by Tia Wylder
I shrink back again. You have to keep going. You have to tell him the truth. You can’t be honest in half-steps.
“I wanted to get you to fall for me, so I could hurt you like you hurt Josie,” I whisper.
Zachary stops in front of me. There is nothing in his eyes anymore but total heartbreak, and I feel it too because I know how badly I’ve hurt him.
“You what? How could you do that? You could have just fucking talked to me, Ava. Told me the truth. And instead, you have sex with me? To get me to fall in love with you? You don’t know anything about me. How could you be so heartless?”
I want to reach out and hold him, but I know any touch from me would be met with coldness. Rightfully so, I just keep standing there in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do with my hands or all of the tears that are threatening to choke me alive.
“I didn’t know, Zachary! I still don’t! All I knew was what Josie told me, and you’re still not telling me anything! Yes, I came to you with deceptions and the intention of breaking your heart. But I ended up falling in love with you. And now I’m the one who’ll get hurt. Maybe that’s what I deserve, but I still don’t know the truth. About Josie. About you. About you and Josie. And I don’t know what to believe anymore. Please try to see things from my perspective. Just for a minute.”
Zachary just stares at me. There is nothing in his eyes but sadness and bewilderment. And I feel miserable because I know I am responsible for all of it. He runs his hands through his hair with a long, weary sigh and starts for the door. I reach out and grab his arm, not caring if he doesn’t want me to touch him.
“Please, Zach. Just wait. Don’t go. Not like this. I just need you to tell me what happened between you and Josie. Why did she believe what she believed? Just… tell me.” There is panic in my voice, and I have no interest in hiding it anymore. But Zachary shakes me off of him.
“What is there for me to tell you, Ava? You seem to have everything figured out. If you really cared about the truth, you would have talked to me when you first showed up at my office. What does anything else matter now?”
And then, he is gone. He walks around the corner and disappears into the hotel, leaving me standing in the conference room alone. I feel like I’m about to explode into tears, and I have no idea what to do. The last thing I want to do is bother Bethany with any of this; she has more than enough on her mind. So, I do the only thing I can.
I borrow a phone from the front desk and call Liza.
* * *
“You did what?”
I can hear the chaos of the diner behind Liza as she shouts into the phone. Her manager had to call her in from her shift outside where she was roller-skating orders to cars, and he wasn’t too pleased about it. But if I didn’t talk to Liza immediately, there was no way I was going to survive the rest of the trip.
“You’ll have to be more specific, Liza. Are you referring to the telling him the truth or the sleeping with him?”
Liza snorts. “Both!... Gunther, I swear man, I’m on my break. If you don’t get out of my space… Sorry, Gunther is an ass. Why would you sleep with him? I thought you were just going to lead him on and then drop him?”
“Hell, Liza, I don’t know,” I whisper. But she knows me better than anyone else in the world, and the sound of her sucking in her breath means she sees right through me, even from thousands of miles away.
“Girl! Did you catch feelings for this guy?”
I groan. “I don’t know! Maybe! Yes. I did. I think I told him I loved him.” I cringe as I grab a handful of sand and throw it toward the ocean as if a mild act of defiance will solve anything at all.
“Ava, you are insane. I’m not saying I approved of your original plan. You know I didn’t. I think it was stupid and you should have just let it frigging go…”
I sigh. “Yes, Liza. You’ve said this half-dozen times.”
“Well, it bears repeating. But the fact that you went and fell for him? That’s just bananas. And did he tell you anything? About how he knows Josie?”
My stomach drops, practically to my feet, and I wish I could crawl into the ocean. “He didn’t say a word. Which makes me think that maybe Josie was telling the truth? But he also made it sound like I was wrong for making assumptions about him. I literally have no idea what to think. Part of me believes Josie. I feel like I have to because she’s my sister. But another part of me, an even bigger part of me, thinks something about her story was off, and maybe Zachary isn’t the guy she made him out to be.”
I hear Liza shooing someone again and yelling “fifteen minutes, Gunther” at the top of her already loud voice. “Ava, the only way you’ll know the truth is to talk to him.”
“Oh, god. I’ll be surprised if he ever talks to me again. I don’t know how we’ll finish out this weekend. I mean, he’d be well within his rights to fire me the next time he sees me. I lied to get the internship. Sort of, anyway.”
“You didn’t technically lie about anything,” Liza responds thoughtfully. “And he can’t fire you for sleeping with him because that’s a two-way street. At the very least, you should have time to corner him and talk this mess out. I mean, yeah, you did something pretty shady. But for Josie’s sake, he owes you some sort of explanation. And maybe you can frame it that way? Just tell him how much she meant to you. And that he can fire you if he wants, and never speak to you again, but all you want is the truth before you go.”
My heart aches at the thought of never seeing Zachary again, but I know Liza is right.
“Okay, yes. You’re right. I know you’re right. I’ll talk to him tonight. Thanks, Liza. I love you.”
I hear a bell in the background and Liza grumbles. “Love you, too. Must go. Gunther is extremely angry. I’ll see you when you get back!” With that, she hangs up, and I’m left sitting on the beach, marveling at my own stupidity. How could I have ever believed that this would have worked out well? That this was a fool-proof plan? I obviously never imagined that I’d fall in love with Zachary, or even end up liking him, but I should have known it wouldn’t be as simple as tricking him into liking me, getting my answers, and then running away.
As I look out over the gorgeous teal water, I think about Josie, and Bethany, and all of the horrible things they both went through. I think about the different ways they faced problems, and what lead them to where they are now. I wonder at Bethany for being so strong, and I cry for my sister for feeling so alone in her final hours. And as I wipe the tears from my eyes, I make a decision.
I have to be strong for both of them.
Chapter Seven
When I get back to the Residence to change into my outfit for dinner, Zachary is nowhere to be found. I have a feeling he is avoiding me, and I can’t say I blame him. I’m not even sure what to say when I see him, or how to try and make this better, but I know I have to make an effort. I grab the designer teal floral silk jumpsuit that I also stole from Liza, throw on some heels, then rush back to the main hall. When I get there, Bethany is waiting outside, eating pieces of mango and staring off into the palm trees.
I hop out of the golf cart and walk over to her, trying to plaster a smile on my face.
“You okay?”
She looks up at me, eyebrows raised, and brushes her cotton candy hair from her face. “I’m fine. Are you okay? You look like you’ve been crying.”
I tense up, suddenly worried it will be obvious to everyone that I’ve been an emotional wreck. “Oh, god. Do I need to reapply makeup? Can you really tell?”
“I mean, I can, because crying is my thing lately. But I think you’ll be fine. Do you want to talk about it?”
I shake my head. “Not remotely. We need to get you into that dinner so you can meet everyone and start charming the hell out of the executives.”
As if on cue, Zachary walks out of the lobby, looking beautiful in a three-piece gray suit that is tailored perfectly to his lithe body. He gives me a respectful nod, then smiles warmly at Bethany.
“
You ready? You have a room full of very powerful people anxious to meet the woman responsible for all of this fanfare.” Zachary’s voice is more muted than usual, almost sad, and I hate myself for making him that.
“I’m not the one responsible for all of this,” Bethany says as she grabs my head reassuringly. “Ava did it. She’s the one who deserves all the accolades.”
I blush and try not to make eye contact with Zachary. This really isn’t the time for compliments, though I appreciate it. I shrug nervously and wave her away.
“You’re the musician. You’re the one everyone is here to see. Let’s get you in there so you can show everyone how amazing you are!” I find that if I force a cheerful demeanor on long enough, I eventually start to feel cheerful for real. It’s sort of working. We walk inside as a group, and Bethany forges ahead into the crowd waiting in the dining room, her smile lighting up the room. But before Zachary could disappear, I grab hold of his hand and stop him.
“Zach, after this is all over tonight, can we please talk?”
He turns and looks at me, his eyes full of sadness I didn’t remotely expect. He lets out a long, disappointed sigh. “Ava, this really isn’t the time.”
“I’m not saying now, Zachary. Later. After Bethany’s performance.” My heart is racing, and I feel like I might throw up. Zachary looks at me, suspicious and nervous. Then he considers the dining room and surveys everything that is already happening while we’ve been talking outside. I can tell he’s weighing the options of continuing to argue with me or just agreeing and getting on with the night.
“Fine, yes, we can talk later. But we need to get in there before Bethany signs with that guy who records out of a burned-out juice bar.”
I laugh despite myself and follow Zachary into the dining room. Everything looks gorgeous: twinkle lights have been strung up everywhere, and they make the night sky look even more beautiful in the background. Candles adorn light wood tables, and everything has been set up to make mingling and eating as easy as possible. Waiters and waitresses are already circling around with trays of fruity drinks and champagne, which the executives are taking two glasses of each.
And in the middle of everything is Bethany.
She is laughing, and smiling, and chatting with everyone as she works her way around the room. The executives look utterly charmed, which is exactly what we were hoping for. But after a few minutes, Bethany sweeps her hair up in a ponytail and grabs a seat next to a table, looking exhausted. So, I head over to join her, bringing two glasses of champagne with me. When I get to her, she gives me a tired smile.
“I feel like I’ve been in here for hours. How long has it been?”
I look at my watch. “About twenty minutes.”
She plasters on a giant grin, but screams so only I can hear her, and I burst out laughing. After she downs the champagne, she gives me her serious face.
“Are we going to talk about it now?”
I chuckle. “Sure. Let’s talk about it here, in the middle of a bunch of people who will determine the future of your career.”
She waves her hand at me dismissively. “Oh, please. They don’t really care about getting to know me. They only care about whether they can package and sell me. I’ll perform, if they like me, they’ll bicker and argue over who gets to take me, and then Zachary gets to decide who is the best fit. So, forget about them for a minute. Give me the elevator pitch. What the hell did you do in the hour between looking elated and miserable?”
Now it’s my turn to down the champagne. “Are you sure?” She nods, and I spill everything. From the beginning, all the way to the confession in the conference room. By the time I’m done, she’s waving a waitress over for more champagne, which I drink happily.
“And what did your friend back home say?”
“She said I have to get Zachary to tell me the truth, for Josie’s sake.”
Bethany nods thoughtfully. “Damn straight. But listen, Ava, based on what you just told me about your sister…” We’re interrupted when a squat, bald man in glasses comes up to us to shake Bethany’s hand and tell her he loves her hair. She smiles politely, thanks him, and then turns back to me to make it clear the conversation with him is over. I can’t help but love her a little more.
“Anyway, based on what you’ve said about your sister, I think you have to consider that she might not have been a very reliable source of information on this subject, honey. It sounds like she may have had some problems, and I certainly wouldn’t presume to know what those problems were. But for your sake, and Zachary’s, I’d give him a chance to explain. Every story has two sides, and just knowing Zachary Graham like I’ve come to… I don’t know, Ava. Everyone is different in private, but what you’ve told me doesn’t synch up with the man I’ve gotten to know.”
I don’t have time to answer before the food starts being served. Waiters arrive with trays loaded with tiny Asian-inspired sandwiches, spring rolls, and fresh fruit skewers. I think Bethany and I are both grateful for the excuse to distract ourselves from our individual stresses with food, and we dig into to plates loaded high with a bit of everything. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Zachary turn down any food, and instead, he keeps working the room. He’s checking on people, talking to them, making sure they are happy with their food. I know Bethany and I should be doing the same, but we both need a minute to just eat and relax.
That minute doesn’t last long though.
Before we know it, Zachary is walking up to us, a giant, practiced smile on his face.
“Bethany, it’s time for you to get ready to perform. Do you need anything?”
She grabs two more springs rolls from a passing waitress and jams them in her mouth. Zachary and I both laugh.
“No, that was it,” she says through a full mouth. Then she skips over to the stage and grabs the closest guitar, before plugging it in and sitting on the edge. Everyone turns to look at her, captivated just at her mere presence. She reaches up to wipe some stray spring roll sauce from the corner of her mouth with a chuckle.
“I guess I was hungrier than I thought.”
The room laughs, entranced by the fairy who is about to perform for them. Zachary stands next to me, so close, but not touching, and my whole body feels like it’s on fire. I just want to grab him and kiss him again, but I know he doesn’t want that. Not now. Not until we’ve had a chance to talk.
Bethany tunes the guitar, then begins to sing, her voice clear and strong and sweet. Her words are passionate, and everyone is completely lost in her performance. After a few songs on the guitar, she switches to a piano and proves she’s just as skilled on that instrument. The song she sings is a rapid-fire staccato, and I can already hear it as a single on the radio. Based on the look on the record executives’ faces, they can hear it too. A few of them are on their phones, recording, texting, and sending emails. There isn’t doubt in my mind that before we leave this resort at the end of the weekend, Bethany will be signed.
She sings the last song, then takes a bow and jumps off the stage to thunderous applause. Bethany hurries over to where Zachary and I are standing and gives us a shy smile. “I did what I could!”
I give her a huge hug. “You were amazing, Bethany! I’ve never seen anyone so good. You’ll be a huge star.”
Bethany shrugs. “Hey, either way, I gave it my best shot. Listen, guys, it’s been a hell of a day. Do you think anyone would be offended if I just went and got some sleep? I’m a little physically and emotionally drained.”
Zachary leans over and gives Bethany a quick kiss on the forehead. “Go rest, honey. I’ll have some hot tea and a delicious dessert sent to you room. And don’t worry about getting up early tomorrow. Sleep in, do some swimming, just relax. I’ll find you if we need you.”
With a wink in my direction and a second bow to the crowd in the room, Bethany spins on her heel and disappears from the room. Zachary turns to me, the same practiced smile on his face.
“Are you ready to charm some executives
and gauge their reaction to our girl?”
I nod, excited to hear what everyone thought of Bethany’s performance. We spend the next hour or so talking to everyone in the room, and finding out what they thought of Bethany. And they loved her. Each exec seems more anxious than the last to get her on their label, which is a great sign. Some even offer Zachary contracts on the spot, which he politely turns down, as it is ultimately Bethany’s decision where she wants to sign. It’s almost midnight by the time the last executive wanders out of the dining room and, presumably, back to their room. Leaving Zachary and I standing alone, staring at each other awkwardly.
Finally, I break the silence.
“So, that was a hell of a night, huh?”