After the most recent Giving Hearts luncheon she had spoken at, Sam had most definitely hit her quota for the month, or maybe even the year, of sitting at a fancy table and eating food she couldn’t pronounce with rich people she didn’t know. But this was Kristin's family, so she knew she had to go regardless.
Sometimes, the Hadleys had the entire neighborhood over for a dinner party. Sometimes, it was just another couple or two. Sam never quite knew what she was walking into until they arrived. She hated the fakeness of all the smiling faces that would be staring at her, curious about who she was and her parentage. Kristin hated it, too, for different reasons, but, sadly, they didn’t have the luxury of saying no to her parents’ monthly dinner parties. And, unfortunately, neither of them had a paper due tomorrow that they could use as an excuse to bail this time.
“I’m coming! Stop fussing,” Sam said as she smoothed down the skirt of her dress and took one last look in the mirror. “What’s on the menu for tonight?” she shouted down the stairs, knowing Kristin probably had no idea.
“God if I know, I’m just thankful you’re coming so you can fake an illness halfway through and then we can leave early!” She leaned back to meet Sam’s gaze, sending a pleading smile her way.
Sam rolled her eyes as she slowly made her way down the stairs and through the living room.
“I’m sorry, no. I’m not faking sick to get you away from your miserable family.” She locked the door behind them as Kristin jumped the railing to go start her car. Her ebony curls bounced as she moved.
It was a small townhouse about a mile off campus in a neighborhood that was mostly inhabited by students.
Kristin could have lived anywhere she wanted. Her parents had enough money to afford the best. But Sam refused to let her pay for everything and this small two-bedroom, two-bath townhome with the chipped paint and half-functioning appliances was all Sam could afford. She had tried to talk Kristin into living with someone else—someone who could pay for the new luxury student apartments with the rooftop pool and bar. Kristin balked at the suggestion. They were practically sisters, she had said. And where Sam went, so did Kristin.
“Remember, my mom said they invited the Barkers over. Mr. Barker has been trying to get me together with their oldest son for, like, five years now. No one gets the hint that it’s not happening. On either end,” Kristin added with emphasis. “So, help a sister out. I would do it for you, you know.” She pushed out her bottom lip, as if that would change Sam’s mind.
“No way in hell. We’ve canceled every time she’s invited the Barkers for, like, two years. I’ll deal with them for three hours in order to get a free meal and some good booze.” Sam wiggled her eyebrows.
“Whatever. See if I come to your rescue next time you are stuck on a sinking ship.”
Sam started to laugh, but the sound was drowned out when Kristin turned the radio up so loud she couldn't even hear her own thoughts. She loved Kristin. Loved her with everything she had. Everything she knew. Outside of Christian, Kristin was her most trusted friend. She was her person.
Sam had been to Mr. and Mrs. Hadley’s house multiple times over the past two years, but that still didn’t lessen the awe that was certainly sprawled across her face as they drove up the drive. It was a three story mini mansion on the lake with a boat house larger than most homes Sam had stayed in during her childhood.
“I still can’t believe you grew up here, I feel like I’m walking into the Biltmore House every time we come.”
“Have you ever even been to the Biltmore?” Kristin asked and Sam shrugged in response. “Whatever. Let’s get this shit show over with,” Kristin continued, rolling her eyes, attitude on full display.
This was why they were best friends. The first time they’d met in Anatomy & Physiology 101, Sam had justknownshe would absolutely loathe Kristin. Typical rich girl with her fancy clothes, bag, and shoes that probably cost more than Sam’s entire wardrobe. She’d known there was absolutely no way Kristin would actually get into med school, let alone attend. She’d had her pegged. Daughter of a surgeon—plastics, or maybe neuro—daddy’s little prodigy who would breeze through classes in order to graduate and then marry the top pre-med student. She would be the dutiful housewife who popped out a couple of kids and had dinner ready and on the table by six every night.
But, by all accounts, Sam had been oh so wrong. She’d quickly learned not to mess with Kristin. Kristin may have come off cutesy and sweet, but that girl was full of fire. One group project and a semester where Kristin had pretty much bested the TA out of his knowledge base every time he opened his mouth and they’d become the best of friends. They’d finally moved in together in the fall semester of sophomore year and had never looked back.
“Girls, look how lovely you two are. We are just thrilled to have you!” Mrs. Hadley greeted them as she opened the door with an attempt to smile so big you could almost make it out under all the Botox.
Kristin almost always refused to use her house key. The only time she ever pulled it out was when her parents weren’t home. It was another silly way she chose to rebel from them.
It was hard to even tell the mother-daughter pair were related. Except for the obvious similarities in bone structure, the two women looked nothing alike. In reality, Mrs. Hadley’s skin tone was probably a shade lighter than Sam’s, but no one would ever know due to the copious amounts of self tanner she used. Kristin looked like her father. Deep brown skin and bouncy curls. Kristin also possessed the most beautiful green eyes; a hue similar to Sam’s. Kristin always said the eye was the window to the soul, hence they liked to joke that they were soul sisters deep at heart, even if they had only met the previous year and looked nothing alike.
“Now, Kristin, you won’t believe who has joined us! Mr. Barker and his son and daughter from down the street! Isn’t that wonderful?”
Though they had never actually met, Sam had heard the names cross Mrs. Hadley’s lips on more than one occasion. She was the go-to for any and all gossip in the rich-people circles and Kristin absolutely hated it.
She knew The Barkers lived two houses down, and that they had three kids and were rich as hell. Connor, the doctor; Callum, the rebel; and Amelia, the apple of their eye.
Apparently, Mrs. Barker was off doing something far more important than neighborly dinner parties and there was no mention
of Callum, who they didn’t speak of much.
Kristin didn’t even attempt to hide the eye roll she gave her mom. “Yes, you told me last week they were coming, then again on Wednesday, and reminded me with three texts last night. I’ll have to tell Micah they said ‘Hello!’” she said back with an equally big and fake smile. Sam tried to hide her smirk, but from the look Mrs. Hadley gave her, she’d failed.
Micah and Kristin had been together for a little over two years at that point, and as small a world as it was, he was best friends with Callum Barker. So it could get a bit awkward when her parents' constant hopes for the arranged relationship with the soon-
to-be Dr. Connor Barker were constantly thrown in her face.
Sam tried to initiate a conversation with Connor more than once during dinner. He was a current resident in the local hospital’s ER department and she was a pre-med student. She was sure they would have plenty to discuss. He was nice and concisely answered every question she asked, but seemed genuinely disinterested in actively taking part in any conversation at the table. Most of the night was spent with Connor sending what could only be referred to as absolute death glares to his father. Sam could tell he wanted to be here just as much as she and Kristin did.
That meant dinner was the same as always, boring conversation and gossip, but at least the food was delicious. And there was wine, which made any night tolerable.