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CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

brEAKING THE INTERNET

ELLE

Now

Rhodes and I drive over to Weston and Sadie’s place. I’d messaged the girls asking if we could meet up as soon as possible, and Rhodes was already in the middle of a group chat with the guys, so when Sadie invited us over, Weston invited the whole crew. Rhodes’ parents were happy to watch Levi. It’s nice that it’s a holiday week; otherwise, I’m not sure we could’ve all pulled this off on such short notice.

My inbox on every social media platform is growing by the minute, and I don't know what to say to any of them. My agent calls while we're on the way to Sadie's and tells me to just sit tight until we can come up with a public statement. I’ll call her when I get home later.

I’m all nerves as we pull into the driveway. When Rhodes stops the SUV, he reaches over and takes my hand.

“It's going to be okay. All of these people love you and they're going to be so excited. I'll be with you—if you want me—when we talk to your parents too. They’ll have to get through me first if they want to say anything negative.”

“I’m so glad you know. I would have been mortified if you'd found out before we had worked through our feelings, but keeping this from you has been so hard.” I grin at him. “And not sharing why I can suddenly pay for things. Last month I made more than I’ve ever made in all my jobs put together…in one month! Granted, I’ve never had jobs that paid great, but still!”

He’s laughing as he opens the door.

“And here I’ve been so worried about your finances and frustrated that you never let me help,” he says.

Weston opens the door and lets us inside.

Caleb runs over and looks around. “Wheh’s Yevi?” he asks.

Levi adores the way Caleb says his name.

“He stayed with his grandparents this time, buddy,” Rhodes says. “You’ll see him soon though, I promise.”

We walk back into the living room, where it’s quiet, when suddenly I’m assaulted with colorful silly string spray coming from every direction.

I gasp and try to duck, but they’re relentless. The girls are all aiming their bottles at me and laughing their heads off.

“Zoey Archer,” Sadie yells. “How in the world did you keep that from us?”

Tru is bent over, laughing too hard to grab another can fast enough. I run around the room and they chase me with it. Calista and Stephanie are in on it too, and the guys laugh at us from the sidelines.

“Your meetings are more fun than the Single Dad Players,” Penn says. “I think I want to join your group.”

“Not so fast,” Henley says. “You wormed your way into our group. You are not getting out of it that easily.”

“Tell us everything,” Sadie says, coming over to hug me.

She pulls silly string out of my hair and I pull it out of hers. I hug her and then Tru and Stephanie.

“I saw it on TikTok right before I came,” Stephanie says, “and asked Tru if she’d known all along.”

“No idea,” Tru says, pretending to glare at me.

“I didn’t even know until she accidentally emailed me from the wrong account,” Calista says.

“I felt so bad for keeping it a secret from you guys, especially when you were talking about how much you loved the book. First of all, I’m still in shock that it’s been so well received, so to know that it found its way into your bookstore, Calista, and that you all read it…I still can’t get over that! If I could have kept it contained to only you guys knowing forever, I would have.”

“Have you talked to your parents yet?” Calista asks.

“No. I just told Rhodes a little while ago. When you let me know that word had gotten out, I told him, and his parents know now too.”

“What do you think about having a superstar girlfriend, Rhodes?” Calista asks .

“I am fucking ecstatic,” he says, putting his arms around me and pulling me close. “I’ve wanted her to write ever since the first time I read something of hers. I knew she had a gift back then. The fact that it's such a huge hit is just…” He leans in and kisses the side of my head. “I’m so fucking proud I don’t know what to do with myself.” He laughs. “Right under our fucking noses.”

The guys congratulate me too and Penn says he’ll add it to his reading list.

“You have a reading list?” Weston teases, as I’m saying, “Oh, that's okay. You really don't need to read it.”

“I want to,” he says.

“Are you a reader?” I ask.

“No, but what better way to start reading than to start with yours? I can pull your book out and say I know the author.”

He’s teased more about it, but my phone vibrating makes everyone look at me.

“I really don't want—” I groan, as my phone buzzes with texts again.

Then it rings. I ignore it. I pick it up and cringe. I don’t recognize the number.

“People are messaging like crazy. I haven't even looked at all the videos about me. I’m scared to look.”

“It’s pretty fun, actually,” Calista says. “But now they’re putting two and two together and thinking maybe this story is about Rhodes.”

I make a face and look at Rhodes, who has a smug, shit-eating grin taking over his entire face.

“So glad we’d worked this out before this news came out,” I reiterate, motioning between the two of us. “I need to let my parents know before someone else tells them about it…if that's even possible. ”

“You're an adult, honey,” Stephanie says. “I know you try really hard to do what your parents want. You're a good daughter. They should be proud of how smart you are, how kind and beautiful, and how much you love them and care what they think. But I lived for so long in a house with a husband where I couldn't do anything without wondering how he would take it or how he would verbally beat me up over it. I know your parents aren't doing that exactly, but anyone who shames something you're proud of...” She squeezes my hand. “I don't care if it's your parents, or your children, or friends, or strangers on the internet…you hold your head high and be proud of who you are.”

“Thank you, Stephanie,” I say, hugging her again. My voice is wobbly as I wipe the tears dripping down my face. “I needed to hear that.”

“Well, we're proud enough of you for the whole world, but from what I’m seeing, you’ve got some serious love going on out there.” Calista holds her phone up and waggles it.

“If you need to go and talk to your parents, you can always come back here and keep celebrating with us after, you know, if you need a boost,” Sadie says.

“No pressure,” Tru adds. “If it’s a rough one.”

“You guys are the best. I’m the one who begged you to see me in a hurry. I don’t want to miss the party.”

“Oh, we’ll keep partying over this. And now that the word is getting out, we should have a signing at Twinkle Tales,” Calista sings.

“Yes,” Tru says. “We have to! And Bree would totally want to be there too. I got her to read the book and she's as obsessed as we are.”

“You guys are the best. I'm so lucky to have you. Thank you. Thanks for not hating me for keeping it a secret from you. It wasn't because I didn't want to tell you. And I'm really glad you know now. I do think I need to see if my parents are free to talk.”

They nod and I hear the guys talking about The Single Dad Playbook stuff. I’d much rather get my greedy hands on that book than message my mom right now. That stuff is gold.

I hear back from my mom right away.

Mom

We’re home. Come over.

When Rhodes and I say bye to everyone, I let them know I'll keep them posted.

As soon as my mom opens the door, I can tell I’m in trouble. We step inside and no one says a word. She walks us back to the family room, where Bernard is sitting with my parents.

“Why does this not surprise me anymore?” I say when I walk in.

Mom motions for us to sit down and we sit on the loveseat across from my dad and Bernard. It’s tight with Rhodes’ large frame, but I’d be holding onto him even if we had all the room in the world.

“Don’t blame Bernard for this,” my dad says. “My phone has rung off the hook for the past half hour. He’s dealing with it the same as we are, trying to do damage control.”

“How does it involve Bernard when we aren’t even together? I’m with Rhodes now, so Bernard doesn’t belong here. My business certainly doesn’t involve him. And what part of me having this career requires damage control for you? ”

My dad gives me an exasperated look. “You’ve lived in this house, honey. You knew before you did this that it would affect us. It doesn’t look good for the pastor of a church to have a daughter writing—such explicit filth. I don't even know what to say…”

“Well, you don't really have to say anything except maybe, ‘That’s my daughter and what she does doesn’t reflect what I believe,’” I say after a long pause. “I’m making a living as an author. It's been even better than my wildest imagination. It’s my fault that it’s such a shock to you now because I’ve sheltered you from knowing how I really felt about…a lot of things. From dance to clothes to writing openly about sex, and the list could go on. I respect you and how you raised me, and yet, I don’t choose to live the exact same way. I understand if you can't be happy or excited about it, but we don't have to talk about it at all, really. I can keep my work life private?—”

He snorts when I say private and I grit my teeth, knowing what's coming.

“This isn't private at all. Your life is about to be on display. Apparently, from the passages I saw, there are no holds barred. I didn’t even know you knew how to curse so well…and the sex scenes. Well…” He shakes his head. “Do you know what they're going to say about this at church?”

“I have a pretty good idea, but according to Calista, a lot of the people from church also can't wait to know when Zoey Archer's next book is coming out. So maybe you're gonna be all right.”

“I really wish you guys would just be proud of her,” Rhodes says, gripping my hand. “Elle is the best person there is. She’s loving, giving…kind. Even when she does things that you don't agree with, you can still be proud of th e person she is. You do things she doesn't agree with, but she's proud of you . Love each other, you're all you've got. And if you can't do that, Elle knows she's got me and my family. We'll take care of her and we'll love her the way she deserves.”

My dad scowls. “We love our daughter.”

“Okay, then, love her. Truly love her. Unconditionally. Unconditionally means there is nothing she could do that would keep you from loving her. End of.”

Dad’s jaw is clenched. “She knows I love her!” He looks at me then. “Of course I love you—I always will and it is unconditional. But, that doesn’t mean I can’t say my piece when you do something I don’t approve of!”

I grin. “I think it’s safe to say I know what you think about something without you saying it. As you said, I’ve lived in this house. I’ve heard your sermons.”

“So what you’re saying is shut up?”

“No, I’m hoping we can get to a place where we have healthy boundaries. Where we feel safe being who we are with one another and know that it won’t be a constant battle when we’re together.” I take a deep breath. “And a good way to start would be by ensuring that Bernard isn’t here when I am.”

“Why are you so hostile toward me? We were together for a long time. You must still feel something to have all this anger,” Bernard says.

I turn my attention on Bernard only long enough to say, “I assure you I feel absolutely nothing romantically toward you, Bernard. I’m not your business, so stay out of mine.”

I look at Rhodes and nod slightly. He stands and holds out his hand for me. “Should we go home?”

“I would love to,” I say .

I go over and hug my dad and then my mom. I don't acknowledge Bernard. He doesn’t belong in this conversation, so I don't want to give him the satisfaction of even looking at him.

“I love you,” I tell my parents.

And we walk out.

I message the group thread.

Thank you for celebrating with me. It didn’t go so well with my parents and I think I need to get home and do some damage control with my agent. I love you all SO MUCH.

Carrie is in the driveway when we pull up.

“Are you kidding me?” I say before we get out. “I guess I may as well get it all over with in one night. Word travels fast in a small town, but seriously, this is crazy. I thought I had at least a few days for this to spread.”

We get out of the truck and Carrie gets out, leaning against her car.

“What are you doing here, Carrie?” Rhodes says.

“I came to see what's going on here,” she says, tilting her head toward me. “It's time you tell me the truth. You guys are together now.”

“Yes, we are,” he says. “It hasn't been long, and I would have talked to you when we were able to.”

“I’ve known,” she says. “And it is so wrong of you to keep this from me when our child is going to be with her all the time. You should have given me the consideration. You made that statement the other day that you would expect me to, and you are so full of shit.”

“I meant it,” he said, “and planned to talk to you about it as soon as we were able to openly because of the Mustangs situation. But as I said, it’s not like you don’t know Elle. From the time Levi was born, she’s been part of his life.”

“You guys have been sneaking around this whole time. You think I don't know that? Coming over here all the time and Rhodes rushing off to your condo…”

“Wait…did those pictures come from you?”

She gives me a smug smile and I want to shake it off of her. “I’m so tired of you and your self-righteous act. You’ve always thought you were so much better than me.” She shrugs. “But I’m not going away. Levi is mine , and you’re not going to take over now that you’re finally in Rhodes’ bed.” She takes a step closer and points her finger at me. “You are not Levi’s mother and Rhodes will be bored with you soon anyway.”

Rhodes steps between us. “You don’t speak for me, Carrie. And not that it’s any of your business, but I’ll just say it so we’re clear. There is not a chance that I will ever be bored with Elle. I’m in love with her and I will spend the rest of my life showing her all the ways. Understand now that you can’t ever speak to Elle like this again. You need to go. Go home and stop spying on us,” Rhodes says.

“It's easy to do when we're all living here in the same town. I see you coming and going.”

“I’ll be letting the guards know to not let you through the gate anymore,” Rhodes says.

“You can’t keep me from my son!”

“You need to be really careful right now,” Rhodes says. “You're set up really nicely in your house and paid above what I’m required to pay for child support. You’re saying threatening things now? I’ll be informing my lawyers about it. I’ve made this all very easy for you, the lifestyle you have right now, and I can turn it around just as fast.”

“How dare you turn all this on me? She's the one trying to get away with breaking the rules when you're not even supposed to be seen together. Why are you upset with me ? And this whole thing with the book. You think I don't know I'm in there? I could sue you for talking about me like that.” She tries to get around Rhodes and he blocks her.

“Carrie, go home,” Rhodes says.

“I’d really hoped we could be friends when I first realized you were going to be in Rhodes’ life, but you’ve made it impossible,” I say. “Let’s be adults here, Carrie. I’m not trying to take your place with Levi. I’ll never do that. But I do have my own place in his life, and I wish you respected me enough to be okay with that. I’m no longer cheering with the Mustangs, so there won’t be any more sneaking around.” I cross my arms. “You should know by now that I’m not going anywhere. And I’ll be taking steps immediately to protect myself, so don’t fucking threaten me. How about we each take a step back and not go to this dark place ever again?”

Her defiant stance has dissolved and she looks like all the helium has been let out of her. Deflated.

“You’re not welcome here anymore,” Rhodes says. “I’ll have my lawyer contact you regarding the new arrangements for Levi’s drop-off and pickup.”

“Rhodes, that’s not…please, don’t—” she says, starting to cry.

“Until you can prove that you’re not going to pull this threatening shit again, that’s exactly the way it’s going to be.”

He motions for his guard and Mitch materializes. He opens her car door and when she gets inside, he closes it. Rhodes puts his arm around me as we wait for her to leave. We wait until she pulls out of the driveway before we go inside .

“There have been times I thought I saw her car outside your gate or near my condo,” I say, things becoming a lot clearer now. “That night we kissed, I think she was outside your gate.”

He curses under his breath and calls his lawyer.