“I have to tell you something.” Her voice is soft and gentle. She shifts on the leather cushion, pulling her shirt down over her knees.
My stomach rolls and my mind immediately begins flipping through a Rolodex of worst-case scenarios.
“It’s about that night,” she says. “At the party in the Hills.”
I nod slowly. “Okay. What about it?”
Her eyes flick toward the hallway, then back to me. “I swear I didn’t know. I had no idea until last week. And I didn’t know how to tell you from a distance—”
“Mia.” My voice is thin. “Just say it.”
She swallows. “They were in the bathroom. Tori and Kolson. She was snorting fucking coke, and she was with him—when everything happened.”
I blink. “Withhim?”
“They’ve been hooking up for months.” Her voice breaks slightly. “She never told me. I only found out because I accidentally walked in on them in her apartment.”
Her words hit like ice water, trickling down my spine until I can’t breathe. I don’t speak. I can’t. For the first time in my life, I am legitimately speechless.
“I’m so sorry, Sadie. I wanted to tell you in person. Fuck, I hate having to tell you at all. You don’t deserve—”
The bathroom door swings open. Tori strolls out in a towel, hair twisted into a bun, humming like the world hasn’t just collapsed around me.
“Dammit, I forgot my lotion.” She rummages through her bag, freezing when she sees our faces.
“What?” She laughs, too high, too awkward. “You look like someone died.”
All I can do is stare. Disbelief, betrayal, and disgust swirls into something poisonous in my stomach.
“Oh my God.” She covers her mouth, eyes wide. “Did someone actually die? Please don’t tell me it’s Glen Powell.”
“Yousleptwith Kolson?” My voice is unrecognizable, like someone else is saying the words.
She glances at Mia, then back to me, realization spreading across her face.
“I’m guessing she told you?” She waves a hand like it’s nothing—like our friendship isnothing. “It’s not a big deal, Sadie. You and Kol weren’t even serious. It didn’t mean anything. And you’ve been up here gallivanting in the mountains, screwing cowboys, so—”
“No.”
The word comes out louder than I mean it to. Or maybe it’s exactly how I mean it.
All of the built-up hurt and anger bubbles to the surface, and I can’t take it anymore. Her mouth parts but I’m already on my feet, unable to sit still.
“I haven’t beenscrewing cowboys.” My voice shakes, but the words don’t stop. “My father found out what almost happened atthat party and shipped me away becausehedidn’t want to deal with it. I have been here.Working.Every. Fucking. Day.”
Tori crosses her arms. “I still don’t see why it matters. You left, andclearlyyou’ve moved on. Are you really going to deny you fucked one of them?”
“Oh myGod,” I snap. “Yes, Tori, I fucked one of them. One. That doesn’t make what you did okay.”
The words are like fire scorching my throat on the way out.
She shrugs and gives me an incredulous glare, like I’m being dramatic, making something out of nothing. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
I let out a jagged laugh. “How about sorry?Sorry I fucked your boyfriend behind your back?That might be a good place to start.”
She rolls her eyes. “Are you delusional? He. Wasn’t. Yours.”
“Fuck you.Everyone knew how I felt about him. How silly of me to think one of my closest friends would actually respect that.”
