Now That I've Found You - Kristina Forest Page 0,77
but I knew you’d be too angry to let me explain,” he says. “I thought it would be better if I told you the truth once your grandma came back and we could put it behind us.”
“You’re right. I don’t want to hear your explanation.” I don’t even bother with wiping my tears away anymore. “Do you know where she is? Have you known this whole time?”
“No! I don’t know where she is,” he says, holding out his hand for me. “I swear. She wouldn’t say.”
“You’re probably lying right now.” I turn away from him. “Go back inside, Milo. Leave me alone.”
We look ridiculous, arguing like this in broad daylight. Milo’s neighbors walk by, barely sparing us a glance. It’s probably a normal Sunday morning in Brooklyn to them.
Milo moves to stand right in front of me. “It’s not what you think. She’d already been in touch with the A&R guy before she asked me to watch out for you. And I agreed to it because I wanted to return the favor for all the times she’s helped me. At first, I was just hanging out with you because your grandma asked, but I kept coming back because I wanted to see you.” He shifts into my line of sight, desperate to meet my eyes. “It was so obvious to me that you were lonely. Every day I just wanted to know that you were okay.”
“Ah, I see. So you felt sorry for me.”
“No, that’s not it,” he says, frustrated. “I care about you, Evie. Please, you have to believe me.”
Hurting the people I care about scares me. That’s why I don’t like to lie.
Ha, I’ve finally caught him in a lie. This is the most bittersweet triumph. I almost laugh.
“You used me because you didn’t want your parents to force you to give up music and go to college,” I say. “You sat there and listened to my story about Simone, but you’re no better than her.”
“I’m like Simone? Really?” He sounds like I just punched him in the gut, but I refuse to feel sorry. “That’s how you feel?”
“Yes. That’s exactly how I feel.”
He laughs, but it’s a tight, angry sound. “Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black? All this from the girl who went behind her grandmother’s back to work with James Jenkins, the one man she hates most in the world. What makes what you’ve done any different, Evie?”
I glare at him, breathing hard. I hate that I shared my secret with him last night only for him to throw it in my face. “It’s not the same thing at all.”
“Can we just go back inside and talk about this?” He glances around. “Please.”
I shake my head. I’m not going anywhere with him. I’ll never believe another word he says.
I look down at my phone, swiping forcefully. The stupid car app won’t load. Of course this is the time it chooses to malfunction.
Then a lone green taxi turns onto Milo’s street. Finally, the universe has decided to throw me a bone.
“Goodbye, Milo.” I push past him and hail the taxi. “Good luck with your music. I’m sure your career will take off soon. Don’t bother coming by to feed the cats. I’ll take care of it myself.”
“Evie, wait…”
He makes a grab for my arm, but I swivel and evade him, dashing for the taxi as soon as it pulls over. He’s right behind me, but I shut the door on him.
He pounds on the window once. “Evie! Just let me talk to you.”
I turn away and give Gigi’s address to the taxi driver.
I refuse to look back at Milo as we drive down the block. So what if he lied to me? So what if Gigi had something to do with it? I’ve been through worse than this.
Heartbreak is nothing compared to being betrayed by a best friend, to basically losing my career. It’s nothing compared to disappointing your parents and making them stop their work because they don’t trust you anymore. It’s nothing compared to a grandmother who’d rather fall off the face of the earth and keep her own secrets than talk to me.
I barely even knew Milo. He means nothing.
Chapter Twenty
“Evie, what’s the matter?” Kerri asks, ushering me into her hotel suite. A team of people that she hired for hair, makeup, and wardrobe is waiting for me in the living room, and when they see my swollen eyes and puffy face, Kerri pivots us into the bathroom.