Page 48 of The Hookup Situation (Billionaire Situation #5)
JULIE
I t’s been four days since my intimate photos were leaked to the world, and I’m trying very hard to pretend everything is normal. The LadyLux article that was published yesterday helped tremendously, but it doesn’t erase what happened.
The Halloween costume shop on Main Street is supposed to be my escape from reality today, but I don’t feel comfortable in public yet.
Random glances feel personal, like people are imagining my naked body from the photos.
Craig put our private moments on display for everyone to see. What he’s done is unforgiveable.
“Someone said I was trying to be the next Kim K and this scandal was to help me launch an OnlyFans career,” I say, reading the comments on the bottom of the post as we walk the few blocks to our destination. My laugh comes out bitter. “Wait, why did you ask me if I had an OF when we met?”
“Because you’re gorgeous,” he says.
I tilt my head at him. “Would you have followed me?”
“I don’t have an account, but I’d have made one.” Nick squeezes my hand as we walk through the door. “Let’s have fun.”
The bell chimes overhead, and Patty, the woman who’s run this costume shop for thirty years, looks up from the register. I used to buy all of mine from her when I was a kid. As soon as she sees me, her face softens into a smile.
“Julie, baby. Come here.” She rounds the counter and pulls me into a tight hug. “That bastard should rot in hell for what he did to you.”
“Thanks, Patty.” I sink into her hug for a moment. “Congrats on winning the autumn arrangement contest again.”
“Aw, appreciate that considering some people in town are jealous.” She smells like cinnamon and mothballs, and the familiarity is comforting.
“It’s very much deserved,” I tell her.
The shop is busier than usual with Halloween approaching.
The aisles are cramped with costume racks, and I have to squeeze past a family debating between zombie and vampire themes.
Some customers glance at me with sympathy.
It’s mostly locals who know me or my parents.
Others stare with a different kind of recognition that makes my skin crawl. They saw me naked.
One man near the superhero section does a double take, his eyes lighting up. He elbows his friend and whispers something before they pull out their phones.
“Eyes forward, asshole,” Nick barks out, his voice loud in the quietness.
The guys scurry toward the exit, but not before one turns to me. “Nice to know the curtains match the drapes.”
Nick walks over to me, his brows furrowed.
“You can’t threaten everyone who looks at me,” I whisper, though part of me secretly loves that he tries. While I hate needing protection, I also love how safe it makes me feel.
“Watch me.”
Patty appears beside us again. “Anyone else gives you any more trouble, you tell me. I’ve got a baseball bat behind the counter, and I’m not afraid to use it.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I say. She reminds me of my grandma. “Seriously. They’re dumb teenagers who follow pop culture news. They don’t understand.”
She walks away, and Nick comes closer.
“We can leave.”
“I’m good,” I tell him.
We split up to keep our costumes a surprise from one another. It’s something we decided before we got here. We’ll reveal them to one another on Halloween night.
Nick heads toward the men’s section while I wander through the women’s racks. I already know what I want based on something he said to me a few weeks ago.
I find the perfect costume tucked between a witch outfit and a flapper dress. The teal-blue fabric is soft with gold trim that catches the light. It’s sexy but not too revealing. Important now that everyone knows what’s underneath.
“Princess Jasmine is a perfect fit for you. I even have the wig and crown,” Patty says, materializing beside me like she has a sixth sense for customers who need encouragement.
“You don’t think it’s too revealing, do you?” I meet her eyes.
“Too what? Honey, you wear whatever makes you feel good. You’re gorgeous. Don’t let that piece-of-shit ex of yours make you believe you need to hide anything. But let me ask you this: would you have worn it before this happened?”
“Yes,” I tell her.
“That’s your answer then.” She shifts me toward the dressing room, and I make my way down the aisle. “You’d better try it on because you know I won’t do a return.”
“Right. All sales final.”
As I’m heading to the dressing room in the back, I hear raised voices in the front.
“You need to leave. Now.” Patty’s friendly voice has turned to steel.
“It’s a free country. I can shop where I want,” a guy says, slurring .
Day drinking on a Tuesday is so classy. But then recognition washes over me, and my blood freezes in my veins. For a second, I think it’s Craig, but when I peek around the corner, it’s not.
“Get out before I call the police,” Patty says.
“It was posted that she was here! I wanna see if she’s as hot in real life,” he says to his friend, loud enough for the store to hear. “You know, the coffee chick with the great tits.”
Rage and embarrassment flood through me. Before Nick can react, before I can think better of it, I’m placing the costume on the hook behind the door, and then I march toward them.
“Leave—right now,” I say. My voice doesn’t even shake. The steadiness surprises me almost as much as it surprises them. For a second, I’m braver than I feel.
When he recognizes me, the man’s eyes light up with excitement.
“Holy shit, you really are here! Can I get a selfie? My friends won’t believe I met you,” he says, like he’s a fan.
“Are you serious right now?” I ask.
“Come on. You’re hot! Especially for a ginger!” He smirks, his eyes doing a slow scan of my body.
Nick moves so fast past me that I almost don’t see him. He grabs the younger guys by their shirts and carries them outside.
“Hey! You can’t do?—”
One of them drops his phone, and Nick kicks it across the floor.
“Leave.” His voice is calm, but it’s absolutely terrifying. “Before you regret it.”
Patty has already taken out her phone and is speaking to dispatch. “Yes, we have two men harassing a customer at The Costume Shop. They were refusing to leave and are standing outside. I want them charged with trespassing.”
The one who took pictures of me looks at his shattered phone screen, and he’s whining about lawsuits and assault charges.
“Sue me,” Nick calls after them. “Please. I’d love to tell a judge what happened, and I’m sure the owner would too. ”
Patty nods with her hands on her hips.
After they leave, the store feels too quiet. Some customers are pretending not to care, while others’ stares cause pinpricks on my skin. I feel out of place.
“I’m so sorry, honey,” Patty says, touching my arm. “If anyone else bothers you, they’re banned for life. I’m not kidding.”
“Oh, please don’t apologize,” I say, but I’m shaking. My fight-or-flight is kicking in.
Nick wraps his arms around me from behind, his chin resting on my head. “We can leave if you want.”
“No.” I straighten my spine, channeling every ounce of stubbornness I have left. “I’m not letting creeps chase me out of here. I’m buying a costume, and we’re going to the Halloween party, and I’m going to have fun for the rest of the month, even if it kills me.”
He grins at me, tucking loose strands behind my ear. “Love it when you’re fierce.”
We continue shopping, but I’m now hyperaware of everyone. A mom with two kids gives me a sympathetic smile. Every glance feels loaded with something more, either judgment or pity. I hate this.
I glance down at my phone, realizing those little bastards posted the picture of me somehow. The comments under it are disgusting.
“Stop reading them,” Nick singsongs as he hides his costume behind his back so I can’t see it. “Now, go give her your costume and let her bag it up, and then I’ll come pay.”
I laugh, enjoying how seriously he’s taking keeping it secret.
We make our purchases, and Patty refuses to let Nick pay full price. Then she leads us through the back entrance to avoid the lurkers who have gathered out front. A teenage girl watches us with wide eyes, and a few ladies from the book club give us nods of approval.
“You come back anytime,” she says as we stroll hand in hand down the alleyway. “This is your town, not theirs. ”
I look over at Nick. “Then why am I the one in a back alley?”
Nick wraps his arm around me. “I can’t help but think this is somehow my fault.”
“It’s not,” I explain. “Craig would’ve done this to me, no matter who I’d moved on with. He was waiting to pounce, to use his final fuck you and humiliate me. He’s the type of man who doesn’t take no for an answer. I think you’re his karma though.”
“The thought of that makes me smile,” he says.
When we’re back at my condo, my phone rings, and it’s Blaire. The picture for her contact is a selfie of us from last fall. We were laughing at something, but I can’t remember what.
“Hey, Jules. Just wanted to check in. How’s costume shopping?”
“We survived. Nick lifted two dudes by their shirts and threw them outside.”
“Good! I’m sure they deserved it. Listen, I did a complete protection ritual at your place earlier. Sage, crystals, and even buried some black tourmaline by your door. You got the full witchy works.”
Despite everything, I smile. “Thanks, Blaire.”
“Also—and don’t freak out—there’s something you should know.”
My stomach drops to my feet. “What now?”
“Craig’s mom called the coffee shop, looking for you. She says she hasn’t heard from him in three days. She sounded worried.”
“That’s concerning.”
“Yeah. She said it’s not common for him to do this. Even when he’s being a shit, he checks in with her. Just stay alert, okay? The cards this morning were weird. The Tower kept coming up.”
I clear my throat. “I don’t have the energy for tarot foreshadowing right now, Blaire. Call me when The Lovers arrives.”
The Tower. It means destruction, upheaval, chaos.