Free Sweet Spot by Lucy Felthouse Page A

and makeup. Ugh. I’d
just have to let her see me in a state and hope it didn’t scare her off for
good.
    Brushing the backs of my hands over my eyes again, I took a
deep breath and opened the door. I immediately stood back to let Nadia in then
closed the door behind her.
    “Shit,” she said, after taking one look at me. “What the
hell happened? Did Austin kick you out or something? He can’t have done!”
    The sight of her, and her concern, set me off crying for the
umpteenth time. I walked over to the sofa and flopped down onto it. Joining me,
Nadia exclaimed, “Son of a bitch! He didn’t, did he? I’m gonna go back there,
gonna tell him he’s got it all wrong, that you’re brilliant, that your talent
shouldn’t be wasted, that he’ll regret it—”
    She stopped when I clapped a hand over her mouth. I couldn’t
think of what to say to stop her, and even if I could, I couldn’t have voiced
the words over my sobs. Satisfied she’d shut up for now, I moved my hand away
and sucked in a shaky breath, hoping I could hold it together for long enough
to explain to her.
    “He hasn’t kicked me out. It’s nothing to do with Austin.
And it’s definitely nothing to do with you.” I squeezed her hand and gave a
small smile. “It’s something Austin told me. Now please will you hear me out
without interrupting? As you’ve probably guessed I’m having a bit of a hard
time here.”
    Squeezing back, she gave me an encouraging smile. “Yeah, go
for it. I won’t say a word.”
    Closing my eyes for a second, I tried my best to get a grip.
It was bad enough that this thing had happened, never mind having to repeat the
story, but Nadia deserved to know. Even before what had happened earlier she’d
been my friend, and if it hadn’t been for her and Mitchell…well, I didn’t even
want to think about it.
    “Okay…” My tone sounded surer than I’d thought it would be
and I took strength from that and plunged into telling the story before my
nerve failed me.
    I avoided looking at Nadia as I spoke, knowing that her
facial expressions—her shock, her dismay, her pity—would put me off. And
probably set me off crying again too. So I stared intently at my hands the
entire time, looking up and meeting her gaze only when I was done.
    What I saw in her eyes, in her expression, was absolutely
not what I had been expecting. She looked furious .
    “Can I speak now?”
    I nodded.
    “That bastard ! Words don’t even describe… It’s bad
enough what he did to you, or tried to do, but the fact he’s actually succeeded
with other women… It makes me sick. He makes me sick. He needs
castrating.”
    “Tell me something I don’t know. I feel sick, Nadia. When
Austin told me I managed to hold it together for the most part. When we were
done talking I just wanted to come back here and be alone. I’m sorry I left you
in the cafeteria, I just…”
    “Hey.” She slipped her arm around my back and pulled me
close. “You have nothing to apologize for. I understand, honey. I just
wanted to make sure you were okay. Your face as you drove off… I could tell
there was something wrong. Really wrong. I get why you wanted to be alone too.
You want me to leave? I don’t wanna go, don’t wanna leave you, but if that’s
what you want, I will.”
    I shook my head then leaned it on her shoulder. “No. Stay,
please. Ask me any questions about it that you want, then can we please change
the subject?”
    She dropped a kiss onto my hair. “Of course I’ll stay. But I
don’t have any questions. Except for one. Are you gonna be all right? Is there
anything I can do? Balls, that was two. Sorry.”
    In spite of my mood I let out a giggle. Lifted my head and
looked at her. “I’ll be all right, I promise. It’s just shock that sent me into
meltdown. And the thought of what could have happened. And guilt that it
happened to other women and I was lucky. The plan was to wallow today, to let
the tears fall, the anger come out, whatever.