I assume she’s going to ignore me the way every member of the cheer squad would, but then…
“Hi, I’m Lacey.”
I immediately scan the backyard as if to make sure she’s talking to me. She chuckles at my behavior, sitting up straight.
“Yes, you.” She laughs again. “You must be the house sitter—Diana, is it?”
If it were any other cheerleader, her question would feel like an insult. A sick, twisted way of making me feel inferior by calling me the wrong name, but that’s not the vibe I get here. It sounds like an honest mistake, and I decide to treat it as such.
“Diamond,” I correct her with a smile. “But most people call me Dia.”
“Shit, sorry.” She gestures for me to come closer. “Get over here. I’ll be damned if I don’t at least meet the superhuman who’s been putting up with Finn Richardsall summer.”
I chuckle, stalking toward the sun lounger beside her.
“Sit.” She pats the empty chair, and I comply, the pit in my throat warning me to stay alert. As though she could switch on me and reveal her true colors at any moment.
Because a girl who has absolutely everything in life can’t possibly be this nice, can she?
“Girl, how do you do it? I have to know.” She nudges me with her elbow.
“I need a car. That’s how,” I admit.
She grins. “For what it’s worth, you have all my respect. Theo told me Finn’s been a major ass to you.”
“Speaking of, do you happen to know where the guys are?” I sit cross-legged on the lounger.
“Nope.” Lacey reclines back down, then lowers her sunglasses in front of her eyes. “Theo told me to meet him here, then he took off with Finn like two minutes later. They haven’t been back since.”
“Wait, he asked you to come here, then he just left you?”
She nods.
“Dick move,” I comment, and she chuckles.
“Believe me, I’d be very offended if Finn didn’t have a heated pool.”
I laugh. “Any idea where they went?”
She shrugs. “I think I heard them say something about settling a debt. No clue what it means, though.”
Settling a debt?
Must be Theo’s debt. Fat chance that the son of a millionaire would settle for anything.
“Your hair is gorgeous, by the way.” She peeks at me. “Seriously, I’d die for those curls.”
“Oh, wow, I… thank you,” I stammer, taken aback by the compliment.
I wait for the conversation to die.
Only, it doesn’t.
We discuss Finn being an asshole some more, then Theo’s parents being harassing bullies that kick their son out to the curb on the regular. We laugh and talk for over fifteen minutes, and I come to the conclusion that Lacey Mattson is an overall decent person. She might be a privileged white girl with a perfect body and perfect, wealthy parents, but she’s a nice one.
An alarm on her phone marks the end of our conversation.
“Ah, shit.” She checks her phone. “I have to get home. I’m throwing a party, and my girls are coming over so we can get ready together.”