Page 20 of Queen Rose

Me:But I’m going to get ice cream with the girls, then I have stuff to do tonight.

Nate:And I’ve got a job tomorrow.

Nate:Can you get away Wednesday evening?

Hearing a stifled giggle, I look up to see the girls staring at me with goofy grins on their faces. “What?”

Lyla lets out a dreamy little sigh, “You’ve been smiling really hard for the last two minutes. It’s the sweetest.”

I duck my head, mildly embarrassed. “I think I just got asked out on our first date. And also, he confirmed that Mariah is his ex and he had a weird conversation with her today. I’m assuming it had to do with what happened here. I’ll ask him when I see him on Wednesday.”

Me:I can. Is this a date?

Nate:It’s whatever you want it to be, princess.

Scarlett grins. “Seriously cute. Also, I hope you don’t mind, but I texted my uncle the minute I saw your car. There’s a tow truck on the way. He’ll get your car all fixed up in no time.”

“Thank you, but please tell him not to contact my dad. He’ll freak.” I groan. Not that he’ll be upset for his daughter, just that a car he spent a lot of money on has been, quite literally, trashed.

“No problem.” She pats her arm. “We’ve got you. And since you don’t seem to be completely freaking out, how about that ice cream? I’ve gotta get to work.”

Nope, I’m not completely freaking out with their support… but inwardly, I’m a little rattled. Farrah can suck it.

* * *

After they’d finished messing around playing football, the guys joined us for ice cream. I guess I can understand why they were pissed that none of us had reached out to them when things went down in the parking lot. I was too busy dealing with Farrah to even think about it though and, like I told them before, if I don’t handle her bitch ass myself, it won’t go well for me. Everyone needs to see me handling her antics. And then they’ll continue to fall in line, like they always have.

I climb out of the back of Beau’s lime-green Urus, then lean down so I can see him and Lyla through her open window. “Thanks for the ride.”

“Anytime. We can get you before school if you want.” Beau cocks his head to the side, studying me a little too carefully.

Clearly, the guys hadn’t believed me when I said I was okay, but truthfully… I’m trying to let it roll off my back. I have too much other shit to worry about.

I shrug. “Xander comes right by my place. I’ll check with him first, and let you know. I’d borrow one of my parents’ cars, but then they’d want to know where mine is.” Dad usually doesn’t like for me to borrow his, though. They’re his babies—and I swear he probably loves them more than he loves me.

“Okay. But we don’t mind, if you need.” Lyla extends her hand to me, which I take and squeeze for a second. That’s when I notice Beau looking past me, further up the driveway.

“That’s a sweet Lambo. Conner’s got great taste.”

I stiffen, bile rising in my throat just at the mention of his name but then force myself to relax and swallow it back down. I nod. “Yeah. That he does.” With a little wave, I turn around and head into the house.

Upstairs, I change into jeans and a T-shirt, pull up the Uber app on my phone, and when I watch it track toward the house, I race downstairs, and out the side garage door, meeting it at the street.

When I yank open the back door, the driver looks at me, baffled. “Aria?”

“Yep.”

He continues to look at me funny. “And you’re going to the Women’s Shelter in Laramie, is that right?”

I nod. “Yes.”

He gives me yet another odd look.

“I’m sorry, is there a problem?” I cock my head to the side.

“No, miss. Not at all. I just wouldn’t have thought—”

“What? I volunteer there.”

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