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“How is it not a big deal?” I was so angry I could just throttle the woman. “You’re the one who practically forced me onto that date with Dominic.”
“How d’you figure I forced you?” Her eyebrows raised in an amused expression, turning the dial on my rage-o-meter from medium to high.
“It was your harebrained idea for us to fight, and then you locked me out of the gym when his limo showed up.”
She tossed a piece of popcorn in the air and caught it in her mouth. “Oh, right. That was pretty dang funny.”
“How could you keep this from me, Frankie?”
“Because of what you’re doin’ right now.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“Havin’ a temper tantrum.”
Oh, she did not just liken me to a toddler. If anyone behaved that way, it was Marissa. But two could play at that game. “Since it’s apparently beyond your ability to understand, let me lay it out for you in simple terms.”
She grinned. “Ooh. She’s gettin’ feisty. Go on then. I’m all ears.”
“Dominic Sato never wanted to date me. He’s the presumed heir to the Sato empire and has a vested interest in anything financial. If we owe him money, he’s going to want to make sure it gets paid, no matter how low he has to sink.”
Her look of shock was downright comical, but then she shook her head and laughed. “Sometimes you can be so obtuse, kiddo.”
I was going to explode any moment now. “How exactly do you come to that conclusion?”
“Well, first of all, if the Satos wanted to make sure they got paid, they wouldn’t hide it behind sneakery and fake datin’.” She patted the seat next to her again.
My anger dissipated like a popped bubble. She might have been right about the Satos, but I wasn’t being obtuse. I’d already considered what she said, which meant Dominic might not know about the debt after all.
But from her tone, I knew I was missing something. Story of my life. “They would if they wanted us to fail. Owning the gym would make them so much money.”
She looked at me like I was a lost guppy. “Oh, hun. Don’t you get it?”
“Obviously not.” I plopped onto the couch beside her.
“That dimwitted Red Dragon was doomed the moment he laid eyes on you.” She held the popcorn bowl out toward me, and I grabbed a handful.
“I still don’t get it,” I said before taking a bite.
As usual, Frankie had made the best stovetop popcorn. She poured melted butter over it so each kernel was drenched, then topped it off with a sprinkling of sea salt.
She pointed toward the TV, which was still paused. “What d’you see?”
On the screen, a young man and woman were frozen mid-grin while shaking hands on the deck of a boat. I knew from previous late-night binge sessions with her that these kids worked and lived on a luxury super yacht during charter season.
It was brainless entertainment. “I see your favorite show.”
Frankie snorted, then started coughing. Leaning forward, she banged on her chest until it cleared. “Damn ’corn went down the wrong pipe. Look closer at the guy and how he’s lookin’ at her.”
Lars, the guy in question, smiled at Samantha, who had just arrived as a new crew member. On the surface, it looked like he was simply happy to meet a new crew member. But his eyes…
Oh.
Oh.
He was head over heels. Love at first sight. Smitten as a kitten.
“That’s not what?—”
