I peek out the window, seeing Daisy’s old Jeep pull up. She beeps, and I grab the two bottles of wine I picked up—a bottle of red and a bottle of white—not sure what everyone drinks, but not wanting to show up empty-handed either.
“Hey, hey!” Daisy says when I hop in. “How’d orientation go?”
“Good. Not too busy, and I start tomorrow. First day of massages. I guess I already have a full day lined up, so that feels good. I was worried I was hired just because Kai bullied them into it.”
“I mean, he might have,” Daisy jokes.
“I need to get a car soon too,” I say, making small talk as we drive. “I took an Uber there today, but that’s not a permanent option.”
“New or used?” Daisy asks.
“Definitely used,” I reply, but I catch myself, my mind instantly flashing to the offer of eleven million dollars.
Every one of these people would probably take the money. Daisy has just opened her bakery and is working her ass off to make it a success. And while Miles toured with Sean, his band’s album a huge hit, he hasn’t made an album since. I know how residuals work, and he’s bringing those in, but it would take years to get to eleven million.
Nate and Sage own a thriving surf shop, and she’s about to start a job teaching high school here on the island. Again, doing great, but not millionaires.
The rest of them, the same. All making enough money to support themselves, and they’re happy. No one seems to care about money, content to enjoy all the island has to offer and to surf every day.
Guilt churns in my stomach, my chest tightening at the idea of admitting this to any of them. Not that I think there will be judgment, but there will be the question of how I could possibly turn it down.
It’s the kind of money I could live off forever, and Sean knows that, dangling it in front of me, but with a price that far exceeds the offer.
I swallow hard, pushing away the feeling, overwhelmed by a decision that just yesterday was so easy to make. Now I’m second-guessing it.
But I don’t want to lose my voice. The media will find me soon enough, asking questions about our break-up, curious as to why. Tabloids will run stories, the internet will follow, the public will eat it up. Rumors will swirl, and things will be said about me, my family, my friends, and the friends I’ve made here, even if they are just innocent in all this.
“You okay?” Daisy questions, realizing I’ve gone silent.
“Yeah, sorry. I’m good.” I take a deep breath, letting it out, trying to rid my mind of what eleven million dollars could look and feel like. “I hate car shopping. I just feel like I’m always getting scammed, especially buying a used car.”
It all comes out in a rush, sounding slightly rehearsed but helping me forget that I don’t need anyone. I don’t need Sean’s money.
And I need to keep telling myself that when the fear and the guilt creep in.
“Flynn works on cars. Knows a ton about them. I’m sure he’d be willing to go with you and check them out,” Daisy tells me.
“Really?”
“Yeah, ask Alana when we get there. She’ll tell Flynn.”
“Sounds good.”
Girls’ night is off to a great start. We’ve made pizzas, had some wine—actually several bottles—so we’re all feeling pretty good when Alana suggests we watch American Gigolo just for the penis scene, and we all start laughing.
Sloane comes around, filling our glasses once more, and I need to tell myself to slow down. I have to work tomorrow, my first day, and I should not be hungover for it.
“Okay,” Daisy barks out, letting out a loud giggle along with it. “Let’s set the record straight. How big is Owen’s dick, like for real, Sloane?”
All of us turn to look at her, Sloane’s cheeks flushing bright red. Sage giggles, covering her mouth with her hand as Alana lets out a gasp of shock.
“Daisy, what the fuck?” Alana says, swatting at her. “Why do you want to know? Not getting it from Miles?”
“Hang on,” Sloane jumps in. “This needs a little background for those of you who missed it. Back when I first moved in with Owen, I had, um…I had a sexy dream about him, and I told Daisy, who then informed me that Owen has a twelve-inch dick.”
“Whoa!” Alana shouts, her eyes wide. “This conversation took a turn that I didn’t see coming, and now I’ve got to know too.”
“Sloane, you don’t have to answer that. That’s between you and Owen,” Sage says sweetly, totally defending Sloane, and I love the way these girls just support each other. No jealousy, no competition. Just friends no matter what.
