Page 162 of Until the Last Star Fades

“Yeah, what’s he playing at? He should know he can’t drink like he used to.” Casey broke apart his Snickerdoodle cookie, the three friends maintaining their Monday afternoon ritual one last time, even if it meant Piper was forced to drool from afar. A second box of cookies sat in reserve on Casey’s bed. “Thank God Alex texted last night. At least you know his phone was broken and he’s not lying in a dumpster somewhere.”

“I’m glad he barfed his brains out,” said Piper. “That’ll teach him, hopefully. It’s also karma for making you so upset.”

Riley winced. “I stayed awake last night, waiting for him to call. Ben doesn’t do silent, especially when he’s drunk.” Appetite AWOL, she nudged the peanut butter cookie away. “He was a total wreck. He looked depressed—then he said something about Mom never forgiving him.”

“Fuck…” Swallowing hard, Piper’s shoulders tensed as she glared at a motorcycle thundering past. “He mentioned Maggie? That makes me think he…”

Is Pip thinking what I’ve been thinking? “Mom would only be furious if…” The lump growing in Riley’s throat made her voice raspy. “If he did something that would hurt me.”

“Bastard better not have!” Casey curled his lip.

“I just wish I knew what that something was before I get on the plane tomorrow night.” Riley sniffed. “If we’re breaking up—”

“Rye, don’t even think of not going.”

“Casey’s right,” added Piper. “You can’t bail on that job.”

“No, I want to go, it’s just…the timing’s the worst. What if I end up alone and brokenhearted in London—”

“What broken heart? You’re jumping the gun,” said Casey. “And as for timing—fuck timing. If we waited to do stuff until everything was perfect, we’d never budge. You told me that!”

“I know, but it’s easier to give advice than take it.”

“True enough.” His phone buzzed and he glanced down, a smile warming his face.

Piper swatted away a wasp. “Rye, you’ve spent these last few years living your life for your mom.” Riley opened her mouth to interject, but Piper doubled down. “I know—it was the right thing to do, and you did it out of love—but she’s well now and it’s time for you to ‘fly, my pretty’. I know it’s not Cali, but it’s the next best thing, trust me. England’s awesome.”

“The swimming’s not,” Casey mused. “Pebbly beaches.”

“Really?” Riley scrunched her nose.

“But that’s no reason not to go! You love him, right?” asked Casey.

“Yeah.”

“Then you should be with him.” Casey sighed. “Look, I have no idea what his drunken speech was about—probably nothing, and if it’s something, you’ll sort it out.”

Piper giggled. “Since when are you offering love advice, Oprah?”

“Uh, since Ben proved he wasn’t a liar—” Casey caught himself. “I mean, since he proved he knew Mark Keegan and he stepped up to save Maggie.” He turned to Riley. “Ben’s crazy about you. You just have to talk to him and be honest with one another.”

“I’m trying to! I can only leave Alex so many messages asking for him to call me.”

“You should talk face to face. Tech is great, but there’s nothing like an in-person conversation.” Casey waved a cookie at his laptop’s camera. “Amiright, Pip Pip Hooray?”

“Argh! Our Monday cookie ritual sucks as a spectator.”

Casey’s phone buzzed a second time and Riley caught a name on the screen.

“Uh, Case…who’s Sophie?”

“Sophie?” asked Piper. “We don’t know a Sophie.”

“Ah, we don’t, but I do.” Casey’s cheeks began to flush.

“Ohmygawd!” Piper screeched. “You had SEX!”

“No, I didn’t!”