Page 35 of Fool's Gold

At the center of it is the one man I’m doomed to love.

“I am so stupid,” I mutter out loud.

The partition between the back and the driver is lowered, and he asks me softly, “Do you need something, Miss Stone?”

I wave a hand in the air. Whether he sees it or not doesn’t matter. “I’m fine. Please hurry.”

River’s place isn’t swanky or big by any stretch of the imagination. She puts everything she makes from her influencer career back into the business. Still, it’s a cute little setup at the base of the hills with a postage-stamp front yard filled with tropical flowers.

My best friend in the world opens her arms to me the second we pull up in front of her house.

“I’m sorry,” I say into her hair. “I should have called ahead. I didn’t even think about it. It’s so late.”

“Girl, you know it doesn’t matter what time it is.”

“I don’t want to inconvenience you…”

“You? Never.” She waves the driver away and ushers me off the front stoop. “I was up doing an Instagram live anyway. And you know I can’t fall asleep until like three. I heard the car, and when I looked out the window, I just knew.”

My stomach sinks. It doesn’t matter how many times she protests. I shouldn’t have come here. It was the only place I knew to go.

“Come inside, Em.”

She’s got a bevy of scented candles burning, so the house feels like autumn in the middle of summer. Their glow illuminates the blank wall with the single painting done by a local artist and her ring light, still shining brightly on her chair.

It’s the throne where River rules over her followers with grace and kindness. The place where she’s the most confident and her genuine energy is the reason why people love her. Not to mention her weird ability to sniff out new and upcoming places to eat, drink, and enjoy.

Rather than heading back to her station to turn off the light, she pushes me into the small living room of the bungalow house in the hills.

“Sit,” she demands.

The back of my knees hit the cushion, and I drop. Holy crap, I’m not going to be able to get back up. She’ll have to pry me off the couch with a crowbar.

“You want anything to eat?” she asks. “Drink? I think I’ve got some milk around here if you want me to make some coffee. Uh, I might have some oat milk—”

“Don’t worry about it,” I cut her off. “A glass of water will be great, thanks.”

I shouldn’t be here bothering her. River has her own life to lead. I’m not going to bring anything good to her by running here, and what if the Mafia guys find out about my connection to her?

What if it puts her in danger?

It’s all become too much.

“You know what? I should go.” I force my exhausted legs to hold my weight when I stand again. “It was wrong for me to come here.”

River pops her head around the corner and glares at me. “You aren’t going anywhere. Looking the way you do? I don’t care what kind of fancy driver you’ve got to chauffeur you around. You’re going to sit here and talk to me. Then you’re going to spend the night and get some rest. You’re ready to drop.”

“Talk.” My lips are too numb to talk. My tongue is almost knotted, and there are deadly things in my head ready to erupt.

Do I really want River to be the one who bears the brunt of it all?

I must have zoned out because the next thing I know, River presses a hot mug of what smells like jasmine tea into my open hands and sets me with a look. “You’re not going anywhere,” she repeats. “Okay? I’m here for you no matter the time and no matter the circumstances.” She rests a hand on one hip. “Got it?”

Some people in life have your back no matter what. Those are the people who matter. Not the hot and cold, wishy-washy, overbearing types.

I flash her a grateful smile, letting the hot mug burn into my palm. “Got it.”

TWELVE

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