Page 44 of A Little Broken

“You rifled through their trash?” she screeches.

“It was on the top, and I already said it wasunopened,” I emphasize. “Take a chill pill, girlfriend.”

“You have problems.”

“We both have problems,” I remind her. “It’s why we’re best friends. Now, where was I?” I flip the blinker on. “Right. Sexy bonfire or green hair party?”

“Well, since you drive a hard bargain and all…”

I bite back my amusement. “Is that a yes to the green hair?”

“Tatum,” she warns.

“So, it’s a yes to the bonfire?”

Her pause brings a Cheshire grin to my face, proving I have her exactly where I want her.

“Fiiiine,” she drags out, “but you know the rules.”

“You get to shower first, and we need to be ready at the same time because if you sit down, you’ll fall asleep, and then I can kiss my wingwoman goodnight.”

“Exactly.”

“Deal.” My smile softens. “I’ll see you in a few.”

12

TATUM

Man, I love a good party. The adrenaline. The wandering eyes. The buzz of anticipation. It’s even better when I don’t know a single freaking soul other than the girl beside me. I’m not sure why I’ve always preferred it this way. Getting lost in a sea of strangers compared to being surrounded by people who know every single thing about me. I don’t know. I guess it makes things more interesting and gives me a chance to show them whatever side of me I want. Control. That’s what it is. What I crave. What I need. Especially considering where my head’s been lately.

Thanks to the sun disappearing beneath the horizon a couple hours ago, it’s a little chilly. Rory folds her arms, rubbing her hands up and down her bare skin as she stares at the bonfire a hundred yards from us. She’s probably second-guessing why she agreed to come with me but is too good of a friend to back out since we’re here now. Rory’s always been a wallflower. I used to be like her. Before my world fell apart. Before I stopped caring about anything at all…including what others thought.

“Come on.” I loop my arm through hers.

Jutting out her bottom lip, she follows my lead. “You know, I could be in bed right now with Hades.”

“You could,” I agree as the sand squishes beneath my feet. Yeah, I ditched my shoes at the car as soon as I saw the silky white sand. “But then you’d be dreaming of hanging out with me instead of actually hanging out with me, so…”

She scoffs but keeps her pace steady with mine. “Yeah, because that’s what I dream of.”

“That, and the infamous Jaxon Thorne,” I tease.

Another scoff escapes her, though it sounds more forced than before. “Whatever.”

Leading us to a cooler, I open the lid. The options range from fancy IPAs to Diet Coke to hard lemonades. I grab a beer and a hard lemonade, shaking the ice off before handing the fruity drink to my best friend.

“Why, thank you.” She untwists the cap and takes a small sip, probably anxious for the liquid courage as she scans the beach brimming with people.

Staring at her, I ask, “How have you survived college without me?”

“Easy.” She smirks. “I stay inside and get straight As.”

“Hey, I got straight As, too.”

“Only after you realized your parents were going to cut you off and put a stop to your studying abroad if you kept failing the online classes on purpose.”

She’s not wrong.

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