Page 74 of Stolen Summer
But it was the complications that came with it and wormed under my skin, making my brain harp on them. I ticked off what I knew about Cole, trying to make sense of it all and where the hell I fit into the equation. And why?
His family wanted him to marry a rich bitch to secure a business alliance with Gianna’s father. No idea who he was.
Cole obviously rejected this idea.
He had once dated Gianna, and she had hit on his brother. How far did that betrayal go? Had Crew slept with her?
I sat on one of the benches across from the shops lining the edge of the walk. The bustle of people who moseyed in and out of the stores, snacked on treats from the local vendors, and strolled about the boardwalk eased some of my stress. I didn’t love crowds, but something about the ambience gave me a boost of serotonin. It was like studying or working in a café. The background noise reminded you that you weren’t alone in the world without having to actively participate.
A shadow moved over me, blocking my sun, and I peered up through my sunglasses, seeing my best friend.
“Why do you look like someone kicked your kitty?” Frankie asked, the red in her hair looking brighter than the last time I saw her. She wore short cutoff shorts frayed at the ends and a cropped top that showed a flash of her stomach.
“Do you mean the pet I don’t have or the other kitty?” With Frankie, it was hard to tell.
“Does it matter? Trouble in paradise already?” She plopped down beside me. “Here, bitch, drink this before we get into the heavy shit.” Frankie handed me a brown sugar bubble tea from my favorite place.
I took the cup with greedy, grabby hands. “Oh my god. I love you.” I sighed in pure pleasure at the first sip, my eyes rolling back. How could I miss a drink so much?
“I had a feeling you needed it.”
“You have no idea how much,” I mumbled, taking another drink through the straw.
“So, how’s it going living in a mansion with a hot guy? You guys already have your first fight?” She swirled the ice in her cup.
I crossed my legs. “We’ve had plenty. Fighting is not our problem.”
A little boy smiled at us as he walked by with his mom, holding her fingers tightly. “What is?” Frankie asked.
“He has an ex and family drama.”
“Juicy. Tell me more.”
I gave her the gist of what I’d learned, spilling out my soul while sipping my tea. “Do you think it was wrong of me to take the money?”
“You’re feeling guilty? Please. From the sounds of it, old man Riley needs a few lessons in how not to be a dick. Don’t take on Cole’s problems, Arie. You have nothing to feel bad about. I would have been pissed if you hadn’t agreed to take the money. This is an opportunity people like us never get.”
She meant poor people, but I hated that stereotype. We were much more than just the balance of our bank accounts. I wished the rest of the world saw it that way. But she made a solid point.
“And this is why I called you. Missed you, Frankie.”
She bumped her shoulder with mine. “I think we need to have a sleepover like when we were little. A girls’ only get-together. We can raid my mom’s stash.”
So many memories came back. We’d literally alternated houses every weekend. “Before or after I start holding your hair while you puke up a bucket of tequila in the toilet?”
She grimaced, and I swore the color of her skin paled, turning a shade of green as if the thought alone made her stomach churn. “Definitely before. I can’t even think about the T-word. We’ll stick to wines.”
“Thanks for the fix,” I said, holding up the half-empty bubble tea.
Frankie grinned, her dimples flashing. “What are friends for?”
I stood, my heart lighter and feeling better about my decision for about two seconds. That was how long it took before Cole’s drama hit me in the face. Literally. Something cold and thick splattered over my eyes and nose, followed by a thump of something hard before it fell to the ground. The glop ran down my nose and onto my lips.
Fucking ice cream.
Vanilla to be specific.
Someone threw an ice cream cone at me, the evidence melting down my face and the cone sticking to the pavement at my feet.