I offer her a one-shouldered shrug. “I don’t know if it’s still her number. It’s been a long time since I last spoke to her, but she represented us for a long time, so yes, I do have her old number.”
I put the phone on loud speaker and silently pray that she will answer the phone. It’s a good sign that it’s ringing anyway, it must still be an active number. I just hope that it’s hers.
“Hello, Emma Parker here.”
“Emma Parker?” I ask shocked. “I thought you were Emma Stone?”
“Oh, I was until I got married… who’s this?”
“It’s Jace. Jace Fairs from The Puppeteers.”
“Ah, Jace, awesome to hear from you!” She sounds genuinely pleased. “How’s it going?”
“Yeah, it’s good. Things have been awesome…”
“I have been keeping up with the band. You are doing awesome.”
This is nice and all, but it isn’t what the phone call is for. I need to get to the point without being rude. “Thanks, Emma. It’s been great, and I hope that things are going well with you as well?”
“Oh, brilliant…”
I watch Addie’s face as Emma talks. I can tell that the phone call has already thrown her. She knows I wouldn’t do something as mental as this if I wasn’t telling the truth. I just hope this leads to her eventually trusting me. Is that really too much to ask? Any minute now, I’m going to have to ask the question.
“So, I guess you called me for a reason?” Emma finally asks. “And this isn’t just a catch up.”
“Er, yeah, I do have a reason.” God this is embarrassing. “I know this is a long time ago and it might be a little strange, but there is a rumor that we kissed while I was in college and I want to clear it up…”
“What do you mean?” Emma gushes. “Like a kiss and tell type thing?”
“Not exactly. It’s just… I don’t know how to explain it to you…”
“Well, we never kissed. Ever. That would have been so wrong. I’m a professional and I haven’t ever acted in any other way with my clients. If someone is saying that then it could cause me all sorts of issues.”
“It isn’t a public thing; it’s just causing issues for me.”
“Oh… are you still with your college girlfriend? Is that why, because I thought…”
She’s seen the media. She knows about my womanizing reputation. I’m sure she would tear me to shreds if she thought that I had a girlfriend the whole time. Emma is a fiery one. That’s for sure.
“No, it isn’t that., it’s complicated. I just wanted confirmation that I was speaking the truth.”
“Well, you are. We never kissed and we never would. You just aren’t my type.”
I can see all the color drain out of Addie’s face. She doesn’t know what to do now that Luci has been proven wrong. It doesn’t give me any pleasure to show her that Luci wasn’t right, but I do need to defend myself. I didn’t do anything wrong and I need her to finally get it so she can build up some trust for me.
I didn’t deserve to lose that trust; it shouldn’t be so hard to get it back. But for her, I will.
“Right, well thank you, Emma. I will… speak to you soon.”
We both know that isn’t true, I can’t see me ever needing to speak to Emma again. But it’s the polite thing to say and she knows it too, so she agrees with me. “Sure, speak soon.”
I hang up the phone and stare at Addie, waiting to see what she’s going to say next.
“I… I’m sorry,” she stammers. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I told you that I didn’t kiss Emma. I wouldn’t lie to you. Luci must not have seen it right. I do get it, I’m not blaming her for sticking to her guns and wanting to protect you, but it isn’t true.”
“I know,” she gasps. “I see that now. I didn’t mean to accuse you, and Emma. I feel so bad.”