Page 9 of Snow, Ice, and Spice
I choke on my mimosa. “Um, what?”
She reaches across the table and grabs my hand in hers, the look in her eyes sad and desperate. “Maya babes, I know this is a huge favor. I feel like such an asshole even asking you this, to move all the way back to Denver when you’ve just moved all the way here to San Diego to work for me.”
When I see her bottom lip start to wobble, I start to soften.
“I want to support Theo, I really do. Yeah, he’s irresponsible, but he’s my cousin and I love him. Beyond that cocky exterior, he’s kind and thoughtful and insecure and vulnerable. I know you’ve never seen that side of him, but I swear it’s true, Maya. At the core, he’s a good guy. When we were kids, he’d save all the red Skittles in a plastic bag whenever he ate candy and would give them to me because he knew they were my favorite.”
A wistful smile pulls at her lips. When I don’t say anything, her smile fades.
“Okay yeah, that’s really sweet,” I say quickly.
“He’s just a…liability with all the partying he does,” Ingrid says. “And yeah, he swore to me up and down that being dropped from the league was a wake-up call, that he’s done being so reckless, but I just want to be extra careful. Part of me is paranoid he’ll throw a rager or invite a bunch of groupies to my place for a sex party.”
She wrinkles her nose like the thought disgusts her. “But if you’re there, he won’t step out of line.”
I take a moment to process everything Ingrid has said. “So let me get this straight: You want me to be your cousin’s adult babysitter for the next few months?”
She winces and shakes her head. “I’m so, so sorry to ask you this. But the only way I can feel comfortable with Theo living at my house is if you’re there with him.”
When I don’t say anything at first, Ingrid starts up again.
“I’ll take care of all of your moving expenses back to Denver of course. And I’m doubling your pay.”
My jaw unhinges. “Ingrid, that’s way too much. The salary you’re paying me to be your personal assistant is high to begin with.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not. I’m asking you to go above and beyond as my personal assistant. I’m asking you to watch my cousin like a hawk. You deserve every penny.”
I grip the edge of the table for a second, feeling dizzy as I struggle to process what my best friend is asking me.
“I know this is a lot to ask,” Ingrid says after a quiet moment. “I understand completely if you don’t want to do it.”
I take in the pained and guilty look in my best friend’s eyes. Ingrid is the sister I never had but always longed for. She’s always had my back ever since that day in middle school when a group of popular girls made fun of my haircut. She marched right up to them and told them off, then checked on me to make sure I was okay. We’ve been inseparable since.
Even though she’s the dictionary definition of a trust fund baby, she’s never once let our difference in financial status make things weird between us. I’m fortunate to come from a family that’s always been financially stable. I grew up upper middle class thanks to the dozen high-end restaurants my famous chef father runs. But Ingrid’s family has fuck-you money due to their global luxury hotel and resort chain. When she’s not helping out with her family’s business, she spends her time traveling, partying, and cultivating her social media following. To outsiders, I know she comes off like a carefree party girl, but she’s one of the most generous and kindest people I know. Whenever we go out for anything from coffee to a Michelin-starred meal to a surprise trip, even when I insist and try to pay, she never lets me.
I think back to that time in college when I failed my statistics final. I was holed up in my dorm room crying for an entire weekend, so Ingrid surprised me with a trip to the Bahamas to cheer me up. I think about how I overslept and missed my flight to visit my family for Christmas a few years ago, so Ingrid flew me home on her family’s private jet.
I’m certain living with Theo will be a complete disaster, but I love Ingrid. She’s my best friend and I’ll do anything for her.
I reach back across the table and grab Ingrid’s hand in mine. “I’ll do it.”
She jumps up from the table, squealing so loud that most of the nearby diners turn to gawk at us. She pulls me into a hug and plants a kiss on my cheek. “Oh, Maya. You’re the best. Seriously. I’ll owe you forever for this.”
I squeeze my arms around her. “You don’t owe me anything, Ingrid. You’ve always done so much for me.”
When we break apart, I hold her by the shoulder. “I promise your home will be in good hands while I’m there.”
Ingrid flashes a relieved smile at me. A second later it all starts to sink in. I’m about to share a house with a guy I can’t stand.
He’s also a guy that you shared the hottest kiss of your life with.
I push that thought to the back of my mind. That kiss was a one-off. It will never, ever happen again.
No more thinking about that kiss. From this moment on, I’m channeling all my energy into keeping Theo Thompson in line.
Chapter5
Theo
