“Too busy for me? Impossible.” I shrug, not sure what else to say. “Come out with me next Saturday. It’s Kurt’s birthday. We’re gonna go fucking crazy. Limo. Bottle service. VIP.” I open my mouth, but he cuts me off. “Not impressed with that? What’s your vice, then? Weed? Coke? Ecstasy? I’ve got a fucking pharmacy at my disposal. Just say the word.”
“It’s not that,” I lie, shifting uncomfortably on my feet. “I have to work Sunday. I can’t be hungover.”
“You have towork?Is that it?” He laughs like it’s a ridiculous excuse, and the sound makes my hair stand on end. “Oh, I can get you out of that. In case you haven’t realized, I practically own this place. They’ll do whatever I say.”
My stomach churns with unease. “That’s really not necessary.”
He takes a step closer to me. “Come out with me.”
“Christian.”
“Please?” I shake my head. “Pretty please?”
“Christian.”
“Pretty please with daisies on top?”
“It’s really not a good time.”
“Baby,” he reaches toward my face, hand brushing a strand of hair away from my cheek. I hold my breath, wanting to step away from him but afraid of the consequences. “What if I told you your job depends on it?”
My blood runs cold. “What?”
He wouldn’t do anything. He can’t do anything.
Right?
“Violet,” comes a voice, interrupting our conversation. With impeccable timing, Brit appears out of nowhere, her arm linking with mine. “Your table’s asking for you.”
“Thanks for letting me know,” I tell her, but my voice sounds far away. I eye Christian warily. “I should get back.”
“Think about what I said,” he calls after me.
I pretend not to notice the threat in his words.
TEN
The bell chimes as I push open the door to The Bean, and I’m struck by the overwhelming smell of ground espresso. It’s my day off, and Sienna and I have plans to hit one of the private beaches I’ve yet to explore.
I order an iced coffee while I wait for her shift to end, plant myself at a table in the back of the café, and scroll aimlessly through social media to kill time. It’s not long before Sienna’s set of bright red claws slaps down on the table in front of me.
“I’m free!” she says, loud enough to earn her a glare from Ashley, who’s ringing up someone’s latte on the register. “Let’s go, bitch.” She lowers her voice. “Before Ashley decides to imprison me here. I wouldn’t put it past her.”
I give an uneasy glance toward the bitter barista. “Neither would I.”
The day is a brilliant, blinding blue. We roll down the windows of my car and let the salty breeze whip through our hair. We belt out the words to our favorite Accident Prone songs as we cross over the bridge to the island, and I’m mesmerized by the shimmering turquoise water on either side of us.
We scope out the perfect spot on the deserted beach and lay out our towels, planting Sienna’s cooler between us. I packed us turkey sandwiches, a few healthy snacks, and a couple of cookies from a new recipe I’m trying out. They’re gluten-free, sugar-free, almond butter chocolate chip, and I give one to Sienna to try while I strip off my dress, the shimmery bronze fabric of my new bikini sparkling in the sunlight.
“Damn, girl,” she says around a mouthful of cookie. “Let me take a picture of you in that suit.” When she grabs my phone off the towel and aims it up at me, I strike a couple goofy poses as she snaps photo after photo. “Wait, I have the most brilliant idea. Hold a cookie in each hand.”
I laugh, assuming she’s kidding. “Why?”
“Trust me.”
Following Sienna’s instructions, I hold a chocolate chip cookie in each hand while I smile and work the camera as best I can. I’m no model, after all, and I feel a little ridiculous, but Sienna is the ultimate hype girl, throwing out compliments left and right.
Finally, I collapse on the towel beside her, reaching for my phone, but she keeps it at arm’s length. “Wait a second. Let me work my magic.”
