“Thanks, Asher,” I say sarcastically.
She shrugs. “So, what’s the problem?”
“Katsu and Fox.”
“Oh, yeah,” Sofia and Asher say together.
“Jinx.”
“Jinx.”
“Double jinx,” they say together.
I laugh because I can’t help it. I love these people so much.
“So, the issue is what?”
“I want to tell them, but everything keeps happening and makes the situation look worse. I uploaded a preorder today, but Fox lost it, and he’s angry with Sebastian now.”
“Okay. So, you need more time to convince them you are a good person,” Sofia says. “Or just tell them.”
“They said they want to slap a lawsuit on me,” I say in a tiny voice.
“Oh,” Sofia scowls. She huffs. “Nah, not on my bestie.”
Devon frowns. “What if we pull on Sunshine Cove itself?”
“What do you mean?” I ask in confusion.
“Sunshine Cove will do anything to protect one of its own, Cordie. You know this,” he says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. I guess I always thought Sunshine Cove would help anyone else but me.
Devon pulls out his phone and walks away.
“What’s he doing?” I ask anxiously, wringing my fingers until Sebastian notices and grabs hold of my hands again.
“Devon stuff. Don’t worry, he’ll get it sorted.”
I can hear him speaking. “We need a favour. No, I know, but it’s a big one. No, it’s for Sebastian and Cordie. We’re down at the beach.”
An hour later, cars start to rock up. Lorelei, Milton, Franco, and Elijah. Yolanda, Grigori, and Harry. Floyd, Clint, Holly. It feels like half of Sunshine Cove is here.
“What’s going on?” Franco asks loudly.
And then I see my mum, and I can’t tell everyone when I haven’t told her first. I walk towards her, nervously glance at Randall, and take her hand.
“Mum, I am Lynn Marino.”
Mum stares at me with wide eyes. “Oh, honey, I know.”
I blink. “What?”
“You are terrible about working with headphones on, every now and then, I sneak up and read as you’re writing. I’m so damn proud of you.”
The ripple runs through the crowd until I finally have to face it.
“You’re Lynn?” Lorelei asks, her face slack with shock.
I dip my head. “Yes.”
