Page 128 of Wrecking Us
Mack’s eyebrows furrow.
“What?”
“I lied.” I shrug.
Mack looks at me like I have three heads.
“Why would you lie about being engaged, and who are you then?” he asks Mandy.
“Mandy Carvalli,” she says, extending her hand to him. “Trey’s long-time friend and corporate rival—Oh, and Hudson’s stepsister.” She smiles brightly. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard all the stories.”
Mack glares at me. “What stories?”
“So you wereneverengaged,” Alex says, completely glossing over Mack’s bitter tone.
I shake my head.
“No. I mean, Mandy and Ipretendedwe were for a long time, because—”
Mandy pulls her hand back from Mack’s.
“Men can be assholes,” she says. “Especially when you work in the athletic nutrition industry.”
Alex nods. “So Trey was your armor.”
She nods. “Basically, yes.”
“So… you two… never… together? Ever?”
I shake my head as she does. We both speak at the same time.
“Oh, no… definitely not.”
Mack laughs.
“Wow, that’s shocking,” he says.
His words shouldn’t hurt, but they do. More than they should. It’s how he’s always known me to be. It’s how they all knew me to be… before.
“People change, you know,” I say, looking at Mandy, then back at Alex. “That was what I wanted to talk to you about, actually.”
“Me?” Alex places a hand on his chest and raises an eyebrow. “What the fuck did I do now?”
Mack glares at him suspiciously.
“You, uh… you’re… bi,” I say carefully.
Mandy squeezes my arm assuringly.
Alex narrows his gaze. “Yeah, that’s not exactly news, Kelly… I mean, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last fucking decade.”
Mack smacks him again.
“Ow! Will you stop that?” Alex shoves him, and I tense, worried they’re going to get into a damn fight right here, but Mack only rolls his eyes.
“Adding that to your fucking tab.”
Alex’s eyes widen and he tenses. He stands up straighter and looks back at me, slightly more composed. “Sorry, you were saying?”
