Dark Child (Wild Men 5)

“You are my flakey, crazy friend, though.” She winks at me and slips out of her jacket. “I’ll call Lily. Let me know what you decide.”

What would you do if you knew you had no time? If you had to do today all the things you put off for tomorrow, for another day?

My purse is beside the sink. Turning, I open it and fish my phone out.

Stop.

Then I scroll through my contacts.

Hesitate.

Do it, Cos. What do you have to lose? You’ve lost your heart already, and who cares about pride when you can have love?

I hit Mom’s number and frown at myself in the mirror while the phone rings. After two rings, she picks up and I frown harder.

“Look who decided to finally call me back,” she greets me with a huff. “How come you remembered your mother?”

I roll my eyes so hard I almost hurt myself. “I messaged you about a week ago. You never replied.”

“About your sister.” She sounds bored. Fake-bored. “So I didn’t think it was important. She’s always getting herself into trouble.”

Patience, Cos, I remind myself. It’s a virtue. “It’s not like that, Mom.”

“Isn’t it? Not how I remember it. That girl is an idiot.”

“Mom—”

“Come and see me, Cosie. You and me need to talk. My new boyfriend, he owns a firm. Good legal business, darling. You could work for him.”

“Even if I wanted to, there’s this guy in St. Louis and—”

“Oh, girl, don’t make the mistakes I made.”

My hackles rise. It was a matter of time—I mean, seconds. “Your mistakes. You mean, me and Soph?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth.”

“Oh, come on. You never hid it so well.”

“And what have you gained by being contrary? Men suck. Isn’t your boyfriend a dick?”

“Ex-boyfriend. And Jesus, just because you reformed and thought you can put everything behind you doesn’t make you a saint.”

“So you want to go down the same path I did?”

“Let me see. I’m not doing drugs and screwing everything with a dick, so maybe not?”

“Cosima!”

God. See why I’d rather not talk to her? We always fight, every single time. “I thought you wanted the truth. But that’s not what I called you about.”

A long-suffering sigh. “Let’s hear it.”

“Soph needs your help. A little bit of financial help, you could—”

“Did she put you up to this? I swear to God, Cosie, if she did…”

“She didn’t. My sister needs your help. Her boyfriend is very sick and needs some financial help to get back on his feet.”