Page 36 of Love From the Ashes
“You silly girl. You don’t fit in and never will. Hiring you at the company is far different than allowing you to be a part of their family. I can see the headlines now. ‘Boston Society Meets Street Trash.’ You’re on the bottom of the social ladder and would be nothing but an embarrassment to them. Does Reid even know your background? Did his mother share it with him? I’d venture to say she didn’t. He wouldn’t give you the time of day if she had.”
“You don’t know him!” I jumped up from my chair, my hands balling into fists. Reid wasn’t like that and never could be. I was sure of it.
“Oh, I know him. Intimately, in fact. I also know how adept he is at throwing women to the curb and moving on to someone else. Save yourself the pain and embarrassment of Reid tossing you away. He’ll always have someone waiting in the wings to replace you. And he’ll always be looking for someone fresh. Reid didn’t get his reputation by accident. He earned it. As a matter of fact, have you seen the headlines in the tabloids? Hmm? Your lack of an answer tells me you haven’t, so let me be the first to show you.” Krista pulled her cell phone from her pocket. After some typing on the screen and a few swipes with her finger, she held it up with the screen facing me.
I glanced at it, unwilling to give her the satisfaction of anything more. “Really? An old photo of Reid with some woman. What’s your point?”
“First, that’s not some woman. Look again. It’s Samantha Wilding, the soap opera star. Second, it’s from five days ago when he was supposedly in New York on a business trip. And the headline says it all: ‘Samantha Wilding’s New Beau. The two get cozy in New York restaurant.’ Oh, and there’s another photo of them leaving a hotel together. Would you like to see it? You’re shaking your head. I take it that’s a no? If you change your mind, the photos are widely available online. So, maybe now you’ll heed my advice and stay away from Reid before he discards you like a worn-out sock. After all, you haven’t got the looks, personality, or sophistication to compete with a woman like her. And before you get upset at me, let me remind you that I’m just the messenger and simply looking out for your best interest.”
“You’re a viper incapable of looking out for anyone but yourself. It sounds more like you’re a disgruntled ex, pissed off because you don’t have Reid, and angry that he wants me. Go ahead. You can say whatever you want. I know the real story.”
“You’re so naive.” Krista made a clicking sound with her tongue as she shook her head. The expression on her face was mocking, and the noise she was making reminded me of a snake’s rattle before it viciously struck. “Think what you want, but we both know Reid’s getting himself off between someone’s legs, and they’re not yours. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” An evil-looking sneer contorted her face as she sauntered away, the devious sound of her laughter sending a chill up my spine.
My knees shook as I waited for her to disappear around the corner. Then I sank onto my chair, my body deflated. My mind was like a jigsaw puzzle; each thought was a piece of the whole that I couldn’t put together. Was Reid playing me? Was he sleeping with some gorgeous soap opera star that I’d never be able to compete against? If it were just Krista saying it, I wouldn’t believe it. But the evidence was in front of me, available for the whole world to see on the internet.
I looked down at my hands as a sniffle escaped me. It had to be true, and I was a sucker to believe Reid. He was like every other man I’d known, and they wanted one thing—a piece of ass. Nauseated and lightheaded, I left the office and went down the hall to the restroom. Making sure it was empty, I went into the end stall and quietly closed the door. I sat on the toilet lid and brought my knees to my chest. Then the tears came. He’d said the four-letter word, and it was a lie.
I’d been there for a while. Precisely how long, I wasn’t sure. After wiping my eyes and rinsing my face, I looked at my image in the mirror. I was such a fool. I’d believed a fairy tale, admitting to Reid that I loved him, only to be knocked to my knees. Burdened with my thoughts, I plodded back to the office, my steps heavy with the pain of his deception.
“There you are. Reid was here looking for you,” Della said when I came through the door. “Oh, shit. You look like hell. What happened?”
“Nothing. I don’t feel good. That’s all.” I brushed my hair from my cheek and came around my desk to sit down.
“Nah, something’s up. There’s more going on than your feeling sick.” Della’s eyes narrowed as she scrutinized me. “Spill it. What happened?”
“Nothing. I’m fine. Just a little lightheaded and queasy.” I turned on my computer and pretended to work, but I couldn’t think. My mind was off somewhere else, submerged in a bog of anguish and bad memories. I bit my lip, angry at myself for being so naive and allowing Reid to use me.
“I’ll leave you alone, then, but I still think there’s something you’re not telling me.” She spun on her heel and walked away. There was a frown on her face as she took one last look at me before disappearing around the corner.
The next few hours crept by as I struggled to stay at my desk. I’d even wondered if the clock had stopped at one point, the time seeming to stand still. Near lunchtime, I decided to leave a few minutes early. In no mood for company, I wanted to disappear for the next hour and hoped I could make it through the rest of the day. Grabbing my purse and lunch bag, I left the office and stepped into the elevator. Reid passed by as the door closed. He had to be heading to my office.
I spent my lunch hour hidden away at the small park on the corner. When I returned to the office, Della was heading into the conference room for a meeting, her eyes on me until the door closed. She stopped by my desk twice after that, prodding me to tell her what had happened. I gave her the same reply each time, telling her I didn’t feel well.
The day progressed, and it was now late afternoon. I was filing paperwork in the cabinets behind my desk when I sensed someone watching me. I turned to find Krista standing at my counter with that wretched smirk back on her face.
“It’s four o’clock. I hear you don’t feel well. Since you came to work an hour early, you can leave if you want.”
“Thank you.” I turned away to shut down my computer and gather my belongings. I pretended as if she weren’t there.
Krista stormed away a moment later, appearing frustrated by my silence and lack of response.
I left the office and headed to my bus stop. It wasn’t long before I was home. I tossed my purse and lunch bag on my coffee table and crawled into bed, my heart and mind in tatters. I wanted to sleep the pain away, hoping to wake up and find it all gone.
*
I opened myeyes. Groggy, I tried to pinpoint the sound that woke me. Then I heard it again. Someone was buzzing me from downstairs. Feeling confused, I looked at my watch. It was seven o’clock. I must have fallen asleep for the last two hours. Strangely exhausted and numb, I dragged myself from my air mattress and answered the buzzer. “Yes.”
“It’s Reid. Let me in.”
I leaned against the wall. I could take care of the situation now or do it later. Although the longer I waited to back away from our relationship, the harder it would be. And it was in my best interest to end it before Reid broke my heart. I closed my eyes and hung my head. Then I pressed the button, letting him into the building.
Reid was at my apartment in less than a minute. He bolted across the threshold before I could fully open the door, his body rigid as he stared at me from several feet away. “Dammit, Sofie. What’s going on? I’ve been calling and texting you all day, and you haven’t answered. I even looked for you several times, and you’d disappeared. What’s happening? Why are you ignoring me?”
I closed the door and turned to face him, my shoulders slumping as my gaze shifted to the coffee table. I’d left my cell phone buried in the bottom of my purse all day, unaware he’d been trying to reach me.
“Could you say something to me, please? Give me a clue as to what happened. We spent the weekend together, and now you won’t talk to me. Why?”
I studied Reid with tired eyes as I tried to figure out what to say. He was upset and sounded confused. What if Krista was wrong? Could it be possible that it wasn’t a lie and he loved me? Was I on the verge of making a huge mistake?