by Sarah Morgan
He wasn’t about to disagree. “Will you call me when you’re ready to talk?”
“I don’t know.”
The thought that she might not call him was like being kicked in the ribs.
“Molly—”
She turned away, looking so vulnerable the pain in his chest intensified.
He wanted to stop her, but before he could find the words that might persuade her not to climb into the cab, she was gone.
He told himself that he’d figure it out. She was mad right now, but she was also reasonable. When she calmed down, she’d see his point of view. At least, he hoped she would.
At least now she knew everything.
Things couldn’t get worse.
That hope lasted until he woke up the following morning, checked his messages and discovered things had just got a whole lot worse.
Twenty
Molly didn’t sleep much, and the wakeful moments were punctuated by the knowledge that Daniel had investigated her and hadn’t told her.
Of all the arrogant, outrageous, lying, arrogant—had she already said arrogant? Well, hell, he deserved to be called it twice.
Abandoning hope of sleep, she stomped to the kitchen, crashing mugs and slamming drawers.
Valentine watched her, his head on his paws, clearly deciding that this was one of those days when it was best to keep a low profile.
“I’m upset,” she told him, her bad mood lessening as he thumped his tail on the floor. “He should at least have told me, don’t you think?”
Valentine watched her in silence and she sighed.
“He was doing the best for his clients, I know.” And it was hard to criticize a man for that. “I mean, I know I kept secrets from him, but that was different.”
Valentine’s gaze followed her as she clattered her way around the small, sun-filled kitchen.
“All right, maybe it wasn’t that different.” She glared at him. “Stop looking at me like that. You’re making me feel guilty.”
Valentine yawned and thumped his tail.
“You want me to feel guilty? What sort of a friend are you?” A good friend. The best. Except that lately, Daniel had been a good friend, too.
She made her coffee strong, breathed in the aroma and took several restorative sips before taking it to the window seat. It was the place she did most of her thinking. “I love talking to you, but talking to him felt good, too.” She leaned against the cushions, curled her legs under her, and stared down into the street.
“I should probably call him.”
It wasn’t as if he was the only one who had been stingy with the truth. She had, too, hadn’t she? In fact, if she’d told him the truth from the beginning, none of this would have happened.
His behavior had been no worse, or better, than hers.
She should definitely call him.
With a sigh, she reached for her phone.
“Here’s the thing,” she told Valentine. “It’s okay to make mistakes, just as long as you’re not afraid to admit when you were wrong. I was wrong. In his position, I probably would have done the same thing. Give me five minutes to drink this and recover and then I’ll call him and take you for a walk in the park. Maybe he’ll even meet us there.”
Valentine’s ears pricked up at the promise of a walk, but before she’d had a chance to finish her coffee there was a hammering on the door.
“Molly?”
Valentine sprang to his feet and shot across the room, barking with delight as he recognized Daniel’s voice.
Molly, who was having much the same reaction, walked to the door, her coffee in one hand and her phone in the other.
He’d come to her. That was good, wasn’t it?
She unlocked the door and opened it.
Daniel stood there. He was still wearing the shirt he’d had on the night before, although he’d replaced tailored trousers with jeans. His face was ashen, the blue of his eyes intensified by the pallor of his skin. At the sight of him the last of her anger evaporated and all that was left was concern.
“What’s wrong? What’s happened?” Had he lost a client? Was he ill? “You look awful.”
“You didn’t answer my text.” He pushed his way into her apartment without waiting for an invitation and she closed the door.
“I was just going to call you, but you beat me to it. What did your text say? My phone was switched off.” She switched it on, wondering what the message was. Something affectionate? Another apology? Or was he waiting for an apology from her? She had a feeling she owed him one.
“Sit down.” His mouth was tight. His expression grim.
Her stomach gave a little lurch. “Look, I admit I may have overreacted a little last night. I’ve had time to think about it and—”
“I’m not here because of last night.”
“Oh. I assumed…” She swallowed. “So why are you here?” She’d never seen him like this before. She’d only ever seen him calm and in control. “What’s wrong? Has something happened to you?”
“It’s not about me, it’s about you.”
“Me? I don’t understand.” And then her phone came to life and she saw his text.
Don’t look at the internet.
He removed the phone from her hand. “You have to believe that I had no idea this would happen. Not that I’m making excuses.” He inhaled deeply. “There is no easy way to say this and I take full responsibility—”
“For what?”
“They’ve made the link between Aggie and Dr. Kathy. They know who you are.”
Her limbs turned to liquid. “Max? The background check you did—”
“It wasn’t Max.”
“Then how—”
“Last night someone took a photo of us together.”
She cast her mind back but remembered nothing specific. “I don’t understand how that would expose me. And I don’t remember anyone taking a photo of me.”
“You weren’t the target of the photo, I was.” He ran his hand over his jaw. “That was the first time I’ve ever taken a woman to that event. I’m the eternal bachelor. Someone took a photo of me and posted it. It was retweeted a lot, and somewhere in that round of retweets someone recognized you. Someone who was at the Phoenix Publishing party that night, and knew you as ‘Aggie.’ That’s the power of social media.”
She knew all about the power of social media. The good side and the bad.
“How bad is it?” Her mouth was so dry it was hard to speak. “They’ve made the connection and named me?”
“Yes. They’ve talked about your TV role as Dr. Kathy. About how you were targeted by the online community. How you lost your job.” He hesitated. “And that you moved to the US and started Ask a Girl.”
She closed her eyes as the enormity of it descended, along with the implications. “So they know all of it.”
“Yes, and I understand that this is the one thing you dreaded. It shouldn’t have happened and I’m the reason it did.” His tone was raw. “I’m truly sorry.”
She shook her head, numb, and reached for her laptop.
He caught her arm. “Don’t.”
“I want to. I have to know what I’m dealing with.”
The story wasn’t hard to find.
The identity of the woman behind the popular relationship blog Ask a Girl, has been revealed as Dr. Kathleen Molly Parker. Writing under the pseudonym of ‘Aggie,’ Dr. Parker has spent the last three years advising people on how to manage their relationships, despite the fact that she has never managed to sustain one herself. Fired from the hit British TV show…
Molly carried on reading, even though she already knew the content. Only one part was new, and that related to Daniel.
She read it aloud. “‘An ex-girlfriend of Daniel Knight’s commented that “she won’t break his heart because he doesn’t have one.” Mr. Knight was unavailable for comment.’”
Scrolling down, she saw the picture someone had taken of her and Daniel at the summer party. They’d
caught the moment when they were dancing, eyes locked.
No wonder we didn’t notice people taking photographs, she thought. He’d been the only thing in her field of vision and she’d been the only thing in his.
She won’t break his heart because he doesn’t have one.
She stared at the words and then looked away, confused. Why was she focusing on that one sentence when it was the rest of it that was important?
There was an ache behind her ribs.
Shock, she thought. That had to be it. What else could it be?
And of course she would be shocked. Her life was unraveling.
Still, it was that one phrase that went round and round in her head.
She won’t break his heart because he doesn’t have one.
Well, that was good to know, wasn’t it? She didn’t want to break anyone’s heart ever again.
“Actually I was available for comment,” Daniel drawled, “but seeing as my only comment would have been unprintable there didn’t seem much point in answering the phone.”
“Your phone has been ringing?” It was happening again. Only this time Daniel was in the line of fire. She flipped her laptop closed, unwilling to read any more. “I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into this mess. You’d better leave.”
“Why would I leave?”
“Because sooner or later someone is going to show up here asking questions. Probably taking photos. You should get out before it gets tough.” That was what people did, wasn’t it? Her mother. Her friends—
Her friends.
“You think I care about that?”
“You’ll care, Daniel. When they’ve dragged your reputation through the mud, interviewed all of your ex-girlfriends and plastered the sordid details of your life all over the internet, you’ll care. All my friends should stay away.” What if they bothered Gabe and Mark? What if their friendship wasn’t as strong as she believed it to be?
“It’s because I’m your friend I have no intention of staying away. We’ll formulate a plan together.”
“A plan?”
“Of course. I’m a lawyer. A master of strategy. It’s my job. But first I need coffee. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Daniel—”
There was a knock on the door and Daniel’s expression darkened.
“Don’t answer that,” Molly warned, but he strode to the door and checked the identity of the visitor.
“It’s Fliss and Harriet.” He opened the door and then locked it behind them.
Harriet was carrying three kittens in a basket and she set them down next to Molly. “Sorry to bring them, but I couldn’t leave them on their own.”
“You shouldn’t have come at all.” Molly stared at the twins. “I don’t understand what you’re doing here.”
“When we see our brother’s name on Twitter it’s generally something we want to follow up on,” Fliss said, turning to Daniel. “Not to mention the fact that some pea-brained journalist stopped me in the street this morning and asked me whether the reason you’d chosen to become a divorce lawyer was because your childhood was so unstable.”
It was like adding a few drops of poison to a water source, Molly thought. Pretty soon everyone was infected.
She expected Daniel to be annoyed, but to her surprise he grinned.
“And your reply was?”
“I asked him if he became a journalist because he was nosy and led a boring life.” Fliss thumped her bag down on the sofa and looked around approvingly. “Nice place.”
“Thank you.” Molly felt awkward. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry? It’s the journalist who should be sorry for asking questions that were none of his damn business. And he was sorry, I’m happy to tell you. I was walking a rescue dog who has a very snarly temper. I didn’t actually allow sharp teeth to snap tight on sensitive flesh but it was a close enough thing to ensure he won’t be back in a hurry. And I might have mentioned in passing that the dog’s favorite food is testicles.” She sat down next to Harriet on the sofa, looking unreasonably happy about the outcome.
Molly pulled a curious Valentine away from the kittens and joined the twins on the sofa. “I’ve already told Daniel he should leave. Perhaps he’ll listen to you.”
“He never listens to us. And why would he leave? He’s big and bad enough to look after himself and if the press steps over a line legally he will go after them like the wrath of…of…someone wrathful. We’re here for you.” Fliss patted Molly’s leg awkwardly.
“For me? Why?”
“Because that’s what friends do when life implodes. Not that I know a lot about your past, but it looks to me as if your life is definitely imploding.”
“But—you don’t even know me that well.”
“Not true. We’ve been walking Valentine when you’re busy for the past two years. You’re kind, sensible and you love your dog. Also, I know my brother is crazy about you, and given that he’s never been crazy about a woman before, I figure you’re someone worth knowing.” She caught her brother’s eye. “What? Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something I shouldn’t have? I mean, she has to know you’re crazy about her, right? And she’s crazy about you, or you wouldn’t be spending all this time together. And then there’s the fact that you helped me when I had a meltdown. So I owe you for that, too.”
Molly felt her head spin.
Crazy about her? Fliss had that totally wrong, but this wasn’t the time or the place to put her right. She’d obviously misinterpreted all the time Molly and Daniel had been spending together. Read more into it than was there. They were spending a lot of time together, that was true, but not because they were crazy about each other. Because they had fun and enjoyed each other’s company, that was all. What was wrong with that?
Harriet, who was in the process of tucking a blanket around the kittens, glanced at her twin. “You had a meltdown? Was it about Seth? Why don’t I know about this?”
“Because I didn’t want you to have a meltdown, too. You and me together would have escalated global warming. I went to Daniel because he never melts down. And Molly was very helpful. I don’t care what those idiots say, you know what you’re talking about.”
“Have you spoken to Seth yet?”
“No. Still planning that part. I’m building up to it.” Fliss stood up. “Given that we’re now besties, can I make myself coffee in your kitchen? I’m so desperate, I’ll chomp on the beans if you have any.”
There was another knock on the door and Valentine went racing across the apartment, startling the kittens.
“This place is busier than Times Square.” Daniel opened the door again and this time it was Gabe and Mark who stood there.
He let them in and Gabe walked straight to Molly and folded her into a giant hug.
“Are you doing all right?”
“I’m not sure. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?”
“I’m the golden boy since we won the champagne account. I can work at home if I need to.”
“You probably should have gone into the office while you could. After today, you won’t be able to leave your apartment.” She thought about what it had been like for her friends the last time. “There’s still time to move. They’ll want to interview you.”
“The front door is locked. And if it’s any consolation I heard Mrs. Winchester having a go at someone.” Gabe strolled to the window and glanced down into the street. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We will form a protective circle around you.”
Molly felt her throat thicken and her eyes sting.
She reached behind her to the box of tissues she kept on the shelf, tugged one out and blew her nose.
What was wrong with her?
Maybe she was getting the flu.
“Here. Hold him.” Harriet placed the smallest kitten in her lap. “Nothing like a fluffy kitten to lift the mood.”
Valentine, who seemed confused to be sharing his space with so many people, sat close
to her, nudging the kitten gently with his nose.
Molly looked around her crowded apartment, feeling a little dazed. Gabe and Daniel were discussing how best to handle the situation. Mark and Fliss were clattering around the kitchen, finding mugs and making coffee. Harriet was trying to settle the other two kittens in the basket. “I can’t believe you’re all here.”
“We’re your urban family.” Cheerful, Fliss poured coffee into mugs. “That means we can argue, be generally annoying, hang around when you really wish we’d leave, drink your coffee, eat your food—do you need me to go on?”
The thickening in her throat grew worse. Not flu. Emotion. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Save your words for handling what’s happening. You should blog about it.” It was Daniel who spoke. “There isn’t a man or woman out there who hasn’t struggled with relationships at one point in their lives. Post something. That way you tell it from your point of view. Control it. The only comment you make on this situation is on Ask a Girl. That way, people who want to know more will go directly to your blog.”
“Increase traffic.” Gabe nodded. “I agree. Write something heartfelt and honest. Want me to help? I write advertising copy for a living.”
“We’ll all help you write it.” Fliss handed out mugs of coffee. “For the record, I think it’s so cool that you’re Aggie.”
“You do?” Molly felt overwhelmed. She’d never solved a problem by committee before.
“Yes. From now on anytime we have a problem with our relationships, we can call you.” Fliss tapped her mug against Molly’s. “It’s very cool.”
“It feels weird everyone suddenly knowing something I’ve been hiding for years.”
“We’re experts on that.” Gabe winked at Mark. “We can advise. And we can watch your back.”
“Someone needs to, because Daniel’s mostly watching her front,” Fliss said cheerfully and earned herself a warning look from her brother.
They stayed all day, and by the time everyone left the apartment, it was dark.
Between them they’d written and posted the blog, eaten six large pizzas, consumed two bottles of champagne and talked. They talked about the good and the bad, the embarrassing and the scary. They shared secrets and feelings. Twice Harriet had quietly slipped out of the apartment and taken Valentine to the park for a quick run. Fliss had insisted on tagging along as her bodyguard, and had returned the second time with a large box from Magnolia Bakery.