Elena heard back soon that Gigi whole-heartedly approved the idea, and Fitz didn't lose any time smoothing things over with her boss. He must be good at that sort of thing, because Elena was cleared.

Elena had been keeping too many secrets from Noa—but for some reason it was Gigi's invitation to join her tour crew that broke Elena down.

"I️'d love to do it," she told her sister. "Because I️ like Gigi and I️ know she's struggling to find her feet after...coming back." But that took more explanation, of what Gigi was coming back from and why she was worried. Noa was incensed. "How dare they use her to lure girls into their net? That's the worst thing I've ever heard. I️ can hardly believe that of anyone."

"I️ can. If you spent more time with him, you'd believe it. I️ couldn't put my finger on it the day of the rally, though I️ knew something was off. He's so convincing I think even he believes whatever he does is right. He probably rationalized that he was helping Gigi with her career while also profiting off the tabloid stories and inside scoops into her life."

"But you liked him, didn't you? You're the one who says five minutes real conversation can tell you everything you need to know."

Elena winced. "Did I really sound that arrogant? Never mind, I know you'll never say so. But gosh. I've been so stupid, Noa."

"One mistake doesn't—"

"More than one. I judged Darcy pretty harshly—on Wick's word, of course—but only because it aligned with my gut dislike of him. I was such an idiot."

"Oh?" Noa said. "You never did explain why Darcy told you about his sister."

Elena groaned. "It was really bad. He asked me out. I basically called him—let me think—racist, arrogant, cruel, stupid, and a bad brother."

Noa was silent, no doubt stricken dumb in horror.

"In retrospect, I regret how I put it."

"Poor Darcy," Noa finally got out. "Especially if he thought you might like him and then got that in response... But you had no way of knowing the truth. Don't beat yourself up about it."

"I'm not. You're my own private therapist, I'm feeling better already. And although he's not as bad as I thought him, he's far from okay."

Noa sniffed. "I never thought there was anything wrong with him. It was obvious he liked you when they were here, and that showed good taste."

She paused after that and Elena wasn't sure how to fill the silence. Charles had shown good taste in falling for Noa, but that hadn't helped them. "Did he ever write back to you?" Elena asked quietly. "After you responded to that one email?"

"No. But I didn't exactly ask him to," Noa said, with dignity. "It would have been nice if he'd written once more, just to say, "No hard feelings." But it's fine. I'm over it."

"Are you?"

"Of course. I think I read more into it than was there, anyway. How well could I really know someone after two weeks?"

Elena so wanted to tell Noa that she wasn't wrong, that she had read exactly what was there...but why should Elena destroy whatever acceptance she had?

Noa continued, "Back to you, why on Earth wouldn't you go on tour with her? Will it overlap with school?"

"No, we'll be back before classes start. And having this on my resume, even if it doesn't quite fit with my training, would only be helpful."

"That's good then."

"Maybe too good. Am I being a bad friend to her if I do this because it'll help me?"

Noa almost snorted. "If it's not one hundred percent selfless, you think you're a bad friend? You have high standards for somebody who's always telling me to lighten up."

"It sounds stupid when you put it like that."

"But I would never call you stupid."

Elena laughed, "Nicely done. You're getting some bite to you these days."

Wick texted Elena several times as well, and she didn't reply. What could she say?

She felt incredibly stupid for not realizing what he was like. She'd read those stories describing how he'd lured Gigi into a 'fast' lifestyle, and the rumors that he'd been sharing their life together in the tabloids and she'd discredited it all.

And seen from this angle, the rally looked different too. He'd encouraged those guys to start a fight and he'd been right there to document it, just like he always did. Of course, he'd got more than he bargained for that time. Or had he? He'd certainly been moaning and groaning but he'd perked up when he wanted to.

She still wasn't sure why he'd asked to come over that night. Was there some underhanded reason or had he really just wanted to avoid his apartment?

Either way, it had been weird.

Elena was shocked when she came home and found him in the courtyard. He sat at a table with Carl, and there were several stacks of papers around them.

"What's this?" Elena demanded.

Carl looked up happily. "Your friend came back to apply for that position."

Wick nodded firmly. "I know I may not fit all the requirements, but I thought I'd give it a try. I was just telling Carl, I know it's a big job, but if he was willing to show me the ropes, I'd be off to a great start."

Elena found this suck-up speech faintly nauseating.

"It's hard work," Elena said. "Cleaning, contracting, flipping apartments. Is that really your style?"

Wick gave her a quick questioning look. "Sure it is. How's it going with Gigi, by the way? She staying clean?"

Elena gasped. "How dare you ask that?"

"I just want the best for her. What, is Darcy getting to you already?" Wick asked. He explained to Carl, "Elena is training this popstar I used to date, but I wasn't good enough for them."

"No, you weren't," Elena said, with emphasis. "How's your aunt?"

"She's...okay," Wick said slowly.

"Give her my best."

Elena left them in the courtyard, but later that evening, she found herself knocking on Carl's door.

It was probably stupid to ask him for a favor, but she didn't know how fast that application would go through.

She tried to get it out as quickly as possible when Carl opened the door.

"I know I introduced you to Wick, but he would be a terrible employee. We're not friends anymore, because I found out...that he took advantage of a friend. It's possible he's an addict as well, though I can't say for sure."

Carl looked very serious.

Elena continued, "I don't want him to make you look bad with the management company owner. And I really don't want him around this building."

"Thank you Elena. I'm sure it was hard to make this confession—"

"It's not a confession."

"And I appreciate your concern for my reputation. For property managers, as you may or may not realize, a reputation for shoddy work or untrustworthy practices can be the end of a career. Particularly when, like myself, they've been given an unusual level of promotion at an early stage of their career—"

"Is it really early?"

"And there are those who are jealous of my success. Of course, now I'll have to keep looking, and if the position should still be vacant—"

"Right. Good luck with that," Elena said, waving goodbye. She pitied the person who would end up with Carl, either as his assistant or his girlfriend. It wasn't even that he talked too much, although he did, it was the entire lack of a sense of humor.

Elena shook her head. At least she'd spared him from hiring Wick.

Wick texted her only once more. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear."