“Red . . .” There was a flash of something in his eyes. Guilt.
I blinked away sudden tears, not knowing if they were hurt or humiliation or both.
“This is just what I promised you,” Ezra said, swiftly recovering. “Your surprise, remember?”
“Kissing me in front of your ex-girlfriend?” I asked, incredulous. It couldn’t be further from what I’d wanted. “She was right. You’re a child, Ezra. Grow up.”
His eyes became flinty. “I did this for us. For the script. Surely you get that? I told you how much I needed your meet-cutes to keep me going. I just needed the final one so I could finish, and you weren’t doing so great on your own. I’ve been nothing but honest with you. I’ve given you something to write about. This was our deal, Red. It’s not like you aren’t getting exactly what you want, either. I’m saving your job.”
Every breath was painful, like I had something sharp wedged in my lungs.
Someone cleared their throat. It was the security guard.
“Are we done here?”
“Oh, we’re done,” I said.
I took one last look at NOB and lifted my dress to walk away. A move that had all the potential to look fantastically dramatic, if my ankle hadn’t chosen that exact moment to give way, sending me sprawling across the carpet.
I considered just lying there until everyone had gone into the cinema, but someone took my hand and pulled me up.
Monica.
Her eyes were unyielding, almost challenging. “Come on. Falling’s the easy part. Show them how you get back up.”
I leaned on her as I took my heels off. Cameras flashed around us. “Thank you,” I said. “And I’m sorry. Congratulations on the film.”
Gathering what little dignity I had left, I fled.
NOB: What do you want me to say, Red? I didn’t think you’d react that way. It was supposed to be a great happy ending for you
NOB: Red, what’s the difference between tonight and what I did for you with Dicky?
NOB: Do you need me to admit I made a mistake? Fine. I made a mistake
NOB: You’re in luck, Red. Even though you didn’t meet anyone, I have decided to finish the script. You’re welcome. All I need is for you to write about our meet-cute as if it ended how it should have done. That’s “happily ever after,” if you’re still unsure
NOB: Red, just give me the damn meet-cute
YOU MISSED A CALL TODAY AT 8:03 P.M. FROM NOB
YOU MISSED A CALL TODAY AT 9:45 P.M. FROM NOB
YOU MISSED A CALL TODAY AT 11:03 P.M. FROM NOB
RED: no more meet-cutes. I’m finally done
Chapter 33
Piece of Cake
INT: EVIE’S BEDROOM—THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 6:42 P.M.
EVIE sits slumped on her bed, eating a tub of ice cream, in the same dress she wore to the premiere. It’s loosely tucked into her pajama bottoms. Her hair is slightly flat on one side. She’s removed most of her makeup, but there are black smudges under her eyes.
I’d called in sick today for the first time in years. After everything that had happened last night—and the three months preceding it—I needed a break to figure it all out.
I’d had a call from Monty earlier, informing me that NOB had complained about my lack of commitment. Didn’t I know that the deadline was four days away? He needed the ending for the meeting with Intrepid Productions on Monday. The one he hadn’t invited me to. Didn’t I realize the consequences if he turned up empty-handed? I confirmed that I did indeed fully comprehend, and then put the phone down.
I’d existed in a state of constant anxiety since learning the agency could go under, every day being wound tighter and tighter, and last night, after what NOB did . . . Something in me had snapped. I was a disconnected phone line as far as my worries were concerned. Try again later, caller. Evie isn’t home right now.
I ate another spoonful of cookie-dough ice cream and saw another message had arrived.
MARIA: I thought you’d want to see this, my love
Even from almost two hundred miles away, Maria’s friendship spider sense was second-to-none. I clicked the link, my half-formed smile faltering. It was a Bitch About It column:
RED CARPET RAT
There are some things you just don’t do. Get engaged at a friend’s wedding. Upstage the star of the movie at their own premiere. Yes, Bitches, that’s what Monica Reed’s desperate ex Ezra Chester, 33, attempted last night when he brought a mystery date to her premiere. “It was a pathetic attempt to get her back, but it fell flat—literally!” a close source said, referring to the moment his blond date landed face-first on the carpet. And who helped her up? Only Reed herself. What a queen.
The only shot of me was, of course, one where I was facedown on the carpet at Monica’s feet. At least I was unrecognizable in that smoky dress with my new sleek hair. Blond indeed.
MARIA: you’re going to think I’m crazy for asking this, but is this you?
I stared at her message. I’d promised myself I’d tell my friends the truth, and I wanted so badly to go to them for comfort—if I even deserved it after hiding everything from them. But after what happened, I couldn’t face them knowing I’d actually let myself believe even for a second that NOB liked me. Not when they’d never have let me go in the first place if I’d checked in with them. I’d been such a fool. A blob of ice cream fell onto my dress, trailing a milky-white line down the dark green silk. I wiped at it before answering.
EVIE: what?? Of course not! I was at home watching Netflix, you know me
MARIA: I just wanted to check. You know you can tell me anything, right?
EVIE: I know
Crisis averted. My spoon hit the bottom of the tub. I rolled off my bed in search of more.
There was nothing left worth eating in the freezer. I opened the fridge, willing to take anything as long as it was bad for me.
My eyes landed on the date cake NOB had sent me. I pulled it out and slammed it down on the counter. A choked sob escaped me. I put a hand over my mouth, blinking away tears.
I wasn’t crying for NOB. It was what he’d done, and the fact that I’d responded to it. I had finally been starting to drop the defenses I’d built after Ricky. NOB had said a few kind things, and for the first time in a long time, I’d been open. It had taken a moment, but I’d been willing to let him in. NOB shouldn’t get to be the example for what would happen if I dropped my walls.