Found in You(118)

“She set me up.” I said it to myself more than anyone else. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.” Mira had warned me about her. And Stacy from the boutique. Even Hudson had said I shouldn’t hang around with Celia. I hadn’t listened. So stupid.

“And the staff at A Voce can confirm that Alayna just walked up and joined me when I was about to have lunch the other day.”

“What, did you pay them off?” I spit the words out.

“I didn’t have to. It’s the truth.”

Our lunch that day had been uneventful. If she hadn’t paid them, then she’d probably told the hostess she was dining alone. Then when I showed up, it looked like I was invading her lunch. And I’d left before her—she could have cornered the waitress and complained about me, setting the scene for them another way.

Jack perched on the arm of my chair. “And what did you do, Celia? Did you notify security?”

“I didn’t want to be rude.” Her blue eyes sparkled. She was enjoying this game of hers. Was this whole thing a ploy to get Hudson by getting rid of me? Or was it revenge for the con he’d pulled on her years ago?

Or—the worst thought of all—had she learned manipulation from him? Had they played these games together?

I looked to Hudson. He’d said nothing since he called my name when I first arrived, his face steel, no emotion showing. I couldn’t tell whose side he was on. And that worried me—he should be on my side, shouldn’t he? Automatically?

“It’s bullshit.” I spoke to Hudson alone, not caring who else believed me. “She’s lying. We were having lunch together. She invited me.”

“She also harassed me in the restroom,” Celia said. “On your birthday, Sophia.”

“I did not!”

Celia put a hand on Hudson’s arm. “I told you that night, remember?”

“I don’t need a reminder.” He pulled his arm away from Celia’s grasp and my heart buoyed with the small victory.

She pretended his rejection didn’t faze her, turning to Sophia, her ally. “He refused to believe me then too.”

“He’s blinded by the sex,” Sophia said. “It’s not real.”

I ignored Sophia. “She told you I harassed her?” I tried to meet Hudson’s eyes, but he kept them fixed on the floor.

I thought back to the night of Sophia’s birthday, how Celia had been talking to Hudson when I left the bathroom. He’d been withdrawn afterward. Was this the reason why? Because she’d accused me of harassment? “Why didn’t you say anything to me, Hudson?”


He didn’t answer, but I could think of a reason he hadn’t told me—because I hadn’t said anything to him. God, the secrets we’d kept. Now they could undo us.

My stomach flipped as if I was going to throw up. “She approached me in the bathroom. I went in first, remember? And there was no harassing.” I snapped my fingers, suddenly remembering I had proof of the real conversation we’d had. “Mira was in a stall at the time! She’ll back me up.”

Celia’s face faltered for only half a second. “Mira’s always hated me. She’d lie to get me out of the picture.”

Jack chortled. “God, Celia, now you’re dragging Mira into this? How low will you go?”

Sophia scowled at her husband. “Stop attacking the victim.”

“Oh, Celia is anything but a victim.” Jack’s tone held a wealth of subtext. He obviously had his own issues with the Werner girl. On another occasion, I’d be itching to know what that was about.