Addicted (The Addicted Series, #1)(47)

“Go on,” Gabe persuaded. “That can’t be all?”

“Gee, thanks for your support,” I muttered.

Gabe winked.

“Promise me that if I don’t like what you have to say, you’ll put an end to this and never bother Victoria again.”

I grinned. “Promise.”

April stared at me suspiciously for a long time before letting out a huge sigh. "Fine, but make it quick."





Chapter 26





Victoria





How dare he show up like that? I thought, standing before the large window of Christine’s office with my arms crossed and looking out at the darkening skyline.

After I’d run from the auditioning room, crying my eyes out, I made it back to the top floor, locking myself in Christine’s office. There I felt safe, away from everyone. I'd gotten myself together and resumed my duties, working to try to forget what happened.

Still, there'd been a part of me that wanted to run back down and confront Tyler just as fast as I’d run out, to call him the scum of the earth, a lying bastard. It took all of my discipline, repeating an empowering litany over and over in my head, to stay put.

No, I was better off without him in my life.

A knock on the wall jolted me back from thought. "Hey Miss Boss Lady!"

April walked into the office, a concerned look on her face.

"Hey," I replied. I hadn't seen April since I ran from the auditioning room, and I wondered if she was mad at me. "How'd everything go?"

April walked over and set some papers down on Christine's desk and sighed. "Awful. I had to call off the rest of the audition. It's being rescheduled for tomorrow. I've already called Christine and confirmed. She was angry about it, but I think she has too much on her plate right now to worry about it. That is, as long as everything gets taken care of tomorrow.” April twisted one of her side ponytails around her index finger, looking thoughtful. "Something about Patty White is giving her an ulcer."

I know all about it, I thought.

"What about Tyler?" I asked. I hated how eager I sounded.

April stopped fooling with her hair and looked at me. "I sent him away."

"Did you have to call security?" For some reason that was important to me. I liked the idea of Tyler fighting with security guards and getting thrown out on his ass. It would show his cocky ass right.

April shook her head. "No, he left on his own."

"Oh." I sounded so disappointed.

April walked over to stand next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, looking me directly in the eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked with concern.

For a moment, I thought about lying, but then I thought better of it. Since my ordeal with Tyler, April had been a great friend. She only wanted what was best for me.

"At first I wasn’t,” I replied. "I cried and cried, but then I slowly pulled it together." I sniffed. "Someone had to do the work around here."

"That's good," April said softly. "But I have a question."

"Huh?"

"Did you ever give Tyler a chance to explain why that girl was there that day?”

I scowled. "No, why should I? The skank was holding his dick while he was half-naked. What is there to explain? That she wasn't real? That I was having delusions? Please, April." I thought it was odd that April, who'd been the very one condemning Tyler, was asking if I'd given him a chance to explain his lies to me.

April studied me, understanding in her eyes. "Sometimes, Vicky, things aren't what they seem."

I glowered. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Instead of answering, April turned toward the window. "It sure is a beautiful view at dusk," she murmured appreciatively.

Doesn’t beat the view from Tyler's office, I thought.

"It is," I admitted, wondering what April’s deal was. "A beautiful view and an ugly day."

"It wasn't that bad."

Are you kidding me?

I turned away and walked over to Christine's desk, ready to go home. April was suddenly acting too weird for me. "It's time to get out of here.” I paused, looking around the desk to make sure Christine’s things were exactly how she liked them.

"Hey, April."

"What's up?"

"Can you tell Gabe to bring Christine's White Book before you go? He came by here a bit ago, asking to borrow it. I want everything to be where it’s supposed to be when Christine gets here. She'll have a fit if it isn't here in the morning," I said.

April turned to regard me, a twinkle in her eye. "Sure. I'll send him up as soon as I track him down." She walked toward the office doorway but stopped to ask, "Do you need anything?"

Okay, now I really know she's acting weird.

I crossed my arms. "No. Just that book. Now,” I said with my best Christine impression.

April saluted me with a laugh. "Right on it, Boss."

I gagged. “Gross.”

Leaving a peal of laughter in her wake, April left the office, practically skipping out.

"Weirdo," I muttered when she was gone.

While killing time for Gabe, I went about tidying up Christine's office, making sure nothing was out of place. Christine was a neat freak, and if she came back with so much as a pen out of place, I was sure I'd never hear the end of it.