His nostrils flare. “No, everything is not fucking okay.”
My head jerks back. I have no problem with cursing, but why do I feel like he’s cursing at me? “What’s going on?”
“I lost the endorsement.”
“What? Are you serious?” I sit up, and the room shifts. I’m trying to wake up. I don’t really know what to say about his news. It’s devastating because that endorsement would’ve changed our lives. “What happened?” I rub my belly. “Did you tell Santos about our pregnancy? Olly, I’m so sorry if I played a part in this.”
“Yes, you might’ve played a role.” His words are so cold, I flinch.
I soften my voice because he’s obviously upset. “I told you not to say anything until you’d signed the contract.”
He stares at me for a long moment. And it’s not one of those loving, sweet stares. No, his gaze is hard, his jaw tight, and the anger wafting off him intense. “Magnolia, the endorsement was retracted because of the Heavenly Hunks billboard.”
Oh, God. “Why? They took it down months ago.”
“Another one went up the other day, just in time to ruin my deal.”
“I’m so sorry. That’s heartbreaking.”
His eyes narrow. “It is heartbreaking. For so many reasons.”
A niggle of guilt takes residence in my chest, and before he says anything else, I know where this is going. And I know, deep in my heart, that this conversation will ruin everything. Just like I thought it would.
“Maggie, I’m only going to ask this once. Are there photos of the Heavenly Hunks ad in your portfolio? Did you or did you not play a role in that?”
I close my eyes, hating what I have to say. “Olly, let me explain—”
“Answer the fucking question. It should be an easy yes-or-no response.”
Swallowing, I nod. “Then yes, there is. But it’s not—”
“Not what? Not a complete betrayal of our relationship?”
“That’s harsh.” My eyes sting, and I blink away the tears. I refuse to break down right now. I need to stay calm so I can explain what happened, but my throat is tight and the words are all jumbled in my head.
I’d planned to tell him about the billboard that day I brought him donuts. I went prepared to clear the air and get everything on the table, but I’m not going to lie, I was scared it would flip him out. Olly’s always been so buttoned up—he’s a freaking Eagle Scout. I couldn’t imagine a scenario where he’d want to be associated with a strip club.
“Harsh? You want to hear harsh? Harsh is having Santos tell me I’ve disappointed him, that I’m no role model for kids. Harsh is having Amelia waylay me in the driveway to tell me you’re behind those goddamn billboards. Harsh is not being able to help my parents buy my grandfather’s insulin because I can’t afford shit. You and your fucking pranks. You must’ve had a field day with that one, huh? When are you going to fucking grow up, Magnolia? I had no clue you were so spiteful. Christ. And I thought Amelia was bad.” His gaze travels down to my stomach. “Guess you’re getting the last laugh and showing me your true colors.”
I open my mouth, shocked. “What are you saying? That I tricked you into getting pregnant? Are you insane? Don’t be an ass.” The tears come now. I can’t keep them at bay. “The billboard is not what you think, Michael. Please let me explain what happened.” A wave of nausea hits me, but I swallow it back and try to untangle this mess. “The first one went up before we were even together.”
“And that makes it okay?”
“No, of course not, but…” I wipe my eyes, wincing because my back spasms. “Remember I tried to tell you how there was one more thing I did, and you said you didn’t want to know?”
“That’s when I thought you’d toilet-papered my house in high school, not actively sought to ruin my professional life.”
I shake my head. “I’m not explaining this right.”
The look on his face says it all—I’m dead to him. It’s an expression I’ve seen in his eyes when Amelia’s around, and now he has it when he looks at me. “You’ve said enough.”
He storms upstairs and returns a minute later with his gym bag. Without even glancing at me, he heads for the front door.
“Where are you going?” How can he leave right now?
“I have to catch a flight to Chicago. One of us has to give a shit about my career.”
Anger like I’ve never known rises up in me. “You have the nerve to talk to me about ‘true colors?’ If you leave right now without hearing what I have to say, don’t bother coming back.”
