Pink Starbursts?
“Go,” my mom says, pulling Nova from Mikey’s arms.
We rush from the house and stop by three different gas stations on our way to Tease. Each time, Mikey sends me in to raid their candy section while he talks on his phone. As he drives through town, I open every package of Starbursts we’ve purchased, pulling out the pink ones.
We walk into Tease. People are milling about, with several other stylists working on customers’ hair, but Charlotte is sitting at the front desk, sipping on a soda as though she was waiting for us.
“Took you long enough, Cunningham,” she says, eyeing the bag in my hand. “I’m guessing you’ve pulled your head from your ass and now you need to find Lennon.”
“Mikey seems to think you can help me.”
Charlotte purses her lips, watching me as though she’s trying to decide if she wants to help or kick me out.
“I made a huge mistake, Charlotte—biggest mistake of my life. I didn’t believe Lennon, and I should have, and I need to get to her. Can you help me?”
A smile breaks over her stoic face. “She told you about her charity, right? Children Everywhere?”
I nod. “Yes…”
“This weekend is the Children Everywhere ball.”
Shit, we talked about going to that together once.
“And I have two tickets,” Charlotte adds.
In one motion, I step up to Charlotte’s desk and drop more than fifty pink Starbursts in front of her.
Her eyes grow wide. “I would’ve given them to you regardless,” she says, picking up a pink square. “But this is appreciated.”
I shoot Mikey a glare, but he just shrugs.
“Give me the damn tickets.”
Charlotte pops a Starburst in her mouth, reaches into the front drawer of her desk, and slaps the tickets into my hand. “Fuck this up, and I’ll fuck you up.”
I smooth my hands down the front of my dress and take a deep breath. This is it. I’ve worked endlessly over the years to get Children Everywhere off of the ground, and tonight is a reminder of how much good we can do.
I’ve needed to keep busy, so I’ve spent the last weeks working on designs, sending them off to some of my contacts in the fashion industry, and I’ve finalized every last detail for tonight. I can’t wait to see how everything turns out. I’ll admit that this event came at the perfect time. Going around the city with Jane, my assistant, to pick out centerpieces and tablecloths and sample the food choices has kept me occupied. When I’m knees deep in details and seating charts, I’m able to stop thinking about Noah.
It’s been in the evenings, when I draw a warm, hot bath and try to relax, that he invades every last spot in my head. But I’ve thought about it a lot over the last few days, and I’ve come to realize Noah was right. Regardless of whether he believes me about the drugs or not, I’m not a good fit for him and Nova’s life.
There’s a soft knock on the door, and Brenna peeks her head around. “Can I come in?”
I see her reflection through the mirror. She looks as gorgeous as ever in her black, floor-length, strapless gown, but there’s something off about her, something in her eyes.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“Well, that depends. Are we okay?”
Dropping my blush in my makeup bag, I fold my arms over my chest and turn toward her. “You want the truth?”
She blinks twice. “Of course. You’ve been home for three weeks, and you’ve barely said two words to me.”
“You hurt me, Brenna.”
It was Brenna who suggested to my dad that I get out of town, and when my dad gets an idea in his head, he doesn’t let it go. It’s not lost on me that had I not gone to Heaven, I wouldn’t have met Noah, but I’m still pissed at her.
“You took it upon yourself to tell my father what’s best for me,” I say. “I’m a grown woman, fully capable of making my own mistakes, cleaning them up, and deciding how to live with myself. I don’t need you—or anyone else for that matter—making decisions about my life for me.”