Wait For You

Chapter 17: Unchained Melody Of Santa Monica

ɢʀᴀᴄᴇʟʏɴɴ ᴀᴠᴇʀʏ ᴍᴏɴʀᴏᴇ

"Clubs are places you go to with other girls. There's so much to navigate. Drinks—"

"I don't drink there."

Cassie bit off the corner of a chicken nugget. "Dancing—"

Where have you been?" Cassie asked as I reclined over the lounger next to hers.

After I'd left Johnathan's house, I'd hurried up to mine, seeing a text from Cassie that said the girls had gone to the brunch, and I'd quickly changed into my bikini and rushed downstairs.

I pushed my sunglasses even higher on my face and rolled my head toward my best friend. "I've been ... busy."

"Take your glasses off."

"Why?"

She sat up on her elbows. "Take. Them. Off."

I lowered the metal frames to the end of my nose, feeling the heat from her gaze as she diagnosed me. Her stare narrowed, dipping to my neck and back up to my forehead.

She gently slapped my arm. "You just got laid, didn't you?"

I couldn't stop my smile from spreading. "No."

"Liar."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. She knew me better than anyone in this world.

That was what happened when you had met your best friend your freshman year in college, were assigned as dormmates, and had been inseparable ever since. I couldn't live without her, and that was why, within a few seconds, she knew I would give her every juicy detail.

At least, most of the details.

Some I wanted to keep to myself.

"Okay, okay ... I got laid." I used my hand to fan my face. "Girl, it was hot. Like smoking, scorching, oh my God, I'll never recover from this kind of hot."

She slipped off her glasses like she needed a better look at me. "You just went to check the score of the game, and you met a dude that quickly? How does that even happen? Who is he? I'm beyond floored right now."

I shrugged. "I took a seat in the sportsbook, and before I knew it, I was going up to his room."

"Jo ..." She gripped the spot she had just slapped. "He could have murdered you. Or trafficked you. Or tortured you, Dexter-style."

"I love you."

"I'm not kidding."

I sat up in the lounger, folding my legs, and wrapping my arms around my stomach. "I know you're not, but trust me, I assessed the situation, and I was completely safe."

"Promise me you won't do that again?" She grabbed her pink drink and downed half the glass. "You know, unless I'm with you and I can give him my seal he won't murder my best friend's approval."

I grinned. "Promise."

"I'm shaking right now." Her eyes widened. "You're not the girl who sleeps with a dude on the first date—or even the third, never mind a man you knew for twelve seconds."

"It was more like fifteen minutes."

"That's not the point we're going to debate right now." She rolled her eyes. "I need to get over the fact that my best friend was having mind-blowing sex while I was fighting with Lex and Court over what bathing suit I should wear because we all ironically chose the same color and that's just a pool day no-no."