Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 168

Hogan was dead serious when he said it.

Right in the spotlight.

I

And that kinda threw me for a loop. All I could muster was a weak “uh–huh,” my face totally betraying me.

After all, this whole “work” thing was just smoke and mirrors.

But I was not ungrateful. I was crystal clear that without Hogan stepping up to bat for me in tonight’s farce, I’d have been left high and dry.

But why, though? Mr. Brainiac himself surely knew the can of worms he’d open by speaking up for me, yet he went ahead and did it, way out of left field.

“All this hustle’s killed my vibe.”

That crisp voice snapped me back to reality. Next thing I knew, Hogan and Cecilia had vanished into the crowd, gone with the wind.

The others, seeing Timothy all wiped out, tried to cheer him up. But the guy was dead set on teaving. Looping his arm over my shoulder, he was all, “Xaviera is beat. Gotta take her home, right, Xaviera?”

Timothy gave me those innocent puppy dog eyes as he dropped that last line, grinning from ear to ear.

he was giving me the wink–wink, nudge–nudge.

played along. “A bit, yeah.”

out of

lot.

stopped dead in my

low, sniffling, “I just don’t get it. Why’d you have to lie for Xaviera?”

“lie” pierced my ear and

in on

sighed softly, his long fingers brushing her cheek, “I have

11:02

Chapter 168

His reasons.

quickly looked away, my heart thumping like crazy.

was no good, so I nudged Timothy, “Is

mind, “It’s chilly

dropped me off at the hotel.

he said with a hint of regret, “Sorry

about the near humiliation, I sheepishly said, “I should

of urgency in his voice. “None of this. would’ve happened

that mechanical cufflink flashed in my

I mean if, Sean really was