“It’s Le Creuset. If you want some, I’ll just lift one of the three different sets my parents have. They’ll never miss it.”
“If we’re setting this boat up for me,” KT says, gesturing to the basket at large, “all this has to go back. I want black or silver, none of these wacky colors.”
Chloe and I both stop and stare at her.
“Who are you?” I ask.
“What are you?” Chloe asks. “What girl doesn’t like color?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not exactly your normal girl.”
“Oh, we noticed,” I say, laughing.
“Which brings me back to the whole guy situation,” KT says. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about men for the next two years. I’m not used to living out in the wild.”
“Are you still hooking up with passengers?” Chloe asks.
“And only passengers,” KT says. “It’s truly the best possible situation. I get a sexy one-night stand with no strings; he gets an extra-special memory of the cruise. How can I replicate that here?”
I shake my head. “I cannot help you with that.”
“I’m sure there are plenty of guys in town who’d jump at a chance to hook up with you,” Chloe says.
“The difference is, on the ship, there are rarely any witnesses. One night is one night. In a town like this one, I’d be labeled a slut after the first three guys.”
“You make it sound like you choose a different guy every night,” I say.
When I get nothing back, I focus in on her. “KT?”
“What?”
My brows shoot up. “Do you sleep with a different guy every night?”
She lifts a shoulder. “If I hit the motherload on any particular cruise.”
Chloe sighs. “I want to be you when I grow up.”
My cell rings, and I pull it from my pocket to find my mother's name on the display. I groan, hit Decline, and slide it back into my pocket. “My parents.”
“You’ve got to find a way to make them realize you’re serious,” Chloe says, “or they’ll never stop harassing you.”
KT steps in front of the cart and faces me. “Laiyla, you’ve spent the last thirty years living up to your parents’ expectations. You went to the schools they wanted, got the grades they demanded, did the internships they set up, socialized with only the best and brightest. When does your life become your life? You’re thirty years old, and you’re still concerned with your parents’ judgments. Sweetheart, I’m saying this with the utmost respect and love, but you’ve got to cut them lose. You’ve got shit to do with your life, and it doesn’t necessarily include making money for your parents or doing everything they want or expect you to do.”
I exhale and nod. “You’re right.”
“They’ve had their chance to live their lives,” Chloe says. “They’re successful and accomplished. They have every material luxury they want. But you don’t have to be a feather in their cap. You can make the choice to be—unapologetically—you. Because you are fucking amazing.”
All my breath whooshes out, and tears sting my eyes. I leave the cart to pull them both into a hug, holding them tight. “I love you guys so much.”
16
Levi
I’ve spen
t my day trying not to watch for Laiyla, which means I’m always looking for her until I realize I’m doing it. Then I refocus for ten minutes and then just repeat the habit.
To be honest, even if it is only with myself, I spent last night reliving our interactions, trying to see signs of the future. It was like trying to read fucking tea leaves and truly made me crazy.