Page 27 of Catch Me (Townsend Legacy #4)

I vy

“I can’t believe you’ve finally moved out here!” A few days after that talk with Andreas in his trailer, I’m out with my two best friends at a sushi restaurant.

Ari has officially moved to Los Angeles.

“I know, right?!” Ari replies. “It was the last time I was out here that sealed the deal. I hadn’t realized how much I hated not living in the same city as you two anymore. To be honest, I was a little jealous,” she says, looking between Mya and me.

“Jealous?” I ask.

She nods. “You both were living out here without me. And all I had back home in North Carolina was a bum ass ex-boyfriend and parents who kept asking me when I was going to get a real job.” She rolls her eyes.

“Never mind the fact that I was able to pay their mortgage off with my income from my fake job.”

She laughs.

“Girl, you know your parents are old school as hell. Most people not in the industry still don’t understand how much some influencers or people with non-traditional jobs can make,” Mya says.

“Don’t I know it. They swear I’m going to be broke and homeless any day now.”

“Do they not know how much you have in investments?” I ask.

Ari rolls her eyes. “You think they understand investments outside of a pension or basic 401K?”

I smirk. She’s not only done well for herself through her YouTube channels, she’s also been wisely investing her money since her sophomore year of college. Which is how she was able to purchase a condo in L.A. in cash.

“At least you know they love you and just want the best for you,” I tell her, squeezing her hand. “We can’t all say that.”

I don’t mean to let that last part slip.

I’d told Mya and Ari about my mother’s visit the previous week, and the panic attack I had afterwards.

The table goes silent.

“Shit, now I’ve ruined the mood,” I curse. “What I meant was that I’m elated you’ve moved to L.A.,” I tell Ari, still holding her hand in mine. “And I know as traditional as your parents are, they do love you and are only speaking from what they know.”

Her face lights up. “Thank you, Vee.” She pulls me in for a hug, kissing my cheek.

“Oh, speaking of good news, I have more,” Mya adds.

“What’s up?” we ask in unison.

“That corny ass waste of space podcaster and YouTuber, Dennis James, got all of his accounts suspended and he’s being sued.”

A cold chill runs down my spine at the mention of his name.

“Say that again?” I tell Mya.

“No fucking way!” Ari yells.

“It’s true. My firm has nothing to do with his dumbass, so I can talk about what I’ve heard.” She looks at me. “You know I wouldn’t work for a firm that represented that lame ass, little dick jackass.”

I swallow the lump in my throat before mouthing ‘ I love you ’ to my friend. She squeezes my hand.

For months, followers of Dennis James and his channel harassed all of my social media accounts, somehow found my personal and professional emails and sent the vilest messages you can think of.

“For the life of me, I can’t figure out how some men who I’ve never met, heard of, or spoken about could hate me so much.”

“It’s because they’re bitter and lonely themselves,” Mya says.

“And they’re projecting their own failures onto you,” Ari adds.

“Dennis attempted to start his own media company and signed on a couple of smaller podcasters. All lame ass men like him, of course,” Mya scoffs.

“Well, apparently, homie wasn’t paying like he promised in those contracts. And to top it off, he was sleeping with one of the dude’s wives, so shit is getting real messy.”

“Whaaat?” Ari yells.

“Shut up!” I add.

“Yeah, that’s not even half of it. But to add insult to injury, a number of the social media sites he uses, including YouTube, shut down his channel for bullying and harassment. He’s trying to appeal but it’s not looking good for his ass.”

Mya cackles.

“That’s what he gets. Wait,” Ari says, “who is he accused of bullying?” She looks at me.

I throw my hands up. “I never reported him for any of that stuff that happened.”

“Which you fucking should have,” Mya scolds with narrowed eyes. “I told you that a year ago.”

I hadn’t told either one of them what was going on when it was all happening. I was too embarrassed.

Hard not to be when I needed to move back home at that time and on an almost daily basis my own parents were the ones saying how much I deserved it for humiliating our family the way I did.

“Do you know who it was he was harassing? Was it another woman?”

“You know it was,” Mya says. “That fool obviously hates women.”

“Yet, he doesn’t mind sleeping with another man’s wife,” Ari says

“Pig,” I mutter.

“Lame ass bitch,” Mya adds.

“It was another YouTuber. Mz. Ellyn is the name of her channel. She’s a Black influencer in her mid-fifties with over a million followers on YouTube alone. More than that dumbass.

“Anyway, he tried to come for her, and after she did a short clip responding to a comment he left on one of her videos.

“Apparently, he’s been harassing her for over a year now.”

“He’s insane.”

“I know Mz. Ellyn,” Ari says. “I met her at an event in New York a couple of years ago. She was a ball of fun.”

Mya’s smile widens. “She’s also smart because she kept a record of everything. Someone got in contact with her through a lawyer, and she had all of her receipts of that clown’s harassment.”

“He messed with the right one.”

“Good,” I say. “He obviously has no intention of stopping on his own. He deserves everything bad coming his way.”

Ari and Mya nod in agreement.

“I just wonder what brought it all about so quickly. From what I’ve heard, Mz.

Ellyn only brought about her harassment claims after his channel had already been taken down by YouTube.

There had to be something or someone who was working behind the scenes with some influence to get his channel snatched so swiftly. ”

“I haven’t heard anything,” Ari says. Since she has millions of subscribers across her various channels and has more than one YouTube executive on speed dial, she’s often the first of us to hear about news in the social media world most aren’t privy to.

“Surprising, but whatever.” Mya shrugs. “I wouldn’t be surprised if more news about illegal shit he’s done over the years comes out. People like him always have more skeletons in their closet,” she continues.

“As long as that fool is gone for now,” Ari says.

“I agree. Let’s hope he doesn’t try to crawl out from underneath whatever rock he’s been shoved under.”

“Amen to that.” Ari lifts her cup of saki. “Cheers.”

Mya and I clink our cups with hers before downing our drinks.

“Next rounds on me!” I yell before raising my hand to get the waitress’ attention and pointing to our empty cups.

“Someone’s got a little extra sass in her tonight,” Mya hums.

“Yeah, and I bet it’s not just about that Dennis piece of shit getting what’s coming to him. Spill.” Ari elbows me.

I roll my eyes. “There’s nothing to spill.”

“Bullshit,” Mya says. “You’re dating a whole Hollywood star. Open up.”

My stomach muscles tighten as I think about what Andreas and I did in his trailer the other day.

We still haven’t had that talk since he’s had more late-night shoots and I’ve been back and forth between the set and the studio office helping with other upcoming projects.

“It’s going well,” I draw out.

“Stop it,” Mya insists. “That man is sprung off of you.” She turns to Ari. “That man was asking me for security codes so he could pack her and that damn cat up to stay with him for the night.

“Asking me about your favorite foods and what the cat likes to eat.”

“Not Ms. Shelby’s preferences, too,” Ari squeals.

“Yes!” Mya responds. “Now she’s trying to act like it’s not that serious.”

I laugh, in part because it’s true.

“It’s just …”

“What’s going on?” Mya asks.

I push out a breath. “The night I spent with him was great, fantastic. I had this giddy feeling all in my chest and put on my new dress … and then bam , my mom pops up. Then I have another panic attack.

“And I can’t help but to think that whenever anything good in my life happens, or when something I really want is finally in reach, it’ll be taken away from me.”

“Oh, Vee.” Ari takes my hand into hers.

“You know that’s not true, though. That’s just your fear talking,” Mya reasons.

“I know, but … well, logic and fear don’t exactly communicate well.”

“Have you told Andreas all of this?”

I shake my head. “Not all of it.”

“Talk to him,” Mya encourages. “I’m not a relationship expert by any means, but every hardship Jason and I got through was because we opened up to one another.”

“Which was just the opposite for Paul and me,” Ari adds. “But then again, his ass was too immature and selfish to communicate like an adult,” she scoffs.

“Call me crazy, but I don’t think Andreas is going anywhere,” Mya adds. “Did I tell you he has her picked up and dropped off everyday for work because he knows how much she hates driving?”

“Stop lying!” Ari’s eyes go wide.

“It’s only been a few days,” I mumble.

“Weeks,” Mya corrects.

Yes, she’s right. Ever since that first night I spent at his place, Andreas has arranged for Spencer to be my personal driver to and from the set each day.

“Sometimes it’s just more convenient to leave my car,” I defend.

Both of my friends crack up laughing.

“I know that’s right. Get ’em sprung, Vee!” Ari cheers.

I roll my eyes as both of my foolish besties giggle. My face heats as I think about the other day in his trailer, but my phone buzzes, snapping me out of the memory.

Andreas:

Had a second to sit down. I hope you’re enjoying dinner with your friends. Spencer will be there to pick you up and take all three of you home. No drinking and driving! Miss you.

“See?” Mya’s voice breaks into my concentration. “I don’t even need to ask who that message is from.” That sends her and Ari into another round of laughter.

My phone buzzes again. I think it’s another message from Andreas, but my smile is instantly replaced with a frown when I see who it’s from.

Dad:

Your mother told me you ignored her when she so kindly went all of the way to Los Angeles to visit you, Ivy. Even though she had a very important work conference to prepare for.

My stomach drops.

Dad:

We are both terribly disappointed in your behavior.

It’s as if my parents have a radar that goes off whenever they know I’m happy. They have to intrude to find a way to bring me back down.

“Is that him again?” Mya asks, laughter in her voice.

“Work,” I lie before turning my phone over. “I have to go in a little early tomorrow. How about we order more of those crab rolls?” I suggest. “Those are my favorite.”