Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 90315 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90315 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“It’s been crazy,” I reply, and watch Gideon’s jaw clench. “Are you having a good birthday?”
“So far it’s been fine. Mom is sending me to that little spa we love so much for the day, so I’ll get buffed and polished, and then I’m going to dinner with a group of people. Hey, where are you, anyway?”
Not How are you, friend? Not Are you okay? Not I miss you so much, tell me everything that’s happened.
“It changes daily,” I reply, keeping my voice chipper. “All over the place. I always did want to travel, I guess.”
“No, you didn’t,” she says with a scoff. “You’re such a homebody. Getting you to leave your apartment is like pulling teeth. Living in the city is wasted on you. Anyway, I’m glad you called, because I need a loan.”
“Chelsea—”
“I know, I know, but I swear this will be the last one.”
“You say that every time.”
Gideon’s shaking his head, his eyes full of rage, but I keep my gaze on the desk in front of me.
“But you always come through, don’t you, bestie? You know my parents are stingy as fuck with their money, and the ten grand they give me every month isn’t enough to tide me over. I just need a few thousand.”
She sniffs, and I know that sound.
I know her.
To anyone else it might sound like allergies, or a head cold, but I know this woman. And that’s not what that was.
“Chelsea.” My voice is hard, full of accusation.
“Don’t start.”
“You’re fucking using again, aren’t you?”
“Listen, you don’t get to judge me. You’ve been gone without a word to me. What was I supposed to do?”
“Don’t blame your drug habit on me.” Oh, hell no. No. Never again.
I’ve done this with her before. The endless worry, the late nights, the overdoses. It took me forever to convince her to go to rehab, and she was clean for two years.
Two years, down the goddamn drain.
I can’t do this with her again. I won’t put myself through it.
“Just send me the money.” Her voice turns whiny. “Please, Leens. You have all the money in the world, and you can share some more of it with me. I love you.”
I blow out a breath, feeling close to tears.
“No, you don’t. You haven’t even asked me if I’m okay. We’ve been on the phone for”—I check the time—“seven minutes, and it’s been all about you, Chelsea.”
“I mean, it’s my birthday, so—”
My laugh is humorless as I press my fingertips into my eyes.
“Two minutes,” Gideon says, keeping his voice low.
“Wait.” Chelsea’s voice is clipped. “Is that Gideon?”
“No. All the guys on the detail sound the same.”
“No, they don’t. But whatever. Are you going to send me the money or not?”
“Not.”
“Then why did you even call me?”
“Because it’s your fucking birthday, and I haven’t seen you in weeks. But don’t worry, Chels, I won’t be calling you again. Ever. I’m done. I’m not your ATM, and I’m not your enabler anymore.”
“What the fuck? This is not Lena. It’s an AI modulator or something, because there’s no way in hell that the Lena I know has the balls to talk to anyone this way.”
Maybe not before. But I’ve grown stronger since I got here.
“It’s me. Just a better me. Good luck, Chelsea. I hope you get clean someday.”
I hang up and then rest my head in my hands, elbows on the desk, and take a long, deep breath.
“What the fuck,” I whisper. I know that Chelsea is selfish, but seriously?
“I’m so fucking proud of you.”
I shake my head, in disbelief over how that call just went.
“I should be sad.” I look up and lean back in the chair, staring at the mountains out the window. “I just broke up with my best friend of twenty years, but I’m just . . . relieved.”
“It was a long time coming, from what you’ve said.”
“She’s right. I never would have spoken to her like that before. I wouldn’t have had the guts. But damn it, she’s never been a good friend to me. She got me in trouble all the time. She set me up to fail, and she used me more times than I can count. I was the one who picked up the pieces when she overdosed, and I’m the one who worried about her, begged her to get clean. I even paid for the damn rehab.”
I shake my head, and Gideon stays quiet, just listening to me.
He’s a good listener.
“I think it took coming here and becoming friends with Willow and seeing you with your chosen family for me to understand what true friendship looks like. I don’t want to put up with Chelsea’s shit anymore.”
“Good for you,” he murmurs, and I look his way, and see pride and love on his face.
Love.
We haven’t said that word. We’ve made love. We’ve laughed and hugged and even confided in each other.