“You’re telling me. It’s literally my initials.”
“To be fair, not many people walk around introducing themselves with their middle names, Laiken Isaak.”
I wave my head from side to side. “Splitting the syllables of my last name helps too. I still think if someone thought about it long enough, they’d figure it out.”
“Like Lie?” Nason asks. The mention of Lie always makes my heart jump now. Like he’s casually going to drop the fact he knows I’m fucking his son.
“Yep. If anyone is going to figure out the initials, it’ll be Lie. Especially since he loves the shorts. I’ve heard him complain on more than one occasion that they’re so short and clean.” Nason laughs.
I nod absently. “I’ve thought about making the dirty moments available somewhere, but I’m not sure how to go about that. Kind of like an extended edition of the serial, you know?”
“You have enough material for that?”
“Not written, but it wouldn’t take much to go back to the beginning and crank out the dirty parts that I kept to myself. But then what? How do I keep it anonymous? Where do I post them?”
“I don’t know, but we can brainstorm if you want to. I’m thinking you can have a little side hustle and bring in the money. You have the entire island hooked, and if you publish online somewhere, you can open it to a wider audience and bring in some coin.”
“Mmm,” I hum. “Maybe. I do this for fun, but yeah, I won’t say no to more money.”
Nason snorts. “Everyone wants more money. But that’s for another day. We need to head to the meeting. You ready?”
“Ah, yes. I’m dying to see who’s running these meetings now.” I shut my laptop and leave it on the couch with my notebook.
“I’m dying to see if someone is going to address the Taylor situation and what they’re going to say about it.”
“Considering Taylor is part of the Calloway family, I can only imagine. I almost feel bad for him.”
“Almost,” Nason agrees. “When the untouchable get too confident, it’s healthy for everyone to see them taken down a peg. A lesson for them and for those who follow. Not everything lasts forever.”
I know the last words weren’t meant for me, but I feel them like a punch in my gut.
Chapter Twenty-Three
LIE
Resident island meetingsare held in the big studio where Miss Patty holds classes of all kinds. Rows of folding chairs are set up facing the podium at the front, with three chairs on each side of it.
Mom waves to me when we walk in. I smile, waving in return. Cash and I like to be close to the back so we can see everyone. Today especially, we want to see everyone’s faces.
I can’t remember a time in my entire life when there’s been a month without a resident meeting. Last month was historic. I bet next May there will be a big to-do in the newsletter detailing the event.
“Here?” Cash asks, gesturing to the second-to-last row. It’s empty all the way down.
“Yep. Go.”
He shuffles through and drops his cushion on the chair before sitting at the end of the aisle. I set my cushion in the chair beside him and sit.
“Doesn’t your mom know that it’s a better vantage point in the back?” Cash asks, waving when my mom looks back at us.
“I suppose I could ask you the same about your parents.” I stand and wave my hands over my head like I’m bringing in a plane, making them laugh at me. I grin.
Cash snorts. “Maybe it’s a parent thing. They like the front.”
I don’t see Dad and Laiken come in until Dad takes the seat beside me. He wraps his arm around my shoulders and hugs me. Before he can take his hand back, he squeezes Cash’s shoulder from behind.
“Hey, Dad.” I meet Laiken’s eyes. “Hey, Laiken.”
“Boys,” my dad and Laiken say together. I roll my eyes. Weirdos.
