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1
Everyone in New York knew that only a ride-or-die friend would drive all the way to JFK Airport for a pickup. Molly Evans was exactly that kind of friend—but only to a few people on this planet. Three people, to be exact, two of whom were flying in today.
For the first time in years, Molly, Ani, Charlie and Lila were going to be in the same city at the same time. That was well worth getting her car out of its overpriced garage, braving the chaos of airport traffic, circling the terminal, scanning for pedestrians, barely missing a few, then fielding their justifiably angry shouts and curses.
No one wanted to be run over by a red BMW convertible; go figure.
She was an idiot to have even bought this silly convertible. Its only purpose was to convince herself that she’d left Barlow, Indiana, for good, and that she was a wild success at this thing called life, and to cost her ridiculous amounts of money in garage bills.
Through the chaos outside the arrivals terminal, Molly spotted Charlie Santa Lucia waving at her from the curb. Even if her platinum hair hadn’t singled her out, her height would have. Charlie—tall as a model, brilliant as a chess master—was definitely one of the few people on Molly’s ride-or-die list. But Charlie could have taken care of herself. She always did.
Ani Devi, on the other hand, was going through some stuff right now, and Molly never would have allowed her to make her own way from the airport. Ani, her cane tucked under her arm, was busy tipping the man who had helped her with her bag. Tipping and chatting up, which was her way. She probably knew all about his family and all their health issues by now.
“Sweet ride,” said Charlie cheerfully when Molly finally threaded her way through the melee and came to a stop next to her.
“Don’t encourage her,” Molly said gloomily as she patted the dashboard of the BMW. “Red’s already too full of herself.”
“You named her after her paint job?”
“No, it’s because she puts me in the red.” She reached for the lever to pop the trunk.
Charlie snickered as she flung her bag into the trunk. She always traveled light, and yet always had just the right thing to wear. It was a gift that Molly envied deeply. She herself was always so worried about making the right impression that she overpacked with as many different options as she could stuff into her suitcases.
Luggage stowed, Charlie came around to the driver’s side, oblivious to the honking of horns and swerving of shuttle vans, and leaned over the door to give Molly a hug. “Didn’t I tell you not to waste your money like that?”
Molly rolled her eyes as she hugged her friend. Charlie wouldn’t understand; she had no idea what it was like to always feel the need to prove yourself. She never had to. She was the ultimate “It” girl, or at least she had been ever since she grew into her striking features and charismatic personality. Before then, she’d been a weirdo misfit just like the rest of them.
“Is this your new car?” Ani reached the curb, admiring Red with wide eyes. She wore black pants and a gold-threaded tunic top, along with hammered gold disk earrings. “It really suits you, Molly. You look like a movie star in it.”
Molly gave Charlie, who had just folded her long legs into the backseat, a pointed look. “See that? That’s how it’s done.”
“I take it all back, especially since sweet little Red is saving us like three subway rides.”
Ani settled herself into the front passenger seat. Molly couldn’t help but notice the new lines of tension in her heart-shaped face, and the way her eyes defaulted to sadness when she wasn’t smiling. They shared an over-the-gearshift hug until a horn blared behind them.
“Welcome to New York,” said Molly dryly.
“It’s good to be here, and it’s so good to see you. Charlie and I caught up on the flight, now it’s your turn. How’s the shark tank?”
That was how Molly referred to the law firm where she was a junior partner, and her friends had delightedly picked up on the nickname.
“Bloody as ever.” Molly eased the convertible away from the curb and into the slipstream of airport traffic. She didn’t want to talk about work; she hated that place. But how could she leave when they paid her so well? “But I can’t talk, I have to concentrate on not getting us killed.”
“Fair,” said Ani, flinching as a shuttle van nearly collided with them. “I’m going to text Lila and tell her we’re here. Is she going to meet us at the graduation ceremony?”
Ani’s niece was graduating from NYU. It was the perfect opportunity for them all to get together, since both Molly and Lila lived in New York. Even though the firm of Bentley and Hodges kept Molly insanely busy, she checked in on Lila as often as possible, which wasn’t easy. Lila changed jobs almost as often as she changed apartments. But Lila was at the very top of the ride-or-die list, and always would be.
All of them felt that way. They all owed their lives to Lila. Literally.
“I don’t know.” Molly flipped off an Uber driver who was trying to inappropriately merge into her lane. “I texted her a bunch of times but didn’t get an answer. Haven’t either of you talked to her?”
“Not in at least a week,” said Charlie, leaning forward from the backseat, sticking a hairpin through the long hair she’d twirled into an impromptu updo that somehow looked perfect. “It was odd, she said something about snowflakes, but I happened to check the New York weather and it was sixty and sunny. I figured she’d gone for a road trip into ski territory. Ani, how about you?”
Ani shook her head, the amber skin of her forehead creased in worry lines. “No. I told her we were coming for Sunny’s graduation and we talked about all being together for the first time in years. She seemed excited and wanted to know exactly when we were getting here. I was hoping she’d come with you to pick us up, Molly. I guess it would have been a tight fit for all four of us.”
“We would have been fine. Remember when my car broke down on the way to that track meet, and a truck picked us up and we all squeezed in between a generator and a pallet of steer manure?”
“How could I forget?” Charlie said dryly. “I won the fifty-yard dash because my competition was too busy making faces at how bad I smelled.”
