Chapter 24: Compromise
My phone would not shut the fuck up.
The more it pinged and buzzed, the more I wanted to hide under the covers until it stopped. This was what I'd dreaded. The aftermath. The future. Last night I'd had my final bite of my old life, though, and I'd done so on the basis that today would be the turning point. So I couldn't pretend I hadn't prepared myself.
Dragging my tired body out of bed, I padded over to my dressing table and snatched up the phone to assess the damage.
Gabby: 13 Missed Calls, 7 Messages
Faye: 1 Message
Charlotte: 1 Missed Call, 1 Message
Camille: 2 Messages
Ed: 1 Message
As my bleary eyes focused on the screen and my thumb flicked through the texts, a common theme stood out.
Gabby: What the fuck??
Gabby: Is this for real?
Gabby: Why aren't you answering your phone?
Gabby: Why didn't you tell me?
Gabby: Please call me back
Gabby: Or at least reply to my messages so I know you're alive
Gabby: Then call me back
Faye: He's punching. Dinner tonight?
Charlotte: You kept this quiet, you saucy minx. Knew you weren't just friends...😜
Camille: How you feeling?
Camille: Looking good in those photos. Red carpet suits you 😉
Ed: Get up. Meeting with Helen at 10.
With a groan, I started to haul myself over to the bathroom before quickly retreating to my phone and replying to Gabby. Examining the photos could wait—I needed to build up the mental strength for that.
Me: Sorry. Late night and slept in. All good. Will explain later x
Just as I went to put the phone down again, it buzzed in my hand.
Faye: Are you too famous to talk to me now? Do I need to go through your PA or manager? Ping me over that fit bodyguard's number and I'll schedule in a meeting with you
Me: One drink, 7pm?
Faye: Dinner but at your hotel
Me: One drink at my hotel
Faye: Don't take the piss. I was being generous by offering to come to you
Me: I'm being generous by offering to see you at all
Faye: Fuck, what's up with you... Is he a disappointment in bed?
Faye: Oh wait, forgot you'd already taken him for a test drive
Biting back my smile, I tossed the phone onto the dressing table and committed to my shower. Life as I knew it might be changing, but at least Faye remained consistent.
*
TEDDY STONE CHARMS HIS WAY TO 3 AWARDS BUT HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND IS THE REAL PRIZE
By Sammie Fowler
I lifted my eyes from the iPad screen and cocked a sceptical brow at Helen.
YOU ARE READING
Turning to Stone (Heart of Stone: Book 2)
Romance[18+] Teddy and Sophia share a complicated past, so when Sophia is offered the opportunity of a lifetime to work on Teddy's PR team, they decide to start afresh with just one promise between them: to have each other's backs no matter what. Maintain...
