“Well, I can let you know if something in my building opens up. The studios are more affordable, if you’re interested.”
“I’m good,” I said. She and I both knew full well I couldn’t afford a studio in her building. It didn’t matter if it was half the price she paid, it was still way outside my budget.
“Oh my God, Hazel!” Desiree squealed, leaning over Stephanie to be heard over the DJ. “I almost forgot, didn’t you, like, just win the lottery or something?”
“Yeah,” Stephanie said. “I remember seeing your post. Shouldn’t drinks be on you?”
Damn that post.
I gulped and forced myself to get it out.
“About that…Someone actually stole my grandma’s cat a couple of weeks ago. I’m not sure who it was—” My gaze shifted to Kiara as I said this to gauge her reaction, but she looked bored, swirling her drink. “—but they’re blackmailing me. They know about my winnings and are threatening to keep Vermont if I don’t hand over the money as soon as it clears my account.”
“Vermont?” Desiree questioned.
“The cat,” I said.
Stephanie gasped. “That’s horrible! Why didn’t you tell us?”
Because I’m pathetic. Because it makes me feel more like a loser than I already did. Because I was stupid enough to believe my life was finally taking a turn for the better.I shrugged haplessly but didn’t say anything.
Zoe tapped my nose. “Hazel has a hot detective working the case already.”
Kiara narrowed her eyes. “A detective?”
“He isn’t really a detective.” I sighed, shaking my head. “It’s just this guy I know. He’s been helping me try to figure it out.”
“Figure out a way into your pants,” Zoe said, giggling and linking her arm through mine.
I gave a half-hearted scoff but couldn’t stop my smile from forming. Zoe was always like this, and it was hard for me to stay annoyed at her.
“It’s just all been a lot to handle,” I said.
“Why would someone go through all that trouble for five hundred bucks?” Kiara asked.
“Try, like, fifty grand,” Zoe said.
The way Kiara’s eyes bulged at that news looked genuine. She hadn’t known. She’d probably barely registered my post at all, let alone read the caption. Because that’s how little she thought of me.
“Fifty thousand for you is insane, Hazel. Holy shit,” she said.
I clocked the way she emphasized, “for you.”
“Yep.”
“And someone is trying to blackmail you for it?” Stephanie asked, sitting up.
“That’s the unluckiest thing I’ve ever heard,” Kiara said with a snort.
Zoe’s leg pressed into mine as she reached around my shoulders to give me a squeeze. “Are you okay?” She looked at me, glassy-eyed.
“I’m okay.” I gave her leg a squeeze in return. I realized those words were only true because of one person. If Reid wasn’t around, I wasn’t sure where I’d be. He had been keeping me sane, grounded, and mildly optimistic through all this.
“Well, forget the cat and keep the money.” Kiara set her drink down and folded her arms across her chest. She twirled her long hair around one of her perfectly manicured fingers.
“She can’t do that,” Zoe said, eyes narrowed. “It was her gran’s cat.”
Kiara laughed. “So? My grandma has three cats, and I wouldn’t know them from a stray one off the street.”
