Page 115 of Your Play to Call
“Yes,” I say warily. When Seth doesn’t say anything, I jump to the conclusion hanging out in the middle of the room.
“Tell me it wasn’t you. Tell me you didn’t tell someone Tripp said that. Because—”
“Willow. Absolutely not. No. Never.”
A wave of relief hits me. My clenched jaw relaxes. The nails digging into my thighs relent.
“But I know who did.” He takes a breath that spans what feels like a lifetime. “Erik. It was Erik,” Seth says but my brain can’t connect the words to what this means.
“What do you mean it was Erik?”
“The doctors came by at some point when you were in Tripp’s room. I wanted to make sure you had privacy, so I pulled them to the side, or around the corner of the room. I could still see you, and I wasn’t too far away. I told the doctors we’d call for them when you were out of thereor took a break. When I walked back to the room, I found Erik slinking around.”
“Slinking around?”
“Legit standing as close to the door entrance as he could, ear pressed to the door. He was definitely listening in. It was only for maybe 30 seconds or so, but I take it that he had impeccable timing.”
“How do you know he heard what was leaked?”
“Because he literally muttered the wordretirement, like a dumbass, before I snuck up on him and grabbed him by the back of his shirt. Plus, he found a way to leave right after. I followed him out to the parking lot and heard him talking to someone about tour timing and something wasabout to go his way.”
No way. I can’t believe it. Erik.
“I hate that I’m doing this. But I like Tripp. Out of everyone you’ve dated, this guy is someone who cares about your safety. He’s thinking about your comfort level. I made him jump through so many hoops in the beginning—” he pauses when I shoot him a side-eye “—but it’s my own way of kind of weeding out the losers.”
I truly can’t even find the words.
“If you and Tripp aren’t going to work, that’s fine. But for it to be over because of that sleaze ball, Erik? No way. That can’t be it.”
It’s like this haze, clouding my vision, is finally lifting. My brain can make sense of what happened, from start to finish. It still hurts that Tripp thought I’d divulge that kind of information, but I can understand how it didn’t make sense any other way.
“Seth. You might be a hopeless romantic, you know that right?”
“No, I’m not. And don’t tell a soul,” he says, pointing at me. “Are you mad?”
“Livid. But not at you. I’m thankful you told me. I truly had no idea how this got out and now it’s starting to make sense.”
Something isn’t right with this Asher Wilde tour. All I can think about is how Erik wanted to do the tour right at the start of the football season, which would’ve taken me out for all of it. I didn’t tell him that was one of the reasons I didn’t want to do it, but it was.
“I can’t believe Erik did that.”
“I can,” Emilie says while she’s walking down the stairs, shaking her phone at me and Seth. “I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but you need to see this.”
Willow Announces Major Tour with Asher Wilde.This is the headline that shows on her phone. The bogus article also talks about me signing a massive contract extension.
“Can I meddle one more time?” Seth asks, his eyebrow raised, clearly devising a plan. “Let’s go to the label. We’ll pick up Claire on the way. Surprise that little bastard before he has a chance to do anything.”
“I love it. We should do that.” Emilie is pointing at Seth, enthusiastically.
I think he’s right. If I try to call, there’s going to be some bullshit, runaround explanation.
“Let’s go.” I grab my coat and Emilie has the door open, putting her shoes on as we leave.
Do I feel badthat I told a little white lie to Erik’s assistant? Yes. I told her Erik called and asked me to come down for an urgent meeting. I need to keep going because I can’t lose my nerve. Seth is even marching down with us. He wants to stay close because according to him, he “doesn’t trust that rat bastard”.
While Emilie looks laser focused, Claire looks like she could spit fire. I asked her to stay back unless I tap her in. She called my lawyer on the way and confirmed what I was 99% sure of. I can withhold this album, the tour, all of it.
I walk right into the meeting like I belong there.
