The Worst Friend Then You Can All Lose My Number novel · Chapter 16 of 24

Chapter 16: Saturday Is Over

By midnight on Saturday, six different guests had posted the same clip.

The clip was short, and strangers had already set it to music.

By Sunday noon it had two million views.

By Sunday night the tourism board had put out a one-line statement ending its partnership with Joss Goes.

Two sponsors followed on Monday morning, one before nine and one after.

Her followers split in half, loudly, and the half that stayed was fighting the half that left.

I read none of it at breakfast.

I read it at my desk at ten, with a coffee, because I'm not a saint.

The freight broker's office was quiet, and my screen was open to a refund thread from three hundred buyers of the guide.

Someone had made a spreadsheet of the typos.

Then the elevator doors opened on my floor, and I knew who was in them before I looked up.

Joss walked across the carpet in sunglasses and the camel coat.

She had no makeup on and no camera.

"Carys," she said.

Two coworkers at the next desks stopped typing.

"You can't be here," I said.

"I just need two minutes. Please."

She took the sunglasses off.

Her eyes were swollen, and for one moment I felt sorry for her, which made me furious.

"I lost the board deal," she said. "I lost both the sponsors. Nobody will even answer my email. You took everything I have."

"I took your name off my work."

"We were best friends for ten years."

"I know," I said. "I spent them."

She lowered her voice.

"Tell them it was a joke. Post one line. Say it got edited, say it got out of hand. I'll make it right, I'll give you a cut of the guide, I'll give you a credit. Carys. Please."

A woman from accounting got up quietly and stood behind my chair.

Then another stood behind her.

"Security is on the ground floor," the woman from accounting said, in a pleasant voice. "Would you like me to call them, Carys?"

"Not yet," I said.

I looked at Joss.

"You have two minutes," I said. "Use them to say what you did."

Her mouth opened.

Nothing came out.

← Chapter 15 · All chapters · Chapter 17 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend