Her lips tip up in a relieved smile. “Thank you so much, Ry. You will always be my inspiration.” She narrows her eyes at me. “But if you ever say you are less talented than me again, I’ll throw hands.”
There’s a pause at the table before we all burst out laughing.
“When is your flight?”Nastya asks, her voice muffled.
“On Sunday. I land at seven.”
“And you don’t have a spare key to your apartment?”
“Nope. You have both keys. You did get the spare from the cleaning company, right?”
“Yes.”
I trace my finger over the rim of my wineglass. It’s my favorite rosé, but it tastes off tonight. Too sweet. I took one sip, and now it’s sitting here, getting warm. “Why?”
“Grant and I are going to the Hamptons tomorrow. We won’t be back till Monday. Want me to drop your keys at Hayden’s?”
“Don’t worry,” I tell her. Hayden is picking me up from the airport, and I’d rather not trouble her by asking her to drop it off across town. I’m sure I can stay in the penthouse another night. “I’ll stay at his place and get my keys from you on Monday.”
“Sounds good. How are you? Has your vacation been everything you hoped for?”
I let out a soft huff. “Aside from the stress that came with caring for my dad and rescheduling my plans, I’d say it’s all going great.”
“How is Hayden?” she asks. “Does he call you? Or text? I need details.”
A pang pierces my heart. He’s been distant these last few days, like the Hade I spent time with before has disappeared. He’s behaving like he used to: like my sister’s best friend. Friendly, but without the warmth I’ve become accustomed to.
“He’s been…fine,” I lie. “He’s been in the studio, so he’s busy.”
She’s silent for a long moment. Then, with a sigh, she says, “He’s acting up, isn’t he?”
“A little. At first, he texted a lot. He even told me he missed me. But then, one day, it was like a switch flipped, and he’s acting the way he did before I came to stay with him. I don’t know what to make of it. Maybe he’s in one of his moods again and doesn’t want me to know.”
“I really hope that’s the case. If he hurts you, he’ll have to deal with me.”
I clear my throat, desperate to change the subject. “Why the Hamptons? I didn’t think you were a fan.”
“I’m not.” She laughs. “Grant’s mom insisted we visit, and I’d rather not suffer her wrath. Good thing my period just ended. It’ll make spending the whole weekend in the pool much easier.”
Unease creeps through me, though I can’t place why. So, I ignore it and continue the conversation, asking more about her plans.
When I end the call, the sensation I’ve missed something important lingers.
“Good morning. Want coffee?”Piper asks.
The kitchen smells like fried eggs, bacon, and coffee. Typically, I love waking up to the scent of breakfast. This morning, though, a wave of nausea crashes over me. I grip the cupboard and breathe in and out, worried I’ll vomit.
Piper watches me. “Ry, are you okay? All the color drained from your face.”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “My head is spinning.”
She rushes to me, loops her arm around my waist, and leads me to the couch in the living room. Once I’m lying on my back with a pillow under my head, she towers over me, hands on her hips.
I lick my dry lips, squinting up at her. “I don’t know what came over me.”
She presses her hand to my forehead, her lips twisting. “Hm, you don’t have a fever. Still feel dizzy?”
I shrug. “I think I’m okay.”
