Page 1 of Endless

CHAPTER ONE

________

ISOLDE

“Icannot fucking believe I let you guys talk me into this,” I called across the room to my two best friends, currently two tiny pictures on my phone.

“It’s called being supportive,” Trinity said. “Not to mention I could get in serious trouble for doing it at all. So, you’re welcome.”

I grumbled something about her being supportive of nothing but myassas I tried to shove the suitcase closed. But it didn’t want to. In fact, it seemed to be refusing to close in an attempt to not get on the plane.

Me too, suitcase. Me. Fucking. Too.

“But you’re coming back for good, right?” The second voice asked. Softer and sweeter than Trinity’s. Because Ocean wasabout as soft and sweet as they came. “Like, once you’re back, you’re going to call a moving company and actually be home?”

Not looking at the camera, I glanced around the bare bones bedroom I’d lived in for the last year. It’s not like I was particularly attached to this place. I wasn’t. But being home was complicated, and I honestly didn’t know how I’d feel once I was there.

And the clusterfuck that was going to happen after I got off the plane wouldn’t help.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Maybe?”

“Come on, Iz,” she begged. “We miss you. It sucks that you’re on the other side of the country, and don’t pretend you like it. We all know you don’t. Beau can suck an egg. He doesn’t get to chase you off.”

A snorting, cackling sound came through the phone, and Trinity covered her face to hide the mimosa now coming through her nose. “Suck an egg? Really?”

In spite of myself, I smiled. “Be nice, Rin. Ocean’s not going to tell my ex to go fuck himself.”

No, that was my job. If I could muster up the courage to do it instead of hauling ass across the country and hiding. Their little plan was going to help. Supposedly. Personally, I had my doubts.

Plans made while drunk and sad didn’t tend to work out well for me. But it was too late to turn back now. The deposit was paid, the questionnaire was filled out, and even though I had my doubts—and absolutelynointerest in menorAlphas—showing up to my sister’s wedding extravaganza alone, with my ex as the best man?

Not a fucking option.

Which was why the St. James pack was meeting me when I got off the plane today. So they could pretend to be with me. First for my parents’ anniversary party and being thrown intothe deep end with people I hadn’t seen in a year, and then everything else.

I shook my head and tried to shut the suitcase again, putting all my weight on it and going slowly.

“You’re second guessing again,” Trinity said.

“Of course I am.” I forced the words out between my teeth. “Hiring a pack of escorts to take me to my sister’s wedding and pretend to be my… I don’t even know what, forthree full weeks,is frankly not high on the list of ‘best decisions Isolde Allen has made.’”

Ocean tilted her head. “Is there actually a list?”

“No,” I sighed. “Well, not one that’s written down. It’s a mental list. Two lists. This is on the worst decision list.”

“What else is on there?”

Trinity snorted into her glass again. “Dating Beau in the first place?”

I ignored her. “That, and this. Pretty much it.” Finally, I shoved the bunched up shirt in the way of the zipperjustfar enough for the suitcase to close. “Victory!”

“Good. Now get your ass to the airport. You have hunks to meet.”

I glared at my friend, who was getting cut off from champagne even if I had to reach through the phone to do it. “Don’t start.”

Trinity leaned forward, her eyes startlingly clear and serious. “No, Iz,youdon’t start. Beau and his too-tan ass don’t deserve you. What you deserve is to walk into that anniversary party tonight with your head held high and hot men surrounding you to prove what an idiot he is for choosing to let you go.

“So stop acting like you’re committing some hideous crime by doing it. You’re not taking advantage of them. This is their job and they enjoy it. And if you happen to get some excellent dick along the way, so be it.”

---