The Publicist's Plight (Book I in The Harrison Inc. Series) | ✓

Chapter Sixty Five: Forgive Me for My Transgressions

She sees the surprised and almost aggravated look on my face. After all this trouble of giving me the journal, she wants me to believe that she spontaneously wants it back?

"I don't understand why you would want it back, though," I answer. "You were pretty clear on giving it to me and making sure that you didn't have anything to do with it."

"I know. It's just...I'm concerned. Scared, even."

"For who?"

"For Sebastian. For you."

I hate how convincing she is. I have to remember that the only reason I know Ingrid is because of Garrett, and anything having to do with Garrett is something I want to steer clear of.

"Why for me?" I ask.

"You're on Garrett's radar. As I've said before, he sees you as a threat. Even more so because you and Sebastian are...closer now. Me? He doesn't see me as a threat anymore. I'm just a pathetic 30-something year old woman who is emotionally unstable—too emotionally unstable to do anything significant to him."

Ingrid swallows a knot in her throat when she makes the reflective observation. I pity her. A lot. Trusting her? That's different.

"Although your reasoning is believable, it's hard for me to get behind the idea that you want to help me. There's another reason you want the journal, isn't there?"

Her eyes flicker worryingly around the café. "No, there isn't."

"You're lying, Ingrid—"

"No I'm not!" she screams at me. I'm stunned back into my seat; the entire café is silent, the workers staring over at us. But instead of composing herself, she becomes angrier.

"You think you're so perfect with your...your fancy car and nice apartment and your nice shoes and your Berkeley degree! That doesn't mean anything to him the way you think it does. I know you two slept together last night at his house. You think that means he loves you? He doesn't! Sebastian loves me. He's always loved me; it's just he doesn't know how to come to terms with it. Which is why he sleeps around with other women to soothe his denial; you're nothing special, no matter how much he made you think you are!"

Strike two.

It looks as if even Ingrid doesn't believe in her own words. The way her lip quivers, the way her eyes gloss over with tears; the way her pale face reddens. This woman was ruined, and she doesn't believe that fact, either.

None of us say anything. I don't want to say anything that will tick her off, because by her rant, she knows about Sebastian and I having sex. What else does she know about? Who's her source?

"Ingrid," I say in a calm tone. "Listen. It's obvious that you aren't in your right element right now. Whatever Garrett told you or is telling you is messing with your head."

"This has nothing to do with him," she replies, tears falling down her cheeks. "This has to do with me and Sebastian. That's it. You expect me to sit by and watch the man I love pretend to love a woman who was paid to associate herself with him in the first place?"

Strike three.

This is when I know I should get up and leave. But I can't. I'm frozen in my seat, staring at her so blankly it paves way to fear.

"You told Sebastian that you didn't start working with him for the money, but because you were genuinely interested in getting to know him; you lied. And still, you won't tell him the truth. Why? You could have made this easier on yourself if you told him the truth in the first place, but instead you convinced him otherwise so you could succeed. Right?"