Page 2 of Ruthless Sinner

“Sure.” I nod, holding up my drink, too.

Her smile widens and her big green eyes brighten. “To embarking on our careers, new beginnings, and moving forward.”

She gives me a pointed look on that last part because the comment was meant for me. Out of the two of us, it’s me who’s having the most trouble moving forward.

I’d love to assure her that I will move on someday, but my heart shrinks, shying away from the memories of the past.

I hurt a little bit more when I think of the last time we came to Club X and toasted to new beginnings. That was exactly four years ago, but back then, there were three of us.

Three best friends who were just about to leave for college making their last toast together. Who would have thought that there would only be two of us now, and Avery, the third member of our happy trio, would never even make it to her twenty-first birthday?

“She’d want you to.” Harper nods, her smile unwavering.

ThesheHarper is referring to is Avery. Although I know Harper is right and I need to focus on moving on, I don’t think I’ll ever get past the guilt I still feel over Avery’s death. It’s only been a little over a year. Last summer, she was still here.

Still alive and still Avery, the girl with the promising future as a doctor who everyone adored.

The accident wasn’t your fault, Serenity. It wasn’t your fault.

I try to pretend I believe the mantra as it echoes through my mind.

Pretending is how I’ve gotten this far and my life back on track. At least in some sort of way.

I raise my glass a little higher than Harper’s and nod. Harper has been my rock. I know she’s trying to be a good friend to me. The least I can do is meet her halfway.

“She would,” I agree. It’s not a lie, so I don’t have to pretend I believe that. Regardless of what happened, Avery would definitely want me to move on. “To moving forward, new beginnings, and most definitely embarking on our careers. Congratulations again, Miss Travel Journalist.”

Before we left L.A., Harper got accepted for an internship withTraveler Magazine. She starts working with them on Monday, and in a few days’ time, she’ll fly out to Australia for her first assignment with their new team.

“The same to you, Miss Artist.” She clinks her glass with mine, and I can’t help the satisfying smile that spreads across my face, rising from my heart.

Art is the one good thing in my life. It’s my constant and the thing that keeps me in touch with myself.

“We already celebrated that.” I got accepted for an internship with L’Extrodinaire, an exquisite live art show. My intensive induction began two weeks ago when Harper and I got back to Boston. Monday will be my first real day of work at the gallery and it’s going to be intense., too

“Didn’t you say you were one of six people who got in out of five thousandglobalapplications?”

I grin sheepishly. “Yes. I was.”

“Babe, that’s totally worth celebrating for at least a year.”

I won’t act like that isn’t a major accomplishment most people would sell their soul for, but I hate that my father would happily disagree with her. And he wouldn’t stop disagreeing until he’d converted her.

As Massachusetts’ new governor, Dad would have been happier if his daughter had studied business or law so I could work in his firm like all my cousins on his side. Dad hated when I chose to study art, even though it was crystal clear from day one it was always going to be my path. The same way it was for my mother.

My mother was my inspiration. She was an art teacher at the local elementary school, who studied in Europe and did all sorts of amazing things. That’s what I want to do.

Like a sheep, I usually do everything he tells me, but art was the one thing I fought for. The only reason he gave up trying to change my mind was because he still had one daughter who didn’t disappoint him. Well,step-daughter, but Natalie might as well be his blood relation from the favoritism he shows her.

“How about we just celebrate both our successes?” I tilt my head, allowing my long dark locks to swish around my elbows. “That’s why we’re here tonight, right?”

“Hear, hear! To both of us, Serenity.” Her voice takes on the heartfelt edge of of someone making a wish. “I have a feeling things are really going to take off from here on for both of us.”

I hope so. I really do. More than anything, it would just be something nice.

A nice break.

“It will.” Dare I hope?