“You sound just like Mother.”
Melanie’s eyes narrowed. “Take that back!”
“I won’t! You’re judging Scott before you’ve even met him.”
“I’m never going to meet him, Michelle. Because he’s not going to be around long enough for that to happen. You heard her—it’s them or us. And you may think you’re some toughie now that you’ve spent a month running wild, but you have no idea what awaits you out there. I know you, Michelle. You wouldn’t last a year. And then what? They’re not letting you back once you’re… soiled.”
“So, you’re going to dump Gavin? Just like that?”
“Yes. Just like that. And you wanna know why? Because he’s a fling. A good time. Easily replaced.” She jabbed a finger into my shoulder. “You went and did the one thing you can’t undo. You fell in love.”
Her accusation hit like a bomb. And she was right. I did love him. But, I feared, in this very specific situation, it wasn’t enough. I burst into tears.
Melanie’s defensive stance instantly softened. “Oh geez.” She hugged me. “Michelle, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“Why is everyone so against this? Why can’t I fall for someone and everyone be happy for me? What’s wrong with this family?” I sobbed into her shoulder.
“You already know the answer. You’ve always known what’s expected of you. The sooner you accept it, the better.”
“And if I don’t accept it?”
She looked genuinely gutted. “Then I guess I’ll be on that plane alone.”
The finality of it all. I couldn’t lose Melanie. She’d been the one constant in my life. I had feelings for Scott, big ones, but I wasn’t so sure I could survive in his world. Melanie was right. She and I weren’t made for struggle.
I hugged her as tears slipped down my cheeks. “I know. Iknow. It hurts. And it’s not fair,” she said. “But I’m begging you: pick me. I need my baby sister by my side. And in time, with lots of shopping, we’ll forget all about our hot, middle-class, summertime studs.”
“Mine’s actually lower middle class,” I confessed, half laughing, half crying.
Her eyes widened. “Like, how low are we talking?”
“Like if Danny Zuko was a surf instructor.”
Melanie’s eyes widened, then the realization hit. “That’s why you were taking surf lessons! I didn’t put it together. You hate the ocean.”
I smiled. No more confirmation needed.
“Oh, my god, you little slut-puppy,” she said, cracking up.
I didn’t take offense because, honestly, it was a fairly accurate take on my weeks with Scott McKallister.
“And?”
“And what?”
“Was your surf instructor… satisfying?”
I bit my lip, smiling at the memory. “Very.”
Although I hadn’t saidthe words out loud, we both knew I’d be on the plane with Melanie tomorrow. It was the right choice—maybe the only one—but I hadn’t expected the ache to sit so heavy. I stepped into the shower, letting the hot water beat against my skin as last night replayed in soft, relentless flashes: Scott’s hands steady on my waist, his hot and hungry kiss, the way he’d looked at me like I was the only thing worth drowning for.
For one stolen moment I let myself sink into the memory, smiling through the steam. But as the mirror fogged and the water cooled, reality crept back in. If I had to let him go for thegreater good, at least I wasn’t alone in the loss. Melanie was giving up something too. Somehow, that shared hurt made the weight a fraction lighter.
Wrapped in a robe, combing out my damp hair, I noticed the two suitcases and carry-on already laid out on my bed. By booking us on a flight tomorrow, Mother had left no room for second thoughts, no time for goodbyes. Maybe it was for the best. I told myself practicality had won, that love wasn’t worth the risk of choosing wrong.
But what about the Rabid Jackal concert tonight? I’d already committed to going; I’d been looking forward to it all week. What would Scott think when I didn’t show?
There was a soft knock. The door opened a crack, and a familiar Eastern European accent slipped through. “Miss Carver, your mother asked me to help you get ready.”
