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It wasn’t an overly hot day, but the pool area was packed. Loud laughter and conversation filled the courtyard to create a constant dull rumble. Every cabana seemed to be rented out. Kids splashed around and squealed near a fountain in the middle of the pool. Clusters of people lounged, floated in the pool, chased their kids, drank icy cocktails, and chased their kids while drinking icy cocktails. I thought finding Juliet would be impossible, but she stood alone in a far corner.

Weird.

When I hurriedly approached, I saw why the crowd wasn’t near her.

Because it couldn’t be.

A whole section of the deck was closed off around her. A small cabana was behind her, but a couple of loungers were out in the sun.

I felt like I was lined up to gawk at a celebrity. She was certainly pretty enough to be one. The floral cover-up she wore over her white bikini had slid down one shoulder. It was very classic Hollywood. I was glad that I hadn’t been able to find my torn shorts and hoodie after all. I was intimidated enough, making me second—or third or twentieth—guess myself.

But I continued forward since ghosting people was wrong.

For some reason.

I still might’ve done it if I hadn’t known she wanted to see me. Her enthusiastic texts had made that clear even before I watched her scan the crowd. Once her gaze landed on me, she grinned wide and waved me over. As soon as I got close enough, she opened the barrier and greeted me like we were best friends. “Mila! I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Me, too.” And it wasn’t even a lie.

Not a full one.

Or maybe just not yet.

“Sit. Sit.” Like a natural hostess, Juliet waited until I sat before she did, too. She reached behind her to grab something off the lounger, moving it onto a small wicker cube. I didn’t pay too much attention until she asked, “Did you finish it yet?”

“Finish what?”

She gestured to the iPad she’d just moved—obviously one in a collection since another sat in Ash’s penthouse. “The book you started yesterday.”

I shook my head. “I, uh, haven’t had time.”

“I hope you can finish it soon. Then we can talk about it after.” She smiled again. “Like a book club.”

“That’d be fun.” I meant it, too. Even if I barely knew her, there was already something likable about Juliet.

A gut feeling that was proven correct the longer we talked. She peppered me with questions without making it an interrogation.

My favorite food.

My favorite color.

What I liked to do for fun.

Superficial things that were far easier to answer than ones about my family, my past, or even my future.

And I got the feeling that was exactly why she was doing it.

Juliet was even more glamorous up close. Her hair was in another high ponytail, and she had a smattering of freckles across her face. She was a couple of inches taller than me, but she wore her confidence in a way that made her seem taller. Older, too.

People likely took one look at her and assumed she was vapid. An attractive face with not much happening behind her eyes. A trophy wife in a white bikini and floral cover-up. That she was…

Dumb.

They probably thought she was dumb as a rock garden and twice as nice to look at.

But they would be wrong. And dumb themselves for underestimating her. A sharpness in her green eyes seemed to take in everything around her.

It made me remember Ash’s claim that Juliet and I had a lot in common. I wondered about who she was beyond just cheery and sweet. Since I didn’t want to answer any probing questions, I also didn’t ask them.