Page 69 of Pretty Wild

Everyone chimes in with some sort of agreement, telling me I did the right thing. Not that I needed their validation, because I already know I did. I feel it in my heart, that what Vaughn and I shared was superficial at best. Yes, I loved him, but when it was all said and done, I wasn’t as torn up as I expected.

“He’s in your dad’s new movie? The one with what’s her face? I saw some online chatter about it,” Jillian says.

I shrug and drink more tequila. “He wanted to fire him, but I told him not to. He hired him because of his acting skills, not because he was my boyfriend.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t deserve the role now,” Hallie insists.

Even though I do agree, I don’t feel it’s right. “It’s part of the industry,” I concede, because it is. People will doanythingfor a role, including date the producer’s daughter.

“So, what happens now with the show?” Ava asks, moving the conversation along.

“Well, I’m technically in a contract for two seasons, so I suppose I’ll have to do one more.”

“Ugh, that’s tough. I’d tell them to stick it up their asses for what they did,” Blair adamantly states.

I can’t help but smile at their outrage, especially because it’s on my behalf. Their responses feel…good. Like I have friends who truly care about me, not my name. That’s rare where I come from, and a part of me wishes I could stay.

But that’s silly.

Pine Village is a vacation destination. My roots are in California, as is my business. Not to mention, the show is there. Thinking I could possibly relocate to Small Town, USA is quite silly, actually.

Ridiculous.

Far-fetched.

Absurd.

I’m a city girl.

That’s where I belong.

But as I look around the table at these women, I feel a sense of…belonging. They have a close relationship, one I envy. My friends and I are nothing like this.

We finish in the kitchen, and Blair gives me a tour of the rest of the house. It’s such a great place, spacious and comfortable. After she shows me their home, we all move into the open living room and sit around the large sectional sofa. Even with a baby swing in the corner and glider chair where I can picture a mother rocking her baby to sleep, the room feels just as homey as the rest of the place.

Hallie hands me a fresh margarita and plops down on the couch beside me. “Okay, now let’s talk about you and Marcus.”

The other four heads all nod adamantly.

“Spill.”

20

MARCUS

“So, what’s going on with you and Ryan?” Logan asks.

I glance over and almost laugh. One of my oldest friends is kicked back around the fire, and instead of drinking a beer, he’s got a little pink bundle cradled in his arms. It suits him though. Both him and Gabe. Fatherhood looks good on them.

My, how things have changed.

From sitting around, drinking beers, to babysitting and waiting for their women to call for a ride.

“Nothing,” I reply, keeping my focus on the dancing bonfire in front of me.

TD snorts. “Definitely didn’t look like nothing from my point of view.”

Logan’s eyebrows shoot toward the heaven. “And what point of view is that exactly?”

---