Love Beyond Words (City Lights, #1)(43)

“Natty, we’re sorry,” he began.

“It’s just too…serendipitous,” Liberty said behind her, shivering in her kimono.

“So I’m an idiot, then?” Natalie said. “You two, with all your worldly wisdom and experience can’t believe it so therefore it must be a lie? The only explanation is that I’m some empty-headed na?f?”

Another shared glance between them and Natalie turned on her heel. She took three steps before whipping around again, her purse slapping painfully at her thigh.

“Why do you hang out with me? To feel better about yourselves? To feel superior? Or is it just good old-fashioned pity?”

“Are you kidding me?” Liberty snapped. “You honestly believe that some rich schmuck who’s been hanging out at your café for six months is a prize-winning author? And not only that, he just so happens to be utterly gorgeous? And he just happens to be your favoritest author in the whole wide world? And he just happens to really, really love you too?”

“Shut up, Liberty,” Marshall intoned.

“Yes, I do,” Natalie said. “But I’m not going to explain it to you. Or tell you what I’ve seen to make me believe it. You both think I’m so pathetic? Look at you, Liberty. You can’t have what you want but you don’t change anything. You don’t do anything different. Just sit around in bars every night. You don’t even put yourself out there—”

“I don’t put myself out there?” Liberty screeched. She flapped her silk-sleeved arm back toward the club. “I put myself out there every goddamn night on that goddamn stage. You, on the other hand, f*cked a guy who’s playing you like a fiddle. Congratulations. Welcome to the real world.”

Natalie recoiled at Liberty’s anger but stood her ground. “He is who he says he is. I’m not going to let you try to ruin something perfect with your insinuations—”

“Oh, so he’s perfect now?” Liberty snorted an ugly laugh. “Don’t make me barf.”

Natalie’s throat tightened. “I feel sorry for you.” She wanted to say more but was afraid of sounding petulant. Instead she said, “Don’t follow me,” and walked away.

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Natalie heard the clip-clop of heels going the other way from her, then the release of chatter and music as Kyrie’s door opened and then slammed shut. Natalie tried to hold them back, but the tears fell anyway.

“Natalie, wait,” Marshall called after her in a forlorn voice. He caught up to her and his arms went around her. “We’re pigs.”

“Yes, you are.”

“It’s just a pretty huge, astronomical coincidence…” Natalie started to pull away but he held her tight. “But, I believe you. At least I think I do. And so does Liberty. She’s just bitter because…well, she’s just bitter.”

“She’s bitter because she loves you,” Natalie said. “And you know it.”

“What? No…”

“Marshall…”

He met her gaze for a moment, his lips pursed. Then he flung his hands in the air. “What am I going to do? I love the woman, infuriating though she may be. I think she’s talented and gorgeous and I want to spend all day with her. I just don’t want to f*ck her.”

Natalie breathed a hiccupping sigh. He handed her his handkerchief. “Thank you.” She dabbed her eyes. “What are you going to do?”

“I haven’t a clue, but it doesn’t matter right now. This was supposed to be your night and we screwed it up.” He put his arm around her. “Is it really him? No joke?”

She nodded.

“But wait, I thought Mendón was over forty.” He raised a brow. “So he’s…an older man?”

“He’s twenty-eight. All that stuff about his age isn’t true. For his privacy.”

Marshall gave her a look. “You have to know how convenient that all sounds from where we’re standing, Nat.”

“I don’t care. I know the truth.”

“We’re just trying to protect you. Liberty too, in her own way.”

“I don’t need protecting, Marshall,” Natalie said. “Not from him. All this is just making me feel stupid. I have to go now.”

“No, don’t. I won’t be able to sleep tonight knowing you’re this upset. Just…tell me everything and start at the beginning.”

“I don’t want to now,” she said, leaning her head on his lapel. “I’m sorry.”

He squeezed her tight and sighed. “Me too.”

#

“I’m here to see Julian.”

The security guard—Hank, she remembered—smiled warmly. “Of course, Miss Hewitt. Let me see if Mr. Kova? is in this evening.”

Natalie blew on her fingers. They were cold though her face felt flushed and hot, and when Hank allowed her access to the elevator, she had to hold herself back from running.

The elevator opened on his floor. Julian was waiting at the door for her.

“I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow—” He stopped, his pleased expression morphing to concern. “Are you all right? Natalie, what is it? It’s happened, hasn’t it? You told your friends…”