“I fucking loved it,” Alana says. “I hope the world cancels that dick for what he did to you and the women who came before him.”
“They won’t,” I say, letting out a hard sigh. “And honestly, that’s not what I want either. The whole reason I did the interview was to let it go and to tell people my side of the story. They can believe what they want, but he will still have his fame. There will always be people who will still support his music. It is what it is.”
“That’s a really diplomatic way of looking at it,” Sloane tells me. “Happiness doesn’t come from other people.”
“So fucking true,” I reply. “I’m just glad it’s over, and I was able to end things on my terms, not getting any money from him.”
“Here, here,” Kai calls out, holding up his beer.
We all do the same, clinking the bottles together, smiles blanketing the group. I’m so damn lucky to have found these people among all of the drama. They make it all worthwhile.
“So when’s the big move?” Eli asks. “Not that I’m forcing you out or anything.”
Chuckling, Kai replies, “Thinking probably tomorrow. You guys free?”
“To help you move?” Miles asks.
“Yeah.”
“Nope,” Miles responds instantly. “I hate moving. You’re on your own, bro.”
Again, Daisy swats him, glaring. She all but threatens him with his life.
“Of course, we’re all around to help,” Nate adds, and now it’s him hitting the group with a wicked stare. “That’s what friends do. We help each other out.”
Losing my parents sucked, and watching my relationship with my sister fade when I married Sean sucked even more, but sitting here with this group of people, I know everything is going to be just fine.
More than fine.
It’s perfect.
“Fuck, I did not realize I had so many surfboards.”
Miles lets out a loud laugh as he helps me stack them on the front porch of the house, making room for the deck we’re going to build. It’s happening before any of the renovations are, but at least it will give us a place to eat and sit while the kitchen is ripped out.
“Bro, for real?” he questions. “We actually make them for a living, you know.”
“Yeah, I know,” I reply, rolling my eyes. “But how the hell did I end up with so many? I literally use the same one every day.”
“Um, because you collect people’s old boards, you fix up broken ones, you make your own,” he now says. “Do you need any more explanation?”
I flip him off as I turn to Eli, who is literally carrying planks of wood on his bare shoulder. Dude is just showing off at this point, not wearing a shirt, his stupid muscles, the fucking tattoos.
“He’s right, you know,” Eli chimes in. “But if you wanna donate that blue one, I’ll take it,” he adds with a wink.
“I tell you what,” I start. “You put a shirt on, and it’s all yours.”
This time it’s both Miles and Eli laughing, as Eli says, “Feeling threatened, Kai? I’m happy to help you work out if you wanna get in shape.”
He puts the boards down, turning to me, his hands on his hips, a shit-eating grin on his face as he flexes, his pecs dancing on his chest like muscled man titties.
“Stop fucking showing off,” I say, pointing a finger at him.
“I’m not,” he says with a shrug. “It’s hot out, and you’ve got me working my ass off on my day off. Of course, the shirt’s coming off. Not my fault if your woman appreciates the view.”
I exhale, shaking my head at my former roommate. The guy loves giving me shit about hooking up with Quinn and moving in with her. “I know, I know. Don’t think I don’t appreciate it,” I tell him.
“Oh, you like the view too?” Eli teases. “Didn’t know you swung both ways.”
