“I gotta go, Bobby.” I hang up, not wanting to entertain him any further. When he calls back immediately, I shut off my phone.
“Never liked him,” Hudson murmurs.
“You and Sawyer both.”
“He’s a snake. He’s out for himself. Not you.”
Sawyer has been telling me for years that Bobby wasn’t the best person to associate with. But he was the first guy to take me on when I landed in LA, and we built an empire together. Made each other wealthy beyond measure. I invested everything I earned, had Sawyer making smart business decisions for me. Bobby splashes his cash around, on fast cars, opulent dinners, a different woman on his arm every night. I thought that was what I wanted. I thought that meant I’d made it. But right now, lying on a hospital bed with a swollen face and looking at my best friend, I know none of that was real.
This is real. Whispers is real. Nikki is real.
And I want real from now on.
19
Nikki
As I get dinner ready, I wonder where Sutton was today. It’s the first day he hasn’t been in, and while I know he can come and go however he likes, I hope he’s okay.
“Where was Sutton today?” James asks. Clearly, I’m not the only one who noticed his absence.
“I’m not sure. But I guess he had other things to do.” I plate up some of the leftover chicken pies Rochelle gave us earlier. I have almost a whole tray of them.
We’re both starving because I ended up taking him to the free yoga class Daisy runs after work tonight. I feel more limber than I have in a long time. As he eats, I look at my phone, and as if I conjured him, the screen lights up with a message from Sutton.
Sorry I didn’t make it to the diner today.
It was a little quieter without you.
Does that mean you missed me?
I grin, my stomach fluttering.
It means that we had leftover pie that we’re now enjoying for dinner.
Damn, I miss that pie.
You have it every day! How can you miss it?
I laugh out loud, then snort, and my brother rolls his eyes as he continues to dig in.
I see you every day but still miss you.
I pause as my heart thuds harder.
As much as you miss the pie?
It’s tongue in cheek, but I’m interested in what he has to say.
You already know the answer, Tinker. I miss you all day, every day.
Putting my phone down, I take a deep breath and see my brother watching me so I grab my plate and sit down to eat my pie.
“I’m hungry tonight.” I almost moan when Rochelle’s pie hits my tongue. She’s an expert in the kitchen. She could manufacture these and sell them countrywide and make a killing.
“You know, I think these are my favorite,” James grabs his napkin and wipes his mouth. His table manners are better than most kids his age.
“I think she adds extra butter to the pastry,” I murmur, knowing these pies go straight to my hips.
