I doubt that I’m normally this excited to give someone a ride at six in the morning, but today…I look at JP. He’s passed out naked next to me. Sexy, naked billionaire with a French accent, and I’m a red-blooded American girl—I shouldn’t be so excited to run out of here like someone is chasing me, but here I am.
I slide out of the covers carefully, trying not to fan him or disturb him in any way. Poor JP. He mentioned waffles and coffee in the morning, like that’s something we’d do. It sounds nice.
I’m lying to everyone, JP more than anyone, and I’m tired of it. In the hall bathroom, I freshen up and text Crystal.Send me the address. Omw.
JP gets one too:Back in an hour. Crystal needs a rescue.
Crystal actually sounds fine. I’m the one who needs a rescue, but no need to get into it.
Before I get on the freeway, I remember the Kardashians last night, how all these women love and support each other, even while they’re being epically dumb. Maybe I could have that kind of relationship with someone. Maybe even Crystal. I pull the Ferrari up in front of Cuppa Cuppa and walk to the register.
“Hey, Mia!” the barista calls out. “The regular?” Little sparks of joy light up my being for a fraction of a second. I belong here.
“Actually, make it two of them to go.”
“Is the second coffee for that cute guy?”
“I wish,” I say, sighing into the words with full angst. “He’s mad at me.” I shake my head. “I’ve been sort of a jerk.”
She makes some sort of sympathetic cooing noise. “I’m sorry.”
“And I don’t know. What do you think, can you fall in love with someone after three days?” I think I’m unloading a little too much on her, but someone has to help me.
“Umm, I don’t know. I don’t think I believe in love at first sight.” We’re both quiet for a minute, and then she adds, probably to make me feel better, “Maybe because it’s never happened to me.”
“I’m probably confused,” I say.
“You’re not talking about that tattoo guy, are you?”
I laugh. “No. I definitely don’t love him. The other one.”
“Phew. He was a little scary.”
Now there’s an understatement. “That’s what happens when you forget to feed the snake, Pedro” echoes through my mind. As if it was Pedro’s own fault for dying. She doesn’t need to know all of that, though, so I steer the conversation elsewhere. “How are you doing?” I ask, and I suddenly realize I haven’t uttered those words many times this week. I’ve been in crisis mode, but that’s probably not going to help the whole isolation problem.
She tells me some things about her life and I realize that she’s becoming my friend. Holy shit. It’s like I’m turning my life around already. I could give this woman a hug.
“What’s your name?” I ask. “I see you all the time. I should know your name at least.”
“Roberta.”
At least one of my relationships has improved since the head injury. And things are a little better with Crystal. She’s texting again and might have even had a good time with Jules. He liked her at least. Jules posted a selfie this morning at the airport.Miss her already. #Babe #GoldRush #JulesBrand #Dating #TrueLove
By the time I see it, 1,245 people have liked it. There are tons of comments, mostly asking if he scored and if she gives good head. Men are idiots, especially on the internet. Anonymity is the enemy of civility.
Turns out Crystal needs a ride because Jules had to leave for Fiji at the crack of dawn (#roughlife)—he offered to take her with him but she isn’t the type who can leave in an instant. She could have taken an Uber, but I owe her $5,000.
The minute she’s in the Ferrari, she starts talking as if we’re in the middle of a conversation. “I have rent due and I need to pay the sitter and…that’s why we started this whole business—so we could pay for things and make our lives better. I never should have cut my hours at Rush. Walmart can’t even come close.”
“What’s Rush?”
She leans back and looks at me. “You serious, girl?” When I nod solemnly, she says, “You don’t remember a thing, do you?”
“You could say that.”
She rolls her eyes. “Figures. You always have to be the center of attention. I hate you sometimes.”
“We’re best friends, aren’t we?”
