Page 120 of Leave Me Broken

My mouth falls open when the manager leans in and kisses her on the lips. Janelle grabs my hand, and her eyes widen as well. The guy pulls away and glowers at us before turning in the opposite direction and walking away without even saying hello. You’d think the man managing Ronni would want to come say hi to her best friends. He’s been working with her for six months or so but we’ve never met. Maybe what Alyssa said is true. Not to mention, they just kissed.

Ronni doesn’t turn to us right away, staring after him, but when she does, she’s in a completely different mood than before. She doesn’t run to us, she’s smiling but it’s forced.

“Guess both my friends have daddy issues.”

This doesn’t feel the same as me and Ash. Maybe because it’s my relationship, but that guy seems . . . off. The way he forced her face to his, and the kiss didn’t look loving either. I don’t walk away from a kiss from Ash frowning, that’s for sure. Plus his looks, because looks aren’t everything but he has to be midforties and he’s bald. Not ugly by any means but . . . I’m not getting a great feeling. Him being her manager and apparent boyfriend is . . . weird. Maybe I’m out of place thinking that because of who my boyfriend is, but high school volleyball is different than a real-life career.

Hopefully we can get Ronni away from here and get to the bottom of the weird texts and letters, because I have a feeling there is more to this social media break.

“You guys ready?”

Janelle and I swap looks, wondering if we should ignore the fact she kissed her manager or not.

“Uh, yeah.” Janelle shrugs awkwardly. “Let’s go.”

“Oh my God. I haven’t had In and Out in forever.” Ronni groans, taking a bite of her grilled chicken. Not a grilled chicken sandwich, just the chicken. Her exact order was grilled chicken with two tomatoes on the side. When Janelle mentioned it, she shrugged and said that’s what she likes from there.

I rip into my burger and shoot a look at Janelle.

“Tell us about Cali, Ron. What’s it like living here? Being a big-time model?”

“It’s great.” There’s not even one hint of excitement in her voice.

“Can we get something more than it’s great?” I laugh, it’s awkward. “It’s been months since we’ve really talked. We don’t know anything that’s happening with you.”

A look of sorrow passes through her hazel eyes, but it’s gone before I can focus on it. “Yeah. I’m sorry about that. Moving here has been . . . a change. A big one and it was hard to get settled.”

“Was?” Janelle hints.

Ronni shrugs. “I’m getting used to it—slowly, but I am. I got my own apartment because my mom and her boyfriend never stop fucking.”

“Why the hell are we here if you have a whole apartment?” Janelle looks around the hotel room.

Ronni rolls her lips between her teeth. “Well, it’s kind of . . . mine and my boyfriend’s.”

As long as I have known Veronica Quints, never in my life would I have been able to tell you she would live with her boyfriend at eighteen. Her older boyfriend at that. Ronni is the most independent person I know. She’s huge on doing things for herself and not the type to just fall into a relationship without thinking about it. She doesn’t believe in soulmates, and she definitely isn’t the kind of girl that moves in with her boyfriend at eighteen. None of this is making sense.

“You mean your manager?” Janelle asks, narrowing her eyes as she does.

Ronni laughs, and like the room right now, it’s awkward. Suffocatingly awkward. It only gets more awkward as she tells us this bullshit story how they just fell in love after she turned eighteen. Late nights, weekends away, it got to them. They are still new—and yet they live together—but she couldn’t be happier.

I’m calling bullshit on everything. That was the most scripted story I’ve ever heard. I’m tempted to call her out on it, but we just got back to the hotel. We need to at least finish our food before we call bullshit on life choices.

As the evening goes on, Ronni loosens up and conversation flows easier. It’s like old times. Janelle painting all our nails and Ronni helping us pick out outfits, I just sit back and let them do whatever they want.

That’s why when I open the door after hearing a knock and Ash stands on the other side, laughing, I try and close it on him. The size difference has him pushing it open and walking in anyway. I don’t want him seeing the mess we made or us in face masks.

“Oh. My. God. It’s really him. Ash Pearson is really your coach!”

I cringe at how excited she sounds about it. “The one and only,” I groan.

Ash places his hands on his hips while taking in the state of the room. Clothes, food wrappers, and other various items used for nails are scattered about. “Are you ladies having fun?”

“Don’t we always?” Janelle pumps her eyebrows twice, cracking her face mask as she does.

He rolls his eyes to me. My nails are wet, or I would take my hair down from the towel. Just glad I was smart enough to get dressed after my shower, before we started on makeovers.

Ash’s eyes blaze seeing my Winnie the Pooh sleep clothes.

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