Page 97 of Wicked Angel
And was that what he really thought? That I was concerned about my own reputation? It wasn’t like I was running up to all his peers and shoutingDon’t worry, I’m just his publicist!all night.I’d introduced him to people as my friend.
Let people think what they’d think about me.Hisreputation and his career were my first concerns at that party.
“What, you’re gonna deny it?” he pressed. “You’re gonna pretend you don’t care what your sister and Seth and your friends thought of you showing up with me?”
“I didn’t really think about that at all.”
I didn’t. Until I ran into so many of my girlfriends, they all demanded to know what was going on, and I found myself swearing to them up and down that Johnny and I were not “together.” I was his publicist and nothing more.
But that wasn’t because I was worried about what they’d think ofmeif I was messing around with him or something. I just didn’t want them to immediately jump on hating him because they thought he was bad for me. I could feel that vibe; that everyone instinctively wanted to protect me from him.
“What about Flynn?” he said.
“I didn’t think about Flynn, either.”
“That’s hard to believe.”
It was the truth, though. I’d seen Flynn at the party. He saw me. We didn’t speak to each other. I really didn’t think about what he might think seeing me with Johnny. We weren’t even on a date. We were working.
Yet here Johnny was, accusing me of… I wasn’t even sure what.
“So, which is it?” I asked him. “Am I worried what people will think, seeing me with you? Or am I trying to be seen with you, to help my social status?”
“You tell me.”
“You know what? You’re your own worst enemy, Johnny O’Reilly.”
“I have enough enemies. What I need are more people on my team.”
“Well, then maybe you need a reality check. You’re gonna need to do more than just force yourself to be nice to people to make them want to work with you. And I’ll tell you something else. You’ve probably missed the cues, from plenty of people, who were willing to be on your team.”
“And where do you get that from?” he said flatly.
“Watching you. Listening to you talk to people. Zane. Seth. Dylan. My sister. They’re all way more willing to let you in than you think they are. You don’tletpeople let you in.”
He rolled his eyes just slightly as he looked away.
“You’re doing it right now.”
“And now she’s my therapist again.”
“It’s true. You know what your problem is?”
“I’m my own worst enemy,” he reiterated, sounding bored.
“You need to learn how to be nice to people, genuinely nice, when they actually stick around. It’s called a relationship.”
His eyes met mine, but he didn’t argue. Maybe he knew I was right.
“Nothing to say to that one?” I challenged.
“I have relationships.”
“Yeah. Noah likes you, it seems. You have friends. How did that magically happen? I’ll tell you how,” I answered for him. “Because the few people you call friends are people you chose to let in. And I’d bet every last dollar I have that you treat them way the hell better than you treat the women you sleep with. Or date. Or whatever it is you actually do with the women in your life. And I’d bet you’re also way more kind and generous with your friends than you are with your colleagues, your potential friends. Because you’re so stuck in this competitive mindset of yours.”
He stared at me, and his tongue ran over his bottom lip. He looked like he was biting back whatever he wanted to say. Something ugly, I was pretty sure.
“I thought you were broke,” he said finally.
