My heart went out to Holly as she confessed this in front of a room full of people.
“I think even less of you know that I know you lied to me.” Meredith looked at me again. “I should have known something wasn’t right when you were doing all the women’s work.”
Rick snickered, “Pussy.” He said under his breath.
I pushed him again, and got close to him so only he could hear, “I fucked Holly’s brains out too, Ricky boy. Something you never seemed to be able to do.” It was immature and stupid, but I’d lost my ability to control my anger at him, at all of them.
He jerked back and I gave him a satisfied sneer as I backed off.
“I want you out,” Meredith demanded. “And you can forget about a donation for the library.”
It wasn’t until Holly and I were outside waiting for my car to be brought around that I realized just how much all this was my fault. If I hadn’t confronted Rick, the fake marriage scheme wouldn’t be out and Holly would have her donation.
I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Stark had set this all up. Rick wasn’t someone who’d normally be at this party. Stark had brought him. Had he done so knowing it could lead to Holly and me being exposed? But why? What did he care?
Then I remembered how I confronted him at the PTA. Was this revenge for that? Had I fucked up this entire thing starting with that?
Jesus. Maybe I was immature. I clearly hadn’t been thinking of potential ramifications. Not then. Not now.
How was I going to fix this for her? Could it even be fixed?
“Holly I’m sorry—”
She whirled on me. “Was that your revenge? Embarrass me in front of the elite? Destroy my work to build a library?”
“What? No.” Did she really think I did this to get back at her for not loving me? God, this was coming out even worse than I’d thought. “He had his hands on you—”
“He was being a jerk, just like you.”
I deserved that. I wanted to tell her I did it because I still cared for her, but worried that it would play into her thinking that I was trying to hurt her for not caring for me.
“I’m sorry.” They were woefully inadequate words, but I couldn’t find any others to say that would make this all better. I’d only wanted to help her get her library and love her, and I’d fucked them both up.
28
Holly
I felt like my world just ended. I was so close to getting the donation to build the library, and now not only was that gone, but I’d just been humiliated in front of the elite of Salvation and the county. It was right up there with being left at the altar. And Rick had been a part of it again. Did he hate me? Why was he always a part of bringing me down?
“I’m sorry,” Tucker said next to me again.
What part did he play in my total ruin? Had he done this to get back at me for rebuffing him. A part of me said I was being ridiculous. Tucker was a good man. And yet, I couldn’t deny that he’d been acting his part tonight with an undercurrent of resentment. He’d know where we were and why, and he still chose to confront Rick.
I’d seen Tucker and Stark talking, and while Tucker didn’t look happy, I couldn’t dismiss the idea that perhaps Stark had set this up with Rick and Tucker. No, that didn’t seem right either, but what did it matter who was to blame? The end result was that I was humiliated and my reputation was completely ruined.
“Really, Holly—”
“I don’t want to hear it now, Tucker.” I held my hand up to stop him from talking.
Footsteps sounded behind us. I turned and saw Rick. God, just what I needed. Tucker stiffened. I grabbed his arm. “Don’t embarrass me even more than you already have.”
Rick smirked, but I quickly wiped that off his face. “Leaving me at the altar wasn’t humiliating enough for you, huh? You had to come back to town and do it again in front of all of Salvation.”
“That wasn’t my intention—"
I glared at him. “I’m glad you walked away, because you’re a terrible person. You never really loved me, did you?”
“I did, Holly. And I’m sorry—”