Page 48 of Stolen Hearts
“Isn’t he usually clean-shaven?” Pietro looks up briefly, his brows furrowed.
“Yeah. Apparently it’s something to do with the character in the film he’s shooting.”
I shake my head, wishing I didn’t know that information. That I didn’t know anything about Alexander. That I hadn’t started to slowly open up again, like a flower blooming, only to be cut off once more.
“Looks good on him.” Pietro continues to scroll through the gallery before stopping and turning the laptop back toward me.
“That. That is the money shot.” He leans over the top of my screen, pointing at an image of Alexander leaning toward the camera, his hands cupping a black Brewed takeaway cup. His warm, inviting smile is framed by his perfectly groomed beard, and his frosty-blue eyes complement the snowy window behind him perfectly. The morning glow of the sun, just starting to shine through the glass, gives him an almost angelic look.
It’s a far cry from how I left him less than thirteen hours later.
“It’s a great shot.” I snap myself out of being transfixed on Alexander.
“Has the Brewed team seen these yet?” Pietro asks.
“I’ve shared the download link with them.”
“Great. Has Alexander’s team come back on the activation events Chloe emailed about?”
Two beats pass, and Pietro glares at me, awaiting a response.
What do I say?
The reality? That all my communication has gone unanswered?
Should I lie and say I’m due to speak to them shortly?
Or should I tell him the truth, that I had wanted to kill Chloe, as lovely as she is, the moment I read that email? That her proposal to run a bunch of activation events coinciding with the campaign launch is the last thing on earth I want to do. That, given how I’ve been treated by Alexander’s team once again, I want to be as far away from them all as possible.
“I’m just waiting to hear back from Paul on Alexander’s schedule.” This, at least, actually is the truth. I’ve just omitted to add that I’ve yet to ask them for dates.
“Okay, keep me posted. I take it you’ve heard the news about Sara?” Pietro shifts in his seat as he clasps his hands together.
“Julie filled me in,” I say, closing my laptop.
Julie had pulled me aside when I arrived yesterday to let me know the news. Sara had emailed in her notice late Friday, after leaving the office, and wouldn’t be returning to work. To say I was relieved was an understatement. After all the drama of the weekend, the last thing I’d needed was to come back and deal with her passive-aggressive attitude toward me for Tony’s firing. The only issue now is that we are two team members down, and I don’t have anyone to assist me with the various accounts I’m working on.
“I’ve emailed HR to start finding replacements for Tony andSara, but in the meantime, I’ll need you to help pick up the slack on Tony’s accounts.”
“You got it,” I say as Pietro gets up from his chair.
To be honest, I could do with the distraction. Work and the gym got me through the aftermath of Alexander the last time. No doubt they will again. But first, I need to get home and watch the VMAs.
And despite how I feel, I hope Alexander makes it through in one piece.
The Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream is putting up a fight. The container, frozen to the bottom of the freezer drawer, tests my strength and patience as I wrestle to break it free.
If only my personal trainer could see me now.
It comes loose just as Andrew yells at me from the living room. “It’s starting!” he calls.
I grab two spoons from the drawer and make my way into the lounge, joining Andrew underneath a blue-and-white checkered throw, and hand him a spoon.
Andrew’s been heartbroken all weekend while I’ve been away, and he’s been as clingy as hell since I’ve been back. He’s barely left the couch since I got home, and insisted that I stay with him when I’m not at work or asleep.
Liam broke up with him via text, saying something about needing space, which triggered Andrew’s abandonment issues again.Thosestarted when he came out to his Mormon parents and they disowned him and made him leave the community. Then, a string of exes who’ve either ghosted or broken up with him compounded the issue. All of which leaves me to witness Andrew’s emotional rollercoaster. His highs are very high when he enters a relationship, and his lows are very low every time a relationship ends. But the good thing this time is that his focus isnot on me, allowing me to avoid talking about what happened in New York.
That is, until now.
