She sat up and looked at me in that I’m the rational one here tone. “Harper, honey, I think we need to turn off the television now. I think you need to have your dinner.”

“Oh, will you stop with dinner?”

I hadn’t been very hungry at all in the last few days. I was too upset over August giving up his spot with the Blades. “Why is he being so stubborn? I should text him.”

Nicole’s eyes widened and she jumped, grabbing my phone. “Harper. Sit down. Take a breath.”

My live-in nanny was starting to get on my nerves. Shoving food down my throat and insisting I forget about August.

He was obviously hurting over not playing, over his brother taking what never belonged to him in the first place. This had nothing to do with me. There was just no way August believed I was keeping his secret because I was obsessed with Troy. He was just mad at his brother, he’d had too much to drink and clearly took out his anger at the wrong person.

“Nic, I don’t want to eat.”

“Okay, no food. That’s fine. But I’m going to put this away,” she reached for my glass and moved to the kitchen, dumping it.

I groaned. “When are you leaving?”

Nic came to sit next to me. “I’m leaving tonight. But I need you to promise me you won’t text him again.”

I nodded. I only texted him twice. Maybe three times over the weekend just in case he was too embarrassed to call me after blowing his fucking lid on Friday night.

That wasn’t about me.

“Harper, he doesn’t want to see you. You need to understand that.”

“He was drunk and in shock, and he didn’t know how to handle it. I know he’ll come around, Nic.”

Sympathy flashed in her eyes and they watered slightly, which was unlike Nic. “Harper, I love you. You haven’t made the best choices, but you are pure of heart and you always see the best in people. I’m going to go home tonight, I think you do need your space, but just do one thing for me.”

“I won’t call or text him again,” I groaned like an annoyed teenager.

“Not just that. Know your worth. Because it’s so much more than what he did to you on Friday.”

I shook my head. Wishing she’d stop blaming him. He was the victim here. Troy made him lie and I did too in not so many ways.

Nic helped me clean up and I had a few pretzels with tea before bed.

“Why don’t you take the day off tomorrow? I’ve got it covered.”