“My visa officially expired today.”
I stepped out of the shower, finally no longer slippery, feeling lighter than I had in a while after confessing some of what was going on in my life to Kat. I’d stopped short of explaining about Tickle—she did not need to know that I’d been filming spicy content for an adults-only app in our living room.
My phone pinged on the bathroom counter.
Gus: I can’t do it
Gus: Sorry Ri
I stared at the screen, not quite computing the words.
Ri: Can’t do what?
Ri:
Gus: The collab post
Gus: I can’t show my face on Tickle
Gus: If Lincoln finds out …
Gus: I work with kids!
Ignoring the sudden tightening in my chest, I swiped and tapped madly.
Ri: I’ve deleted it
Gus: U the best! Still happy to hook up off camera, btw
Gus: Pretty sure I owe you two Os now …
I tried to smile at that as I put my phone down and squeezed the water out of my thick hair. My lightness from a moment ago was rapidly deflating.
It’s okay, I told myself firmly.You can do this on your own. You can make money from this on your own.
I slathered moisturiser over my face, ran a comb through my wet hair and headed for the door.
“Holy shit!” I squawked when I almost collided with Kat. “Are you … what are you doing, lurking outside the bathroom door? You know I’ll let you perve on me anytime.” I started to untuck the towel from around my chest. With a giggle, Kat stilled my hand.
“Are you sure everything is okay, Ri?” she asked gently. “I … I feel like I’ve been a bit absent, lately, with Mum showing up, and this whole thing with Sir Daddy Dom … and I’ve not been the best bestie when you’re going through some major stuff too.”
“I promise, it’s all completely under control.” I sounded snarky, but I didn’t need her worrying about this. And I sure as hell didn’t want her to know how I was planning to make money. What if it all went to shit? My strategy to earn money from Tickle had just texted me to chicken out on our deal.
“See, your mouth is saying those words, but your face is telling a whole other story,” Kat said, poking me between my eyebrows where I was probably frowning.
“I don’t want you worrying about me,” I mumbled, squeezing past her and heading to my bedroom.
She followed me in, just as I’d known she would. “But that’s what best friends do.” She sat down on the edge of my bed as I tugged a pair of underpants and a sleep tank out of my drawer and let my towel drop to the floor.
“You know,” Kat began tentatively, and when I turned back to her, dressed now, she was tracing patterns in my bedspread. “If you ever needed to vent to someone, about what things are like, back home, I’m always here.” Her eyes flicked up, meeting mine, and the earnest sadness in them almost broke me. “I promise I’m not going to judge. And I don’t think you should have to carry that burden alone, you know?”
I flopped onto the bed beside her. “My lovely, sweetest and most precious friend,” I mumbled roughly, dragging her closer and wrapping my arms around her. “If I actually wanted to talk about thatdracului decosmarplace with anyone, it would be you.”
“I know,” she whispered against my hair. “But … I’m scared for you, Ri.” She pulled back, swiping at her damp cheeks, then at mine. “This could go so badly for you, if you get caught.”
“So … I just won’t get caught! Simple.”
“And … the offer is always there. I know that Sophia would love to have you at the Taverna, and she’d totally pay you on the DL … plus you’d scare the shit out of Chris, which would just be icing on the cake of getting to work with you.”
