"Yeah, Mike's moving to New York in a few weeks. He's been offered the contract where he finishes the season with New York and then he can be free something or other again and play for other teams."

"Very cool. Is he going to try to stay in New York?"

"No. He hates the winter here. He wants to go to LA or Florida or somewhere like that." She bites her lip, almost wincing. "So he wants me to move with him. Move in together."

"Dude."

She tucks her dark hair behind her ears. "I know. It makes me nervous but it also feels right." She gushes a laugh. "I mean, why not? Ya know? Why not take a chance and see what happens? I mean, I can work from home. I don't need to be in an office."

"That's very true."

"Anyway, I don't want to jinx it. Summer is a ways away. And him being in New York for the rest of winter and spring will be a good test for us, to see if it works for us to be apart. See how we really feel about each other." Her pale cheeks are a soft pink. I don't know how red she actually gets. She's incredibly pasty. "How was Christmas?"

"Shit," I blurt before thinking and cover my mouth. "I mean, it was intense. Brady got the apartment and asked me to move in and I was really excited, and then Sami got engaged or something. She says she isn't but there's a ring."

"What!" Her eyes pop open wide. She couldn't be more surprised.


      
        
          
        
         

"Thank you. My response too."

"Sami Ford is getting married? To who?"

"Exactly. That is my point exactly. She and Matt don't have anything beyond bed buddies status. I mean, he's basically made her a puck buddy and now she's going to marry him? Like gross."

"Oh my God. That's awful. Why?" Her horrified face matches my disgusted outlook on the subject.

"Not a clue. I assume her parents. Her dad wants decisions out of her. He sees her as a commodity that needs to start earning its keep. She has to marry for money-Matt's family is crazy rich-or she has to start working. She's taking crap subjects in school that will never get her a real job. Which is fine for her; she's lazy like all rich people so she's going to marry and get her dad off her back. And she thinks I can't see this. She looked miserable when she accidentally told me. That's the other thing. She didn't even call me to tell me she was engaged, she-"

"Banks, are you ruining New Year's too?" Brady calls from the other room where I can already hear the video games going.

"Shut up," I snap and storm into the kitchen to open wine.

Liz follows, whispering, "That is awful. I can't believe someone would-"

"Rich people. They live the most messed up existences." I lower my voice even more as I pour us both a glass and pass one to her before leading her to the couches in front of the fireplace. "All of my friends' parents are married to people their parents handpicked. No one makes up their own mind about anything. And Sami has always been the one to rebel. I really thought I knew her better than this."

"Maybe they love each other." Liz shrugs.

"No." I shake my head. "She doesn't love him. She doesn't know how to love. No one ever showed her that kind of love."

I hate saying it but it's true. Her whole life is so fake, there's no way Sami had a hope to be anything but. I wish she could be as happy as Liz and me. I wish she knew certainty the way I do. Brady Coldwell is all I want. And I can tell by the look on Liz's face, Mike is everything to her.





Chapter 4





Dinner and show





May 24, 2015

Sami

Smearing plumper lip gloss across my lips, I rub and smack them once, giving myself the final once-over. Whatever this stupid date is, I need to make sure I don't give into anything. It's been hard but I've maintained a sex-free relationship with him, even if he makes me weak in the knees just by walking.

"Sami?"  

"What!" I shout at my mom harsher than I intended to.

"You had better watch how you speak to me." She enters the room, looking pissed. "What is going on with you? Nadia is crying. She won't tell me what happened, but I think I know now." She folds her thin arms across her fake chest. "Why are you in such a foul mood?"