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“Can I do anything?”
“No, you’ve been amazing.” She forced her lips up into a smile. “Just keep everyone in line, okay?”
Wanda nodded as tears dripped down her cheeks and chin. Amber nibbled on her lower lip, but didn’t say anything. Jersey Janice had taken her place behind the bar. Evidently, Lou had already called in the reinforcements. So easily replaced—as he said.
She ran through the room to the door and out past the hoard of reporters. They chased her down the block and three enterprising camera guys even made it up the stairs to her bus. Chloe ran down the back and got off, waving at them with a double middle finger salute.
There was always another bus waiting. She took that one across town and into the heart of Venice. She needed to walk. She needed sand between her toes.
How many days had she wasted in Venice over the years? Endless summer days sitting on hot cement to watch Snake beat on an old white pail while Simon and Nick played guitar for a few bucks. Using her meager money to buy them water or a six pack on the good days.
Her first job had been on the Santa Monica Pier working at the amusement park. Her first time with Snake had been under that same pier at the end of her shift. He
’d spent months trying to convince her he was into her. That no other girl would do.
How simple things had been back then. It had taken her getting pregnant to actually say yes to one of the half dozen times that Snake had asked her to marry him.
She’d married Michael in mere seconds comparatively.
Honestly, she still couldn’t wrap her mind around that. She’d been walking a careful tightrope since she’d gotten the news about Snake. Since her life had changed drastically. Alone for the first time in too many years to count. Except not completely alone.
No, she’d had a baby in her belly and had been living from paycheck to paycheck ever since. And now she had no paycheck. Well, save for the two hundred and thirteen dollars in her pocket. She had the savings from Nick.
But that wasn’t her money. Never had been her money. She’d hadn’t touched it for anything other than emergencies for Axl. The special formula he’d had to drink for three months, the doctors appointments that hadn’t been covered under her medical program from the state, and a few other things over the years.
Most of it was in savings. Her kid wasn’t going to drop out of college like she had.
But she’d dip into it if she had to. She’d just have to find another job ASAP, that was all. She flipped off her ballet flats as she got closer to the skate park. It wasn’t exactly beach weather, but the sun was warm enough to get her toes in the sand.
Sifting sand evened her out in ways nothing else could. She was used to working with nothing and building a life. She’d just start over again. Not a huge deal.
If she told herself that enough maybe it would be true.
And Michael?
She wished that little voice would blow out to sea. She still didn’t know what to do about Michael. He pulled at her like the endless tide, but she also saw the breakers coming for her. And the storm clouds in the distance. The longer she let a man like him in her life, the less chance she had for normalcy.
Hadn’t she had enough of that with Snake?
Was it just a character flaw that she was attracted to men like that?
He’s not one-night stand material like Nick. And he’s sure the fuck not like Snake.
She raked her fingers through her hair and pulled out her ponytail to let the sea breeze shake out the ridiculous voice that craved trouble.
Craved Michael.
Nothing about him made sense. She shouldn’t feel safe in his arms. She shouldn’t want to lean on him. She could only rely on herself. Hadn’t today proven that over and over again?
She tipped her head up to the sun and took one last deep breath of briny, sea-soaked air before she trudged back up the beach. She wiped off her feet before slipping her shoes back on. It was time to go home. It was Saturday, so she couldn’t call the temp agencies until Monday.
Until then, she’d reactivate all her profiles on the job sites.
Three busses later, she got off her usual stop and made the four block hike to her house. The reporters must have figured out her schedule—that or hadn’t gotten their latest scoop. Chloe Adams fired because she’s considered a nuisance, tramp, and gold digger—news at eleven!
There was only one car across the street. The sun glinted off the telephoto lens sticking out of the driver’s side window. She hoped he or she got a nice shot of her sandy backside.
Lori’s car was still gone. She could have used a hug from Axl right about now, but a little time to do research before she went back into mommy mode was probably best. She slowed as she got to the top of the driveway. A letter was taped to the door.
