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Her words play on a loop in my mind as I exit the car and make my way toward the counter inside the airport.
I feel so out of it it takes me almost a full minute to process that the woman standing behind it is waiting for me to hand her my ticket. She clears her throat and gives me a tight smile, and I return it apologetically.
Normally flying is a stressful experience. Going through security and rushing to get to the gate in time. Today, I’m just numb. I walk through the crowded terminal like my body is on autopilot.
Alyssa has called and texted constantly.
As soon as I place the cool metal device to my ear her cheerful voice chimes through.
“Lys, I’m okay. Really.”
I’ve said the words a dozen times, but she knows me better than that. She knows that my entire world is falling apart, and it’s killing her not to be by my side.
“I know you are. I have a bottle of your favorite waiting for you when you get home. I love you, Jules.”
I click the button to end the call and let out a deep breath.
Despite the current state of my career, and potential lack thereof, Alyssa is one constant I can always count on.
I settle into one of the chairs that line the window and don’t even bother pulling out my phone. Instead, I scan the large room.
There’s a man and woman that seem to be in a deep conversation about something. They study the tablet in the man’s hands and point at whatever is on the screen. The woman laughs and her companion shakes his head.
There is a young mother rocking an infant closer to the gate. She coos at the tiny bundle.
What looks to be a family is huddled around one another. Their teenage daughter has her eyes on me, one brow raised as if she recognizes my face. She pulls out her cell phone and taps on the screen, then looks back up at me. Back down at the phone, and then back to me again.
My stomach knots.
Is this what my life is going to look like until some other scandal hits the headlines?
The girl nudges her mother and says something quietly to her. The woman looks at me and nods to her daughter.
As the girl walks towards me I try to work out how this conversation is going to go in my mind.
“Uh, hey. Sorry to be weird, or whatever, but are you Juliet Warren?”
The girl fidgets awkwardly as she awaits my response.
“I’m sorry?” I ask, acting as if I didn’t hear her.
“Are you…” she hesitates, suddenly unsure that she has the right person. “Juliet? The publicist who’s dating Ryan Knox?”
It takes me longer than it should answer. Something about that word, dating, catches me off guard.
I try to force my best smile, but I doubt it’s very convincing.
“No, sorry. That isn’t me.”
It isn’t a lie. I don’t know how to define what I shared with Ryan, but whatever it was, it’s over now.
Chapter Forty-Six
Ryan
“What the hell were you thinking?” Olivia says as she collapses into one of the chairs in my hotel room. “You are not a stupid man, Ryan, so please explain this to me in a way that will help me understand.”
I sit on the bed and rub my hand over my face. The truth is I have no clue what to say to her. My mind is too busy replaying my last conversation with Juliet over and over in my mind on a repeating loop.
