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We no longer fit in a booth when we were all together.
I slipped into the nearest empty seat that was between Seb and Tori, and Kai pulled Ivy up.
“We’ve got a date,” he explained with a grin, sweeping her away before anyone could say anything.
Tori turned to me. “That was you, wasn’t it?”
I reached over for the white wine that was placed in front of me and merely smiled.
“Okay, are we all here? Can I talk about my problems now the sensible one has shown up?” Saylor demanded, holding her hands out. She was in the center of the table and looked around at all of us.
“Nobody cares about your problems,” Tori said. “Unless you’re dating a guy in a relationship again, because that was fun.”
“You’re a bitch,” Saylor said without batting an eyelid.
“Thank you, I know.”
Kinsley’s brother, Colton, looked between them. “Why am I here?”
“You had nothing better to do tonight,” Josh reminded him. “And if I’m here, you’re here.”
“You’re here because Holley doesn’t want to talk about Sebastian, so by inviting you all, she gets out of it,” Tori said, lifting her cocktail glass to her lips. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
Everyone looked at me, including Seb, who had his eyebrow cocked and his lips curled on one side.
“She’s not wrong,” I said with a shrug. “Although I am now starting to think I’ve seen a little too much of him today.”
Everyone laughed.
Except Saylor.
“Great, nice, now my problems, please?”
“What’s wrong?” Kinsley asked, always the peacemaker. “It must be bad if you waited for Holley to show up.”
“It is. It’s awful. Really, really awful.”
And people said I was dramatic.
We all waited, and when Saylor didn’t say anything, we stared at her.
“Well?” Colton asked. “Care to elaborate?”
Saylor shot him a dark look. “Fine. I can’t afford my apartment anymore.”
None of us said a word.
“Hello? Anyone? Does nobody understand how that is the end of the world?”
“She for real?” Tori asked, looking at me.
“Why are you looking at me? I have no idea,” I replied. “Why do you need a roommate?” I asked Saylor.
“My landlord is putting my rent up by two hundred dollars. It’s extortion, and I won’t pay it.” She downed the last of her wine and put the glass down.
Josh frowned. “So why don’t you just move?”
“Joshua, if I can’t afford an extra two hundred dollars a month in rent, do you think I have the money to move?” She raised her eyebrows then turned to me. “This is why I waited for you. You’re the smart one. What do I do?”CHAPTER SIXTEEN – HOLLEYrule sixteen: honesty is overrated. sometimes.“Umm.” I paused and licked my lips. “Get a roommate.”
She leaned back in the chair and looked at me like I’d just told her she had to behead a kitten. “A roommate? Are you kidding me?”
Seb fought a laugh as he finally joined the conversation. “Why is that so terrible? It’ll actually cut your rent.”
“I don’t want anyone living in my space,” Saylor said slowly. “Is that not obvious from my reaction?”
“Well, then you’ll have to move,” I said brightly.
“I think there’s a place down the road from me up for rent,” Kinsley said, chewing on the end of her straw. “I don’t think it’s less than your new rent, though.”
Saylor grunted. “Well, I have thirty days to fix this before I have to pay money I don’t have.”
“I actually know someone who’s looking for a new place,” Seb said after a moment.
She narrowed her eyes and sipped her drink. “He’s not a baseball player, is he?”
“What’s wrong with baseball players?”
“Everything,” I muttered.
Everyone looked at me.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“So full of shit,” Tori said out of the corner of her mouth.
Seb’s eyes glinted when they met mine, and he turned back to Say. “Well?”
“Look, don’t take this the wrong way, but—”
“I’m going to be offended, aren’t I?”
“Cleat chasers,” Saylor said simply. “If I’m not getting laid, I don’t want to hear anyone else getting laid. I like my privacy, and if I have to share my apartment, I don’t want to do it with some asshole who’s gonna bring random girls into my space.”
She had a very valid point.
“Dylan isn’t like that,” Seb said. “He’s a nice guy. Look, he just took a job with my team as one of the personal trainers and needs a place to stay. He’s in a shitty house share in Helena right now. It’s too far but he’s struggling to find a place.”
“Why doesn’t he live with you? Your house is huge.”
“I don’t like sharing my space,” he replied.
“Neither do I,” Saylor said in a biting tone.
“You don’t really have a choice,” Seb said blithely. “Besides, I already offered a spare room to Dylan and he said no.”
“A spare room. No need to brag,” Tori sang.
“Don’t you have a spare room?” Colton asked her. “Why doesn’t Saylor move in with you?”
