“I’m sure we can. But, um … where is Krow?”
“Shit,” Kricket says, spinning around, searching for her sister. “Oh shit, oh shit. She can’t tell them about Richard and she was drinking before we came outside.”
I follow Kricket on her heels, heading back toward the fire. I still don’t spot Krow, but Kricket seems to know exactly where she is by the direction she’s heading in.
“Krow I need to speak with you right now,” Kricket says, stating with authority in her words.
Krow pivots in her heels, then laughs. I haven’t seen Krow laugh. “Kricket, you give me booze and then you tell me to be quiet, what do you want from me?” Her words are slurring together, making me wonder how much she had to drink before coming down here.
Kricket grabs her hand and pulls her away from the conversation she was having with one of the men. “Oliver is nice,” she says. “He’s a divorce attorney, kind of sweet.”
“Krow, you know that’s not why we’re here,” Kricket reminds her.
The two begin to argue quietly, taking steps away from me. I choose not to follow because I’ve had enough drama for one night. I have to figure out my plan of action, and I need to continue digesting this ridiculous plot.
Theo is the first to approach me, but I spot Noah off by the water, taking in the whole scene. Noah looks like he’s been rejected and part of me wants to say he should feel that way, but the money, he’s in this for the money. He didn’t sign up to for me, or any woman. At least that’s what I assume. I suppose when there is nothing else to focus on, money can become an easy fulfillment.
“Are you okay?” Theo asks.
Forgetting about mostly everything Theo has told me about himself , I decide I’m not to waste any more time. I wrap my arm around his neck and try to pull him into me, but he doesn’t budget. “Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?”
“Kiss me, Theo. Right here, in front of all the other money—I mean, men.”
Theo takes me by the hand and presses against me, creating more space between us. “Have you lost your mind?”
“Nope, just finding it, I think.”
“Come on, you don’t want to kiss me?”
“Ew,” he says. “No, I don’t.”
“Ew?” I snap.
He leans forward, bringing his mouth to my ear. “I’d prefer to kiss Jim. What does that tell you?”
Oops. I slap my hand over my mouth. “I’m so sorry,” I say, stifling my words. “I didn’t think—”
“I sort of told you the other day.”
“I forgot,” I argue. “So, you’re here for the money?”
Theo glances up, his dark eyes glisten beneath the moonlight and a bright-white smile gleams. “Yes, I’m here for the money.”
“Fair enough,” I tell him. “Thank you for your honesty.”
Theo shakes his head. “Whatever trouble you’re about to start causing around here, I’d be careful if I were you,” he says.
“I’m not going to cause any trouble,” I tell him.
Theo loops his arm around my neck and hugs me to this side. “Please, be careful,” he says.
“Always am.”
Now is the time that I trip over a piece of firewood buried under the sand.
Not-so-shockingly, Theo catches me before I land on my butt. “Yeah, Ashley, you’re always careful.”
While Theo is teasing me, my sights are on Noah, curious about what’s going through his mind right now.
