Page 149 of Titus

“Do we really want to hear them?” I interrupted.

“Of course we do,” Nat said. “That’s how you arm yourself against these wicked little beasts.” She looked at Jessica. “Let’s hear one.”

“Okay,” Jessica said. “Here’s one: ‘I’ve known this man for eight minutes, and I already disagree with his choices.’”

“That’s not so bad,” Avery said with a laugh. “Cat knew him much longer and most definitely disagreed with his choices.”

“Oh, it gets brutal,” Amelia said.

“Do tell,” Nat said as the cocktails and espresso shots were set in front of us.

“It goes on: ‘What does this woman have that I don’t?’ and ‘Imagine having access to every woman on the planet and choosing this one.’”

“Ouch,” I said.

“Please,” Nat responded. “If they don’t hate you, you’re ugly.”

“Okay, these are new,” Jessica said.

“Oh shit,” Avery laughed.

Jessica continued, “This chick says, ‘Be serious. He’s Titus Hawk. This relationship definitely has an expiration date.’ And also, ‘I spent six hours researching this man. Six hours. And now I’m supposed to support this relationship.’ It’s nonstop.”

“Lovely,” I said. “I’m sure it gets worse. How do people form opinions about people they’ve never even met?”

“If they only knew you didn’t even want the guy,” Amelia laughed.

“No shit,” Sienna said. “This is why kids these days fall into depression. The comment section is brutal if you take it to heart.”

“I agree with that,” Ash said. “You all should be watching baking shows.”

“Who are we kidding? This is all hysterical entertainment by a mob of social media dwellers who have formed an imaginary relationship with a wealthy man on a reel,” Nat added.

“Well, this person looked you up,” Jessica covered a smile.

“I don’t think I want to know,” I answered.

“What did she conclude?” Avery asked.

“She’s confused about why everyone is worried you’ll take their place with him,” Jessica cringed.

“Here’s to the women who have no idea the superyacht isn’t here for their social media accounts to go viral,” Avery said, taking her shot and raising it to encourage everyone at the table to join in. “Ladies, let us toast the woman Titus sailed the Eterna from Monaco to the West Coast for.”

“Here’s to Titus having the best woman, one he could have never dreamed up,” my sister added.

“And a woman he better not fuck over,” Sienna arched an eyebrow with a smile. “Or I’ll personally fuck him over.”

“Down the hatch, ladies,” Nat said, tipping her head back as we all took a shot together. “I need Cat loosened up to talk about her two nights alone with Titus on that damn yacht and to tell us the things these petty girls on the internet know nothing about.”

“Now,” Nat eyed me, holding her cocktail, “let’s hear it.”

“I’d rather listen to the internet hate on me than talk about this,” I admitted.

“Too bad. Take a long drink of that cocktail,” Nat eyed my drink. “And I’ll ensure another is right behind it.”

An hour, three cocktails, and too many lobster bites later… I was so damn loose that I would either hate myself in the morning or not remember a word I said at the table tonight.

“And so the way he looked at you…” Ash said. “As if you were the only woman. Ah, I love it.”