Years of sleepovers had taught me that Asha wasnota light sleeper. Violent was a better description. More often than not, I’d be jolted awake by a wandering elbow or jerking knee. And in the morning, pillows would spot the floor like wounded soldiers on a battlefield, while the sheets were twisted and yanked away from the mattress corners.
But this morning, Asha’s side of the bed looked nothing like the war zone I was used to. Her half of the comforter was only slightly rumpled, all her pillows were accounted for, and the sheets were still intact. Maybe she was so exhausted from traveling that there had been no energy left for her usual tossing and turning? Or maybe being in a strange bed kept her from falling asleep?
Whatever the case, she was most likely on a morning run, and I wanted to hop in the shower before she returned. Another thing I’d learned from our hundreds of sleepovers? Asha had a talent for using up all the hot water.
Crouching beside my duffel, I rummaged through my limited wardrobe in search of an outfit. My best option was a casual whitesundress that belted at the waist, which hopefully wouldn’t look ridiculous with my Keds. I folded the dress over my arm, grabbed my toiletry bag, and stepped into the hall. As I was making my way toward the bathroom, I heard a voice.
“I don’t understand why you’re so angry about this. I said I was sorry.”
It was Alec. He sounded upset. The door to the office was ajar, but I knew this was a private conversation. I picked up my pace with the intention of speeding past his room, but the next words out of his mouth made me pause.
“Violet and I are tight, so I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
Was he talking about Violet James? I leaned in and cocked an ear to hear better.
“What?” he exclaimed, his voice turning sharp. “My own self-interests? Are you serious?” There was a long pause. “But we made a deal. I did everything you asked!” Another pause. “No, don’t feed me that bullshit. It’s just more lies… Yeah, whatever. Screw you.”
The next few seconds passed in silence, and realizing the conversation was over, I jerked upright.Are you seriously spying on Alec right now?Embarrassed with myself, I begin to slink away. Because honestly. How mortifying would it be if he caught me snooping outside his door?
“Hey, Vi. It’s me,” he said suddenly, and I froze again. “I know you left for Paris this morning, but can you call me back when you get this message? We need to talk. Miss you. Bye.”
I sucked in a deep breath.Vi?I didn’t realize the two were on a nickname level of closeness. Howtightwere they?
There was movement inside Alec’s room, and before I had timeto give anything I’d heard a second thought, he pulled back the door. For a beat we both stood there, staring at each other.
Alec was the kind of person who looked like a magazine spread come to life: perfect hair, perfect clothes, perfect smile. I’d never imagined him as anything less than camera ready, but now he was looking more human than ever before. He was sporting athletic shorts and a white T-shirt worn thin with love. But more startling than seeing Alec Williams in his pajamas was the state of his hair. Like the plastic locks of a Ken doll, his hair was always orderly—bangs swept up and styled, every strand accounted for. Not today. Spikes of platinum shot in every direction as if he’d fought with his pillow in the middle of the night and lost. It made him seem younger, and it was more endearing than I was prepared for.
“Felicity?” He frowned at me. “What are you doing?”
I grimaced as the tingling sensation of embarrassment swept across my face. “Ah, hey. Sorry to intrude. I heard that you were up and I, um…” I was struggling to come up with a good excuse for why I was lurking outside his room. It was too early in the morning for quick thinking, and I hadn’t had my daily dose of caffeine.
Oh, coffee!
“There’s a Starbucks down the block,” I said. “I saw it on our way in last night. I was thinking of picking up coffee for everybody. As a thank-you to Kelsey for everything. Want to come with me?”
“Absolutely.”
“Awesome. I’m going to shower before Asha snags it. Give me half an hour?”
“Okay. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
Twenty minutes later, I was clean and ready to go, but Asha had yet to return. Maybe her run had turned into a sightseeing opportunity? Her phone was charging on the nightstand, so I couldn’t text her, not that she’d respond anyway. She never did while running.
Maybe she told Boomer where she went?
That wasn’t likely, considering he was a grouch any time before noon, but it wouldn’t hurt to check.
The second guest room was still wrapped in darkness when I inched open the door. The curtains were drawn tight to keep the morning out, and when I stuck my head in, light from the hall cut a swatch of golden warmth across the carpet. Even before my eyes adjusted to the gloom, I knew something was off. I pushed into the room, and as I approached the bed, I reeled at the sight before me. A heap of clothes on the floor, tangled arms and bare skin, a coil of charcoal hair spread across Boomer’s chest like a drop of ink in water.
I had to process each image individually before my brain could fully grasp what my eyes were seeing. My best friend wasin bedwith my other best friend.
Asha and Boomer.
Boomer and Asha.
A wave of shock rolled through me, leaving me speechless.
The light must have woken Asha, because she lifted her head off Boomer’s shoulder and blinked at me. We stared at each other. Thankfully, all the parts of the two of them that I never wanted to see were covered by the comforter, but Asha hitched the blanket up to her chin and elbowed Boomer awake.
