“Griffin is her four-foot-tall man-baby ex-husband with a dick the size of a Q-tip,” Jasmine said.
“Nick punched him in the face and threw him into a dumpster,” Riley said as she tried to tug the hem over her belly button.
“That’s the Nicky Santiago I know and love!” Sesame sang.
Riley sucked in a breath and accidentally choked on her own spit.
“Hold up,” Jasmine said, putting her champagne down with a hard clink. “When you say you love my girl’s guy, I’m going to need you to clarify that before I fill your bed with fake insects or reptiles.”
Jasmine could change gears from friendship tostab your eyes out with a stilettoin a heartbeat.
“I want to be you when I grow up,” Riley wheezed.
“At the risk of finding a lizard in my bed, I confess that I love Nicky,” Sesame said. “I always have.”
Riley’s world was tilting again as she coughed. Only this time, it had nothing to do with psychic visions.
“As a brother,” Sesame added.
Jasmine crossed her arms and stared hard at Sesame. “You’re saying you never made out with him, ‘accidentally’ walked in on him in the shower when he slept over at your house, or got him drunk and had sex with him in the nurse’s office after he lost the Homecoming game?”
“Those are some very specific examples that we should probably talk about later. But no. I’ve always loved Nicky as a big brother. Beneath that stubborn ‘I know everything’ exterior is a teddy bear of a guy who just wants to do right by everyone he loves. But…”
“But what?” Riley croaked.
Sesame picked up a denim jumpsuit and held it up to her chest. “But that stubborn exterior is about a mile thick. Nick and I could never have been together in that way. What entertains me about him would be exactly what would make me hate him in a relationship.” Sesame gave a dramatic shiver.
“Sure, he’s stubborn, but he’s not that bad,” Riley said defensively.
Sesame shook her head, and her heavy tumble of golden curls shimmered around her shoulders like someone had turned on a fan and a camera.
“Yes. He is,” Sesame countered. “That’s why you two are a perfect match. You are the only person I know in the whole world who could put up with ‘I’m Nick Santiago and what I say goes,’” she growled.
It was an admittedly decent impression of the man in question. Jasmine applauded.
“But you also bring him balance,” Sesame continued to Riley. “You challenge him, and that’s probably one of the things he loves best about you. You’re strong enough to live your own life, to disobey Nick Law when necessary. You’re not afraid to call him out on his own bullshit. You recognize that he’s strong enough to take the criticismandthat your relationship is healthy enough to handle the bumps.”
“Well, I wouldn’t gothatfar,” Riley said, guiltily considering all the things she hadn’t opened her mouth about recently.
“It works for you two. You get to forge a life together. One where you figure out what you both want and go from there. But I already know what I want. I was born knowing. I didn’t need to be challenged by my partner. I needed a guy who had no problem automatically agreeing with me. It streamlines so many issues if he would just trust me and focus on my goals.”
“I can’t decide if that’s just bravely narcissistic or actually smart,” Jasmine mused.
Riley couldn’t decide if it was suspicious or not that Sesame had switched into the past tense, as if she’d already found her partner.
Sesame returned the jumpsuit to its rack and picked up a lacy bra top. “I know what I want out of life. I’m not going to apologize for it or wait around on someone else to support me. I’m going to work for it. And someday, when it pays off, it’ll all be worth it.”
“So, what do you want?” Riley asked.
“Simple. I want to be rich and famous and loved by everyone.”
“Well, you’re rolling in your own limo with your own driver. I’d say that’s a good start,” Jasmine observed.
“Speaking of, why is Wilhelm doing calisthenics in the corner?” Riley asked.
The limo driver—who definitely had not forgiven Riley for her accidental smoothie spray—was pumping his way through a set of push-ups next to a headless mannequin that looked like it was part of a football huddle.
“Oh, his physique is very important to him. It’s one of my favorite things about him.”
