Page 90 of Coming Up Roses

“Can’t argue with that,” I tell her as she links her arm with mine, leading me toward the little bistro. It’s unseasonably cool for June, so we opt to sit on the patio. Over the course of lunch, AzzyJo tries to distract my muddled brain and hurt heart with small talk, but it’s no use. Cash Carson is so embedded into my heart that thoughts of him flow through my veins.

“Myla Rose, have you heard a word I said?”

“Honestly? No.” I feel bad, but . . .

She lets out a frustrated huff. “I give up. Obviously, talking isn’t the answer. So, let’s move on to the distraction portion of our day. What movie you wanna see?”

“What’s playing?” Azalea whips out her phone and pulls up the show times before sliding it across the table to me. I scan the list twice over before settling on the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Johnny and Orlando aren’t a cure-all, but they’re something good, and that’s good enough.

By the time we walk out of the theater, the sun has set, and we can’t stop talking about the movie. It was good enough that once my brain told my heart to shut it, I really got into it.

“Aren’t you glad I pulled you outta the house today?” Azalea asks with a proud smile.

“Yeah, yeah,” I say, pausing to dial Simon’s number. I’ve watched all the rest of the Pirates movies with him, and seeing this one with Azalea feels like betrayal, and I need to confess.

“Oh, no, Myla, don’t—”

Her words fall away when Simon answers on the third ring. “Myles, hey. What’s up?”

“I’ve gotta tell you something, Sim. Don’t be mad, okay?”

“I could never be mad at you.”

“Gonna hold you to that. I just saw the new Pirates movie with Azalea.” I duck my head, waiting for him to give me shit about breaking tradition.

“Huh. Guess you’ll just have to watch it twice.”

“That I can do,” I tell him just as there’s a loud commotion in the background on his end. “What’s going on, Sim?”

It’s then that I hear it. Cash. He’s with . . . Cash. “Simon, are you with Cash right now?” Azalea shakes her head, but she doesn’t look the least bit surprised. Placing my hand over the speaker, I ask her, “You knew?”

“Yeah, I knew. Drake’s with them too. It’s not what you think though, Myla.”

“Someone’s gotta talk some sense into him,” Simon tells me.

“Simon McAlister! No. Please, no. As much as I love y’all—and Cash—this is my battle, not y’all’s. Please leave him alone. I’ve already caused him enough trouble and hurt. He doesn’t need you going all Big Brother on his ass.”

“Might be too late for that. Gotta go—talk to you later.” He disconnects the call before I can say anything else, which pisses me off because I have a lot to say.

“Azalea Josephine, I can’t believe you right now. You set me up!”

“We did this because we love you and we hate seeing you hurt. Please don’t be mad.”

With a frustrated shake of my head, I resume walking toward her car. “I’m not mad, AzzyJo, just annoyed.”

“Well, hang on to that feeling then, because there’s more coming your way.” Her words are ominous, and I’m not quite sure what she means, but I’m too annoyed to ask.

God, I wish I would’ve asked.

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