yes to being onstage, being paraded around like a hero, being expected to be energetic and upbeat and positive at a party with some stranger when it took almost every ounce of energy he had some days just to get the hell out of bed?
He ran a hand over the back of his head, anxiety trying to take over, but then an idea came to him. One that might at least solve part of the problem. He ran the scenario in his head, trying to imagine it. Yeah. Maybe he could do that.
He’d need help, though.
Ramsey looked at him expectantly. “Come on, man.”
Hill lowered his hand to the table and sighed. “You are going to owe me so big.”
Ramsey broke into a huge smile and set his chin in his hands, fluttering his eyelashes like a starstruck cartoon character. “You’re my hero, Hill.”
“Oh, go to hell.”
Ramsey chuckled. “Auction’s next Saturday. Wear something cute.”
Hill flipped him off.
***
Andi leaned closer to her microphone and adjusted the angle of it. The door to the podcasting room at WorkAround was sealed tight, and the room as quiet as a tomb. “Gina Holiday thought the new guy in her life was too good to be true. He treated her like no other guy she’d ever met. Polite. Respectful. Good listener. David was a breath of fresh air. She thought she had finally found the one.
“But she had no idea that David was simply setting the trap. He would spend the next few months expertly brainwashing her, isolating her from her friends and family, and getting her more and more tied to him and less and less tied to things and people who could help her get away. What felt like falling in love ended up being falling into the hands of a sociopath.”
Andi paused the recording and took a sip of water, her throat dry. Gina Holiday’s story was a little too close for comfort to Andi’s own story. While reading through the events of Gina’s life, instead of imagining the face of the victim, Andi was picturing her own. That innocent, wide-eyed girl who’d been high on the feelings of a teenage crush. That feeling of He likes me, he really likes me! coursing through her like a drug.
Ugh.
She hit the record button again. “I’m going to pause here in Gina’s story for a second. I just want to say to all of you who are out there listening to this, especially those of you who are still teenagers, that you should never feel…lucky that some guy or girl loves you—like they are somehow above you and, wow, are giving you a shot to be with them. You, whoever you are, are amazing and worthy of love. See the people you date as equals.” She took a breath. “This is not to blame the victim. I’ve been that girl who felt ‘special’—I’m putting air quotes around that—because some ‘cool’ guy deemed me worthy of his attention. It didn’t work out well. So this is meant to be more of a PSA on the importance of nurturing your self-esteem. Love doesn’t work if both people aren’t on even ground. We’re all human with good qualities and flaws. No one gets to be on a pedestal. Putting someone high up on one in a relationship makes it too easy for them to crush you.”
Andi’s phone screen lit silently with a text. She paused her recording and grabbed her phone.
Hill: Hey there. I know you’ve been swamped, but on the off chance that you still require food, want to get together for dinner tonight? I can make dragon noodles and bring them over.
Andi smiled at the invitation. She and Hill chatted or texted daily now but hadn’t had a chance to get together since their movie night almost two weeks ago because she’d been so busy. Hanging out with Hill would be a welcome respite from what she’d been doing, but then she glanced at the notes and papers in front of her and sighed.
Andi: Ooh, dragon noodles sound intriguing. But I’m still at WorkAround and have two hours left on my rental time for the podcast room. It’s booked solid tomorrow so I’m stuck here for a while.
Hill: Bummer on the late night. Maybe tomorrow then.
She started to type back that tomorrow sounded good, but then another idea hit her.
Andi: How would you feel about coming here? I’ll order some delivery and we could have dinner. I could give you that tour, too.
Hill: Yeah?
Andi: If you’re