench my hands at my side. “It matters because it was my phone, and it wasn’t any of your business!”
“Thalia, he’s never going to leave Kiera. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life being the other woman? You deserve better than that.” Eric shakes his head at me, and I know he doesn’t mean it that way, but it’s condescending.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Tell me what he said, Eric.”
He laughs bitterly. “Bash wanted to talk to you, and I told him to let you go. I said that you’re fine without him and he was causing you pain. I’d love to be wrong about this, but I’m not. Do you not remember how upset you were after that dinner?”
“I was upset because Sebastian told me that he couldn’t stop thinking about me and that a piece of him still loves me! That wasn’t fair to me, and it wasn’t fair to Kiera, but regardless of how upset I was, it still doesn’t give you the right!”
He scratches the back of his neck, and I spot the flush creeping up it. “You can’t even see that you’re proving I’m right. You were upset because he told you that he still loves you while he is engaged. I’m ninety-nine percent sure that is exactly what Bash was going to say to you in that phone call. Especially when he blurted out an apology before even saying hello.”
I want to scream. I know Eric thinks he had the best intentions when he told Sebastian to leave me alone, but he should have told me. Why the fuck do people even try to keep secrets when nothing stays a goddamn secret anymore?
“I deserved to know that he called and apologized. You shouldn’t have hid that from me.”
“I’m sorry. I’m guessing that he didn’t exactly listen to me if you found out about the conversation. I hope you know what you’re doing getting involved with a soon-to-be-married man. The Thalia I know wouldn’t go there.”
“Sebastian left her.” God, it sounds so terrible saying it like that, but the only people who know are in our immediate circle. The pregnancy is going to be noticeable at some point, but for now I don’t know if Bash wants to tell people or not. Personally, I don’t think I’d willinglyvolunteer that I was cheated on if I were him, but he can do whatever he wants.
Eric’s taken aback, clearly not expecting that to come out of my mouth. To be honest, I think that’s everyone’s reaction. After talking to Owen and Sebastian, and knowing what I previously knew, their relationship wasn’t perfect. What relationship is? Yet on the outside, Bash and Kiera fit the perfect criteria for what a happy couple is supposed to look like. There’s probably three new articles coming out today to speculate the color scheme of the wedding, and what Kiera’s dress will look like.
“I don’t know if its rude to say congratulations? It’s what you wanted, so I hope things work out for you guys,” Eric says. The words on their own sound rude, his tone is anything but. Eric is a great guy. He’s just not the guy for me.
“We’re only friends,” I say, finally relaxing a bit, and Eric annoyingly smiles.
“Sure you are. I’m going to enjoy seeing how long that lasts for.”
I roll my eyes. “Shut up. You’re pushing it, Eric. I’m mad at you.”
“Can you blame me? We were never going to have a real shot if Bash was going to stay in your life,” he says matter-of-factly.
“No, we probably didn’t have a shot,” I admit. “But being dishonest didn’t help either.”
~
News of Sebastian’s broken engagement hit the tabloids a few days later. Both had to release joint statements due to Sebastian’s job, but rumors were still flying like crazy. Bashhas been lying low, and for good reason. The tabloids are jumping at the first opportunity to crucify him for leaving his fiancée. I hate that he’s being painted as the bad guy, but he’s refusing to comment on anything.
So far the story being told is Sebastian is in love with another woman—which isn’t exactly a lie—but it’s not why. The real reason hasn’t made it to anyone outside of his agent, publicist, Owen, Blake, me, and whoever Kiera told. I can’t imagine her telling a lot of people she cheated on him, and is now knocked up.
When we broke up, I was gone within a few days of anyone finding out, making it hard for me to be tailed by people who cared far more about our relationship than they should have. This time I’m here to witness it all. It’s brutal.
Penelope is still in France. I miss her, but I’m jealous she’s away from the shit fest going on here.