On some level, she’d understood. Until the breakup, he’d only ever been with her. Of course he’d go hog-wild with other women. He was a passionate, wild man.
Only this time he’d messed with the wrong woman.
Her thumb flicked the bottom of the screen, unleashing a whole new wave of comments.
Who leaves their girlfriend alone in a foreign country? Kick that dog to the curb, Traci. Sending you healing vibes. #worldsworstboyfriend
Something about this whole thing was off, though. As far as she could tell, Traci Allen, the famous snowboarder, had posted a screenshot of a text Fin had sent her. Callie scrolled back up to read it again.
Thanks for a great time. ☺ Gotta jet. Talk soon.
But Traci hadn’t explained it. She’d just left an ambiguous comment.
When you’re in the hospital and Fin Bowie sends you this.
Traci’s whole life was documented on her Instagram page, so if she and Fin had been romantically involved, wouldn’t there be pictures of him? Callie couldn’t see a single one. And Traci had only mentioned his name once, when she’d talked about going on one of his backcountry trips.
So how had that one post turned Fin into the World’s Worst Boyfriend?
Callie reread the initial responses. In the beginning, her fans had asked questions. When Traci hadn’t responded, they’d begun to speculate. And those assumptions had turned into a story: Fin had dumped his girlfriend to catch a flight back to the States so he could go to his friend’s wedding. Within a matter of hours, he’d begun trending.
And the hashtag was everywhere.
“Oh.” Her mom tossed an armful of damp kitchen towels into the washing machine. “What’re you doing in here?” She looked at the phone in Callie’s hands. Hope enlivened her tired features. “The fellowship?”
A hot flush of shame had Callie pressing the phone to her stomach. Between finals and graduation, she hadn’t been in touch with her family, so they didn’t know her plans. “No, the interview isn’t until August twenty-fifth.”
“Oh.” Her mom’s expression turned curious. “So, is it about a job?”
“No.” Because why else would she be holed up in the laundry room at her brother’s rehearsal dinner when she was only in town for three days? “Actually, I’ve decided to just work part-time at the diner and the bar. Julian’s parents invited me to hang out with them this summer so they can introduce me to the movers and shakers of the Manhattan art world. It would take me a decade to make the kind of connections they have.”
“Makes sense.” Pushing her long, gray-streaked hair off her face, her mom nodded to the phone. “So, what’s got you so enthralled that you’d leave your handsome boyfriend alone with a bunch of strangers?”
The arrow hit right in the center of her conscience. Reflexively, she glanced out the window, searching for him. “Is he okay?” Since they’d only been dating six months, she hadn’t brought him home yet. Julian didn’t know a single person in Calamity Falls.
“Oh, come on. He’s Prince Charming. Nothing but gracious and kind.”
She wanted to be proud of her well-mannered boyfriend, but there was something slightly off in her mom’s tone.
Her mom made a gimme motion with her fingers, and Callie turned the phone around.
One glance, and her mom got it. “Ah. How many comments are we up to now?”
Callie couldn’t have been more grateful for a mom who never judged her. “Ten thousand.”
Her mom’s eyes widened. “Wow.” She rested her hip against the dryer and folded her arms across her stomach. “I don’t know. I’m having a hard time believing Fin could abandon his girlfriend in a foreign hospital.”
Callie gaped at her mother. “Are you kidding me?”
“Oh, stop it. It’s not the same thing. He’s not seventeen anymore, and you weren’t hospitalized.”
“Mom, he bailed on me three hours before we were supposed to leave for the airport.” To be with his brother. Just like he’d abandoned Traci for Ryder’s wedding. Fin and Callie’s brother might not be related by blood, but the bond went as deep.
Amazing how six years later the crap she’d buried could rise like steam and give her hot flashes. I thought I was done with this.
Her mom adjusted the belt of her peach-colored dress. “Does it make you feel better knowing it wasn’t you? It’s just who he is?”
“No.” Nothing would ever make her feel better about how Fin had ended their relationship. The shock of it still moved inside her body, a live thing trapped and scrabbling against the walls. “Because you’re right. Something’s not right about it. Other than posting the screen shot, Traci’s been off social media. Her fans are making assumptions.”
“Then why are you so interested in reading the comments?”
“Because it’s happening to Fin. That’s pretty crazy, right? That my ex has turned into a meme?”
“Well, he’s a Bowie. They’re celebrities.”
“Yeah, in the world of extreme sports.” While trophies and awards motivated—validated—his brothers, Fin was a true artist. He trained and hit the slopes to push himself, his body, and to breach the limits of his capabilities. Being known as a scoundrel would strike at the very core of his identity. “He doesn’t want this kind of attention.”
Her mom’s gaze flicked outside, clearly anxious to get back out there. “Oh, I don’t know. A man with his own website can’t be too worried about attention.”
Fin probably only ran it to prove to his brothers he wasn’t just playing around out there. That he was as serious an athlete as they were.
Like she knew anything about him anymore. She hadn’t talked to him in six years.
But she’d have to talk to him today, wouldn’t she? The minute she left this room, he’d come for her like a heat-seeking missile. Her skin crackled with anticipation.
“Come on, let’s go.” Her mom started for the door but hesitated when Callie didn’t follow.
“I’ll be right behind you. I just…” You what? She wasn’t ready. “I need to take a quick look at my emails.”
Her mom watched her for a moment before letting out a harsh breath. “He’s the best man, Callie. You’ve had a lot of time to prepare for this.”
“I’m not…” She didn’t want her mom to see her as the drama queen teenager she’d once been. “Look, I haven’t seen him in a long time. It’s just…it’s going to be uncomfortable.”
“Isn’t that why you brought your boyfriend with you?”
Normally, she loved that her mom pulled no punches. Tonight, though, a little pretending wouldn’t hurt. “God, Mom.” She stuttered out an uncomfortable laugh. “I wanted you guys to meet him.” But her bluster collapsed under her mom’s unrelenting stare. “I mean, obviously, on some level…” Oh, just say it. “Yes, okay? That’s one of the reasons I brought him.”
“There you go. Find your shield and stand behind him.”