“I heard about what you did to Kaylee. This bar’s now off limits. To you. She can have a drink,” she points at Ashley.
“Thank you,” Ashley says.
“Still not sure about him, though,” Abigail says to Liam.
Liam starts to pout. “Let’s go elsewhere, where we’re appreciated, Chase.”
I agree with Liam, but I still can’t let it go. “Well, you didn’t hear what she said about me.”
Abigail leans forward onto the counter. “Do tell, asshole.”
“Hey,” Liam says.
“No, I’ll allow it,” Ashley interjects. “I mean, Kaylee didn’t actually say anything to you, right? You were sneaking around eavesdropping. And you’re only mad now because she gave back the money. Oh yeah, I’ll have a Gray Goose and cranberry with a twist.”
“Hey,” I object. “I wasn’t sneaking around. Okay, I was sneaking around. But it’s my hotel room. And do you want to know why I was sneaking around? To give her flowers. Tulips, her favorite.”
Abigail tries to take it all in. She nods to Ashley and starts to make the drink. “What do you mean, she gave back the money?”
“Sent it right back. And good for her,” Ashley answers.
I glare at Ashley. She’s not helping. Well, she’s not helping me, anyway.
For the first time I see Abigail’s expression soften. “Hey, tulips are Kaylee’s favorite. What did you say you overheard?”
“Just what a rich jerk I am and how she can’t stand me and how people only like me because I’m rich. And she gave back the money. Who does that?”
Abigail concentrates for a moment, like she’s considering her next words carefully. “I’m sorry, but what you’re saying you overheard doesn’t sound like Kaylee. Even if it’s true and you are a jerk, she’s just not the kind to dump on you like that. Well, before you did this to her. Now she’s mad. Now you’re toast.”
I slump into my seat. Right now, I would really like a drink. Even though I just sobered up. And the stupid coconut monkeys are all staring at me.
“Wait,” Abigail says. “Fi and Angie are still here. Hang on.” She turns toward the ocean side of the bar and starts screaming loud enough for everybody to hear. “Hey, Fi and Angie!”
I wave my hands to try to call her off. The last thing I want is my drama screamed across the bar. She ignores me.
“Did one of you talk shit on the phone last night about a rich asshole?”
My gaze goes from a maniacally grinning Ashley, who’s enjoying all of this, to Abigail, and then to the general direction she was shouting at. Two incredibly angry looking women are coming this way.
“It’s him,” I hear the dark haired one yell to the blond. “Of all the nerve.”
“What the hell are you doing here?” The blond says to me as she arrives.
“Look,” Abigail says. “Ignore them for now. I’m on a fact-finding mission. Did either of you have a conversation with Kaylee last night?”
I think back. “Last night, nine-thirty-ish.”
Abigail looks at me to confirm the timeline and I nod.
“Oh,” Fi cries out, “me. I talked to Kaylee last night. Why? That doesn’t change the fact that Chase is an asshole.”
“True,” Abigail says. “But in that conversation, what exactly did you two talk about?”
Fi takes a sip of her drink as she thinks. “Um, I called to talk about Pete the dick.”
“What?” I ask.
“Peter Chisholm, the biggest, richest dick. Well, local dick. He stiffed me on the last three charity events I did for him. Causing me no end of problems.”
“Wait,” Abigail says, “you’re saying that you called Kaylee so that she could commiserate with you about the fact that Peter Chisholm is an asshole rich guy who screws everybody while they kiss his ass?”
“Yes, that,” Fi says, pointing. “It’s true, too.”
I jump in, figuring out where Abigail is going with this. “Did you at any point say people only kiss up to him for his money, or something like that?”
“I did indeed,” Fi replies. “Because it’s true.”
Abigail gives Fi a look. “Chase bought Kaylee tulips last night and tried to surprise her but heard her on the phone saying how much she hates asshole rich people.”
“Oh,” Fi says as her eyes go wide in horror. “Oh no.”
“No, that can’t be,” Angie says. “That’s why you turned cold as ice to her? That’s weak, dude. You suck. She wasn’t even talking about you.”
I don’t even try to answer her. I know that she’s right.
“Furthermore,” Angie continues, “misunderstanding or not, I think she deserves better than you. You bailed the second you thought something went wrong.” Angie stands up. “You know what she did for you? She lied to us, her friends, who love her. She lied to her coworkers and it cost her the job that she needed. She was surrounded and terrified by paparazzi today. It was scary, Chase. She put up with all of that for you, but the first-time things got iffy on your end you bailed.”
Fi lifts her drink to Angie. “Yeah, that’s right, baby. You don’t deserve her. The shit she put up with all weekend for you, her personal life turning into a dumpster fire, all while saving your ass for a stupid job you don’t even like. So unfair. And then you turn full asshole and drive her away. Unbelievable.”
There are a few seconds of silence after that. The words hit me like a sledgehammer. If someone had told me five minutes ago that it was possible to feel even worse about the situation than I already did, I wouldn’t have believed them.
“What was that about a job you hate?” Liam asks.
“Nothing,” I answer. There’s nothing left to say. “It’s nothing. These ladies are right. We should get out of here.”
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Kaylee
Several hours later, Ralph has the kitchen area of the restaurant ready to go and I’ve finished organizing the tables, silverware, menus, and condiments.
I stand back and admire my work. Ralph walks in from the back kitchen, several rags thrown over his
