Decker’s smile faltered, but only for a moment. “Oh, I’m busy Friday night. Got a meeting with my dad. How about we go tonight?” He said it so easily, a lie, straight off his lips, to me.
“I don’t get it,” I whispered, watching his face as it twisted from joy to mirror my obvious confusion. I so did not get it. Did he have me so wrapped up in the idea of love and romance that I didn’t see his betrayal? He was obviously a great actor. Heck, I guess if I would’ve just Googled his name, I would have known that by now.
“Country, what’s going on?”
“When were you going to tell me about The Bishop’s film?” Oh god, the blood that drained from his face was all the proof I needed. “When did I give you the impression I was okay with you fucking other women, even for a job?”
He shook his head. “Who told you about The Bishop?” he practically hissed.
I snorted indignantly. “Seriously Decker? I just found out you are planning on cheating on me and all you can think about is who told me? What, am I not even worthy of you trying to deny it, trying to explain this in a way that doesn’t make you look like a repulsive, cheating scumbag?”
“Who told you, Andi?”
“Fuck you, Decker!” I screamed.
“I’m retired!” he yelled back.
“Then why am I being told you have a film in less than two weeks?”
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. “Because I haven’t officially quit yet.”
I stepped away from him, my back pressing against the counter behind me. I wanted to run, but I had nowhere to go, I was trapped. I shook my head, unable to find the words.
“I quit though. I promise, Andi. I don’t want that anymore, I want you.”
“What, were you just leaving this little side job there as a safety net in case things didn’t work out? Was I that big of a chance that you thought you needed that?” Decker shook his head. “Maybe you just wanted a last hoorah. Go out with a bang. Hell, I would’ve never known, I can’t even bring myself to Google your name and look at the whole dirty sordid world that exists under Decker Steele.” I was pissed now. Furious! Decker ground his teeth together as he watched me crumble. “Once a na?ve little country girl, always a na?ve little country girl, right?”
“Andi, stop it,” he growled.
“Ya know, forget about it. You do your little film, you go fuck Melody Mona and whoever else is on your daily to-do list, and I’ll just take Fabian up on his offer.”
Decker’s face grew cold and angry. “What offer?”
“Just as your business is obviously none of mine, go fuck yourself!” I snapped.
“It was him that told you, right?” My silence was admission enough. “That jealous prick.” Decker laughed, but it was entirely without humor. “I didn’t think he had it in him.” He shook his head as he looked me in the eye. “Go ahead, go out with Fabian.”
I wasn’t sure if he was daring me, assuming I would crumple like the wilted flower he seemed to take me for. I snatched my phone up without even looking at it. I easily found Fabian’s number—it was the last one I had dialed—then held the phone to my ear.
“Fabian, it’s Andi. How’s Friday night for dinner?” I had to admit, Decker’s furious expression was a little intimidating. “No, we have an understanding. If he’s allowed to fuck other women while we are dating, then I am too. Men though, I don’t do the whole girl on girl thing,” I added quickly. Fabian didn’t hesitate to take me up on my offer, which surprised me. His genuine concern when he had told me about Decker’s upcoming film made me wonder why Decker disliked him so much. Fabian had been nothing but cordial to me since the first time we met. I half expected him to decline my dinner suggestion merely out of respect for the situation at hand. Instead, he seemed open and receptive to the idea, which had me seriously doubting my current bravado in front of Decker. After Fabian arranged to pick me up at seven, I hung up the phone.
“Done,” I said, trying to muster the anger and hurt I had embraced only moments before. Now I felt sick, hurt, and a little nervous about whatever I had just initiated with Fabian.