After hours of rotating between the pool and talking with others, I head inside and enjoy the perks of having a hotel room to myself. I take a long, hot shower and blare music from my phone while singing along. In nothing but my underwear, I watch television until my stomach growls. I debate calling room service and waiting thirty minutes for my food, or going downstairs and eating with the others. My stomach makes the decision with a sharp rumbling. I need food now.

The banquet hall is empty other than the catering staff cleaning up. I lost track of time living up the single room life and missed dinner. With a sigh, I head out.

"You just have to ask, and they'll put something together for you."

I stop in my tracks and turn to the far corner of the room where Kade sits alone. "I don't want to cause more work for them," I say with a small smile.

He rolls his eyes and calls to a blonde woman, "Rachel, would you mind putting together a plate for Ariella?"

I cringe at the use of my full name.

"No problem, Kade." Rachel grins and says to me, "Take a seat, dear. I'll bring the food out to ya."

Kade motions to the seat across from him, and I ease into the chair just as Rachel sets a plate of food in front of me. My stomach gurgles its approval, and I dig in. Never has a plate of chicken and mac and cheese ever tasted so good.

"Your brother was tough on you this week," Kade says, leaning over his plate with his elbows on the table.

I glance up at him, back at my almost empty dish, and coyly smile. "It was all right. I learned a lot. I'm feeling pretty confident about the business."

"You fell asleep in the dressing room last night. I couldn't get you to budge. I had to call Nicky to carry you to the bus. He's working you too hard, Ariella."

I reach for a napkin and wipe my mouth. "Back to the formalities I see."

Kade cocks an eyebrow and says, "I don't think your boyfriend would be happy with our friendship."

What the hell is this? Kade didn't seem to care about Asher's feelings when I had my head on his lap or when he was dancing with me. Why would he allow me to get close to him and put a screeching halt to our friendship? He's returned to letting his feelings toward Asher interfere with us, and now, I'm pissed.

"Asher doesn't dictate who I get to be friends with. I'm a grown woman, and I get to choose who I want to hang around whether or not he likes it."

He scoots back from the table and stands. "You're right; it's me. I don't want to be your friend."

For the love of God, why doesn't he just take his dinner knife and stab me in the heart with it?

"What the hell? Why do you have to be such an asshole?"

With a quick nod like he has accomplished some sick goal, he walks away.

Every feeling of dislike I had for Kade bubbles to the surface, but this time, it's accompanied by fierce anger. Both Kade and Asher haven't been upfront with me about their feud. I'm in the middle and forced to take the brunt of their animosity toward each other. The only thing the two seem to agree on is they should leave me in the dark with all of this.

After cleaning up the dishes left on the table, I make my way back to my room. Before I reach the last turn in the hallway, I overhear hushed voices. I tiptoe closer and peer around the corner.

"You should just tell her. She has a right to know," Ridley says, leaning against the wall.

"How the hell does she not see it?" Kade throws his hands in the air and paces back and forth.

Ridley sighs and stares at the ceiling. "I told you, she doesn't pick up a magazine with him on it, and she doesn't watch shit like TMZ."

"Come on, Ridley, how does she miss that? How does someone not say something to her? It was all over social media. You're telling me that she went to the grocery store and never looked at the covers of magazines while waiting in line. She knows; she just doesn't want to acknowledge that her boyfriend is a fucking dick."

I bristle and move forward. How dare they talk about me and my relationship?

"Nicky says they've tried to talk to her about it, but they worry about her. Asher helped her out of a terrible funk after her mom died. They just don't want to see her hurt. She has to figure it out on her own."

My steps pound against the floor as I squeeze between Ridley and Kade. His face pales as I glare up at him. My entire body shakes and I erupt in a verbal fury. "Just tell me what the fuck your issue is, Kade. You call Asher a dick, but you're the only one being a complete jerk. Just say it! Tell me what the hell is going on!"

"A.J. let's go into my room and discuss this," Ridley says, taking my hand.

I yank my arm away, stepping forward, and Kade looks past my shoulder at Ridley with concern in his eyes. Jealousy surges along with my anger. I'm a ticking time bomb. Either he gets to the point, or I'm going to explode.

"If you really wanted to, you could figure this out on your own, but you don't," he says through clenched teeth.

"What, by reading a tabloid? You're in the same business as Asher." I press my finger into his chest. "You know those are bullshit stories, and they're just trying to make a quick buck."

He runs his hands through his hair and gives me a halfhearted laugh. "Jesus Christ, Ariella, just choose a few random words and Google them with his name and see the images that come up. Not everything is Photoshopped. He's not perfect...no one is."

I hate feeling like everyone knows something I don't. It's not that I'm trying to be naïve by not reading the stories or watching the news. I want to protect my relationship and not let everyone rip Asher and me apart. I've had my world flipped upside down when I lost someone, and I don't want to live through it again. It's my worst fear, and it's so consuming that it may keep me from the truth. But I don't know how to let it go.

"Screw you, Kade." I rush to my room, slam the door, and sink to the floor.

Ridley's muffled voice carries from the hallway. "Are you okay, Kade?"

"I'm fine," he curtly replies.

A door down the hall slams and tears flow down my face.