Archie stands slowly. “I know who you are, mate.” He doesn’t take my hand.
I don’t know if Australia has a real mafia—not the oatmeal kind—but Archie’s giving off serious Don Corleone fromThe Godfathervibes. He’s even wearing a suit.
Not an actual suit—this is So Cal, not New York—but dress pants and a button-up shirt that looks tie-ready.
“Take a seat.” He points to the empty chair across from him.
I gulp, then pull it out. At the same time, a blond guy saunters out of the restroom behind Archie.
“Hey, darl,” he says to Britta before giving her a kiss. Then he points to me in a friendly way. “Cal?”
“Yeah. You must be Dex.”
His board shorts and flip flops decrease my worries by roughly two percent that I’m facing death.
Dex juts out his hand, then pulls me into a side hug when I take it. “Don’t let Archie scare you. He’s a bit protective. Especially when it comes to Frankie.”
I look from Dex to Archie and slide into my assigned seat “I don’t blame you. I’d want to protect my sister, too, if she’d been hurt like Frankie has. Idowant to protect her, but not like a sister.”
I stop and swallow. I’m rambling and making a bigger mess of things. “I want to fix what I’ve done…”
“He’s in love with her, Arch.” Britta jumps in before I can say more. “Show him a little mercy. You know she’s in love with him, too.”
My head whips to her. “She is?”
Britta nods.
I run my hands down my thighs and grin. “That’s good news.”
But when my eyes go back to Archie’s, he’s not smiling at all, only studying me carefully.
I fidget in my seat.
He exhales with a light growl. “Alright, this is going to take a grand gesture.”
“A what?”
“Grand gesture. Like in a movie.”
I nod, like I understand what he’s talking about.
Archie’s eyes narrow, and his next exhale is more growl than breath. He’s not fooled.
“Whatever it is, Archie, I’ll do it.” I'm decisive and determined, despite the black hole in my gut where all my hope is disappearing. “I’ll do anything for Frankie.”
He lifts an eyebrow, let’s it hang there while I hold my breath.
“Righto.” he says finally, as his lip curves upward. “Let’s sort out this mess you’ve made. Stella here’s got your grand gesture all mapped out.”
Chapter 31
Frankie
If the last two days of my life had been caught on film, I’d be a strong contender for an Oscar. While acting like my heart’s not broken, I’ve earned the role of a lifetime, gone shopping for a fire outfit to wear on the Lila Hart Late Show tonight, and prepped for my surprise appearance there that will mark my reentry into Hollywood.
Which happens in about ten minutes.
The show’s makeup artist, Sarah, hands me a tissue, to blot the red color she’s applied to my lips. I lean close to the mirror to check I haven’t smeared it.
