Page 17 of Solid Ground

She lets out a groan. “I don’t want to eat this.”

“It’ll make you feel better.”

Her gaze doesn’t drop from mine as she grimaces and then lifts up her toast. I snicker at her extreme facial expressions when she takes exaggerated bites and then winces.

“You’re such a drama queen.” I throw a napkin at her.

“I’m allowed to be.” She pouts. “I’m losing my freedom in two weeks, and I just screwed up my last weekend away.”

I snort. “I thought it was Brandon who was supposed to be going on about losing his freedom. Isn’t that what men do?”

She laughs. “Ignore me. I’m just feeling sorry for myself. Especially after the night you had. I could have been cruising around Vegas with Declan O’Leary.”

Sitting in the back seat of that car watching the bright lights go past, moving in close against Declan, his arm around me …

“Zoe? Are you even listening to me?”

I blink rapidly. “What?”

“You’re so preoccupied. Was he that good?”

I smirk. “I think my vagina needs a holiday to recover from our weekend break.”

Caitlin rolls her eyes. “Stop rubbing it in. My mom is going to be so jealous.”

I smile to myself.

“How lucky are you though?” Caitlin continues. “A one-night stand with a sexy movie star.” She sighs.

“He said he might call me sometime.”

Her eyes widen. “No way.”

“Yes way. I could always call him. I’ve got his number too.”

Caitlin lies back on the couch. “Lucky bitch.”

I laugh. “You know it.”

“Are you going to call him?”

I swallow hard. That’s the thing about swapping numbers. Would he reject me if I called?

“We’ll see.” I blow out a breath. “Can we just not talk about this again? It’s not that I want to forget it, but this whole thing is out of character for me, and I’m not ashamed of it, but it’s personal.”

Caitlin leans over and places her hand on mine “Of course. Whatever you want.” Her blue eyes disarm me. “I bet he fucks like a beast.”

I snort. “Youarefeeling better.”

FOUR

ZOE

Two weeks later

I twirlmy straw around in my drink and force a smile.

As much as I love Caitlin, it feels a little like I’ve been thrown to the wolves at her wedding reception, having already fended off Brandon’s best man, Eric.

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