The Best Friend Bargain

“She would be impressed by everything you’ve done,” he says. “And more understanding of those pictures than your mother is.”

“Oh God.” Skye turns bright red. “I thought we—”

“We did. But your mother stumbled on them during her lunch break.” Mr. Kim chuckles. “She’s… concerned.”

Skye hides behind her hands. “Please wake me when this nightmare is over.”

“Which pictures?” Ariel asks.

Holden pulls out his cell. Goes right to Skye’s Instagram.

There are new pictures from lunch.

And the two lingerie shots.

“Damn, Skye…” Holden looks at her dad. Thinks better of going into his usual I want to suck on your tits thing. “You sure you want to waste your time with my brother?”

“You should be sure you’re with a worthy man.” Mr. Kim looks to me. “No offense, Forest.”

“None taken.” I’m the same way with Ariel. I wasn’t exactly happy when I found out she and Chase were dating, much less making a baby. She had good reasons for asking him. And I can’t exactly fault her for falling for someone with piercing blue eyes.

I don’t appreciate Chase’s. But Skye’s?

Those bright blue eyes find mine. “Forest is… sometimes he’s difficult. He has some baggage, yeah, and he has an unusual job. But he’s handsome—”

“He is handsome, sweetie, but looks fade,” Mr. Kim says.

Holden doubles over with laughter.

“Mr. Kim,” Ariel says. “I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but you’re an older man.”

Holden laughs harder.

“It’s true,” he says.

“But you’re still very handsome. And in great shape too.” Ariel’s voice is matter-of-fact. “Maybe looks don’t always fade.”

“You have your whole family backing you up,” he says. “I like that.”

“He does.” Skye smiles. “He’s a family man, even if he doesn’t realize it. And, well… he always looks out for me. Makes sure I have extra green onions. And matcha lattes. And the right shoes for the occasion.”

Her dad raises a brow.

“He treats me well. I trust him. What else is there?” she asks.

“Sweetie, I like Forest too, but love is more than green onions,” he says.

“Yeah, also matcha lattes.” She shoots her dad a knowing look.

He nods true. “Did you get the green onions?”

She mouths fuck. “I’ll get them now.”

“Let’s go together. So we can talk. Before your mother gets home.” He exchanges her look.

“Yeah, sure…” Skye cringes. “After tea.”

Mr. Kim smiles. “Tea always comes first.” He looks to Ariel. “You don’t mind making me another?”

“Never.” She leans in to whisper in Skye’s ear.

Skye laughs. “Trust me, you don’t want details.” She turns to me. Mouths sorry.

I pull out my cell. Tap her a text.

Forest: I can wait to torture you.

Skye: It won’t be until after dinner.

Forest: I’ll make you pay for that, princess.

Skye: How’s that?

Forest: You ever get so close you’re begging to come?

She looks up at me with wide eyes.

“You know we all realize you’re sending dirty texts,” Holden says.

“I hope you’re not sending any nude pictures, sweetie,” her dad says, easy breezy. “Your mom won’t take that well.”

“Uh…” She grabs her tea. “Let’s just…”

“Talk more about the pictures,” Holden says. “How many more are you posting? And how explicit will they be?”

She flips him off, but she still takes a seat at the table.

I sit next to her.

She interlocks her hands with mine.

It’s torture waiting to fuck her, but it’s perfect too.

Chapter Thirty

Skye

Even though we only need green onions, Dad makes a point of driving to the Asian market on the other side of the freeway.

It’s a stupid decision in traffic. Or maybe it’s smart. It gives him plenty of time to lecture me.

Only he doesn’t. He puts on one of my Garbage CDs, makes his usual Dad joke Skye, the music you listen to is garbage, laughs like it’s the funniest thing anyone has ever said.

He makes innocent small talk the whole drive there, the entire time shopping (which is like one minute. We’re only buying green onions), the ride out of the parking lot.

He waits until we’re almost home. Then he asks, “Do you really trust him that much?”

It’s a good question. Easy to answer. “I do.”

“And you’re sure about pursuing modeling?”

“I’m not modeling?”

“Sweetie, you’re posing in lingerie on the Internet. You’re modeling.”

“I’m a fashion blogger.”

“You take pictures of yourself in clothes. That’s modeling.”

“Photography.”

“And modeling.” He makes eye contact through the mirror. “Your mom and I are happy to have you home. We’ll be happy if you live with us forever. And never get married.”

“What about grandchildren?”

“Who said you wouldn’t have grandchildren? Ariel’s only twenty-four and she’s pregnant. Ballards are probably hyper-fertile.”

“Does it work like that?”

He chuckles. “No. But you wouldn’t be the first woman to have an accident.”

“Ariel didn’t… it was on purpose.”

He nods. He knows the whole story. We were all there when Ariel and Forest’s mom died. We saw how much it hurt them. “Your mom likes Forest. She’s worried he’s pushing you with modeling—”

“He wasn’t.”

“I know. But your mother—”