Page 55 of Thanks for the Memories
“I’m not trying to put you on the spot, so if you don’t think it’s a good idea …”
I finally gather my thoughts enough to speak. “It’s not that. I just don’t know if Lila wants another roommate. She was originally only looking for two people to move in, so she might want to keep the extra room open for guests.”
She shrugs. “I understand, but this house is huge, and it would be so fun to live together. Just like Dante said—the dynamic duo, together again.”
Bethany’s phone rings, and she claps excitedly. “Oh, it’s my friend Missy. I texted her earlier this morning.”
“Hey, girl,” she says jumping up from the chair. “Of course, I’m serious. Miami is a dream.”
She walks out to the patio, and I exhale the breath I’ve been holding in. I’m almost positive that Lila isn’t going to be on board with Bethany moving in, especially after what she said while we were on the boat. And I feel the same way. Having Bethany in Miami is one thing, but us living under the same roof is another. Lila, Gabby, and I have a good vibe—adding another person into the mix might only complicate things. Not to mention that I’m not sure about this new version of Bethany. I don’t know what her intentions are when it comes to Paul, but her asking me not to tell Dante about him raises several red flags. Clearly Bethany’s new look has given her a new attitude and level of confidence; Lila’s concerns might be spot on.
Chapter Fifteen
When we arrive at Golden, my stomach feels like it’s full of butterflies.
Bethany and I skipped parasailing and lay around by the pool while she worked on her résumé and chatted with some friends back in Chicago. It was actually nice to stay home and relax after going non-stop the past few days. Thankfully, the subject of her moving in with us didn’t come up again after she brought it up. I’m confident that Lila will quash the idea, which takes the heat off me. My plan is to use the fact that it’s Lila’s house and she makes the final decision as my excuse.
We get a lot of glances while we’re waiting for our table. It’s obvious we both put forth effort for tonight—I changed my outfit a few times while getting ready. I finally settled on the first outfit I tried on, a short black dress and the gold Jimmy Chu stilettos I bought when I first moved down here. Bethany’s wearing black leather pants, with a black top that’s basically a corset. Her hair is wildly curled, and her makeup is the only thing on her that’s understated.
“Wow, wow, wow,” she exclaims while looking around. “I can’t believe our Dante has done all of this.”
OurDante. Just hearing her say that annoys me.
She’s absolutely right though. Golden is very impressive. I still remember the first time I came here with Gabby and Lila. It didn’t look like much from the outside of the building, but the interior is to die for. There are touches of gold everywhere, massive vaulted ceilings, and an exquisite golden chandelier in the middle of the dining room.
“Isn’t it unbelievable?” I breathe. “Who would have thought when he was making us dinner in that tiny college apartment that it would turn into all of this.”
The hostess gives me a wave as soon as she notices me. Obviously, I’ve come here enough times to be recognized. What can I say—I’m a supportive friend.
“Good evening, Ms. Westbourne,” she says cheerfully. “Chef Dante said you’d be dining with us tonight.”
“You’re totally VIP,” Bethany whispers. “I can’t wait to be recognized like that.”
The hostess leads us to one of the tables near a large window overlooking the bay. As soon as we’re seated, Bethany takes a picture of the front of the menu and excitedly opens it as if it’s a treasure map.
“Recognize any of the items?” I ask.
She smiles. “I sure do. That’s so cool that he added dishes he used to make for us.”
All of a sudden her face falls and she puts her hand to her mouth. “Oh, my goodness.”
“What is it?”
“This lemon soufflé,” she says, pointing to the menu. “Mike asked him to make it for our anniversary because I love anything with lemon. I can’t believe it’s on here.”
“Wow. I had no idea,” I say. “I haven’t tried it yet.”
She fans her face with her hand. “Anyway, I definitely want to try the ahi tuna.”
The mention of ahi causes a familiar stir in my chest.
“That’s Jeremy’s favorite thing on the menu,” I say.
Her eyes grow wide. “Ah, I’m such a bad friend. I’ve been so preoccupied that I totally forgot to ask how your conversation went with him yesterday. You looked pretty close when I saw you together.”
“It was fine.”
I definitely don’t want to talk about Jeremy right now, especially with Bethany. If there’s any truth to Lila’s warning about her not being trustworthy, then it’s better to avoid the subject altogether.
