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Jenica sits down next to me and puts both hands on the bed behind her, leaning back. “Now those two… if anyone is a pod person, it’s them. I mean, not one hair is out of place, like ever, and they act like they’re in their own little world.”
“It’s a twin thing,” I shrug. “They’ve always been attached at the hip. But don’t let that picture-perfect exterior fool you. They can be ruthless.”
Courtney and Dex Webster were the textbook definition ofprivilege. Their dad was the Mayor of Elmhurst, while their mother was the head of The Davenport Trust, a holding company that oversaw dozens of agribusinesses across the state. They were both friends with my parents, and if anyone knew if my dad had enemies, it would be their mom. She consulted with the FDA and knew a lot of the same people as my dad in DC.
Seeing as I couldn’t prod either for information, I would have to get what I could out of their kids, and they had to know something. Courtney and Dex were notorious gossips and used information as both ammunition and currency, which made them feared at Elmhurst. If you were in their crosshairs it was anyone’s guess what they had on you and how they would use it.
I’d never cared for either, but since our parents were close, they too, were part of the coveted inner circle at Elmhurst. Courtney and I were on Homecoming Court together last fall, and Dex and I sat on the student council together. I’d hoped to escape them when I headed to college, but they too, were going to Yale, which put a point in favor of delaying my enrollment.
“Maybe we could bring them all to your house, line them up, and fire questions at them,” Jenica suggests. “You know, take the bull by the horns. None of this cloak and dagger shit.”
“Mm-hmm,” I nod, liking the idea.
In addition to Royce and the twins, I needed to talk to Skye Vaughn, daughter of my mother’s best friend, her boyfriend Carter Bell, and Asher Cook. I had a lot of digging to do and making it as easy as possible would be good. But I didn’t want any of them to know what I was up to.
Friendship was an interesting beast in Elmhurst. Our circle may exist because of our parents, but with the exception of Skye, and to a degree Asher, I didn’t trust any of them, more than I could throw them.
“How about we focus on Royce,” I sigh, the idea of what it was going to take to get something from each, daunting. “Onebird, one stone at a time.”
“Fine.” Jenica wiggles her feet. “But if we do have to throw any stones, you leave it to me. We both know I have a killer arm.”
“You got it,” I smile. “You want to come with me into town? The sooner I find Royce, the better.”
“Sure. But you’re on your own tonight. I’m on the late shift the rest of the week. Travis is working the boardwalk nights, so we traded shifts at the store.”
I lay down next to her and prop myself up on one elbow. I hated how hard Jenica had to work.
“Do you want company? I could skip partying for a few nights. Summer just started. Gotta take it slow you know?”
She turns to me, face brightening. “Sure. I know how much you love to use the price tag gun.”
“Yes,” I nod with excitement. “Give me a sticker gun and an aisle, and I’m all yours.”
She puts her hand on the bed between us and I reach for it. “Thank you.” I roll onto my back and look up at the ceiling. “I couldn’t do this without you.”
She does the same and holds my hand tight. “Anything for you, Elle. I got your back.”
***
Getting Royce to ask me out wound up being easy. After Jenica and I got dressed, we headed into town and ran into him atMarta’s, the best coffee shop in town.
At first he gave me the cold shoulder. He was pissed about the way Cruz acted and the fact I left without saying goodbye. But when I said I would do anything to make it up to him he smiled and said I could, by being his date for a ball the Mayor was throwing back in Elmhurst the weekend after Fourth of July.
When I told my mother about it she was thrilled I’d becoming home for the weekend. She and Antonio had already accepted their invitation and with our schedules being like ships passing in the night this summer, she thought it would be fun to go together.
Since Momma had impeccable style, I accepted her offer to pick out my dress. I hated society events. Getting dolled up like some kind of princess was contrary to all I was and wanted out of life.
Having more experience at gown shopping than I, Momma said she would have a selection of gowns waiting for me when I came home that weekend, and I could pick whichever one I wanted.
In one afternoon I’d checked Royce off my list, so the next day I went to work on the twins.
“So you know Skye is out this summer, right?” Courtney says once we’ve taken our seats at a table overlooking the water at Luna, one of my favorite places to eat on the pier. “Same with Carter.”
“Really?” I look up from the menu in my hand.
Skye and I weren’t as close as our mothers, but I was friendlier with her than the rest of our group. I was curious to know why she wasn’t coming to the beach this summer, and further, why she hadn’t said anything to me.
Courtney smiles in the way one does when they are happy they know something you don’t and sets her menu down.
