Harleigh shrugged out of Nix’s arms and came over to me. “You made the right choice, you know. I’m not talking about Leo… that’s… I get it. Why you did it.” Her eyes softened with understanding. “But you should have talked to us first. I’m talking about Celeste. I know the two of you—”
“B?”
“Yeah, Zane.”
“It’s all good. I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”
She gave me a small, apologetic nod. As if she was somehow responsible for the shitshow that had become my life.
This was exactly why I didn’t get involved with anyone, because it only led to one giant fucking headache.
“Come on, I have some really great weed in the car,” Nate said.
“Lead the way.” I motioned for him to go on ahead.
When we reached his car, he paused, turning to me. “I want to say Harleigh is right, but you look as miserable as fuck, and I know Celeste is—”
“Don’t, okay. I made my choice.”
“And it wasn’t her?”
“No, it wasn’t.”
The words sliced through me.
Inside his car, the tension was almost unbearable.
“You wanted to talk?” I said.
“Yeah, listen. I got wind of your little problem.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The loan shark.”
“Did Harleigh tell you?” I bristled.
“Uh, not exactly. It was… Chloe.”
“Chloe? Fuck, she knows?” I knew Nix would confide in Harleigh. I’d given him my blessing on that front. But we’d decided to try to keep Chloe out of it.
“She overheard Kye and Nix talking and she’s worried.”
“So she called you?” I stared at him in disbelief.
“I… we talk sometimes.”
“Does Kye know about this?”
“It’s not like that.”
My brow lifted. “It’salwayslike that.”
“It’s not important. She’s worried and needed to talk to someone. But it got me thinking. I think I can help you out.”
“Let me get this straight, you came tonight because you want to offer to be my fairy godmother or something?”
“Look, I’ll level with you. My family is about as dysfunctional as they come. I’m pretty sure they all hate me. But they’re kind of stuck with me, you know?” He shrugged. “Anyway, I’m not allowed to access my trust fund until I’m twenty-one, but I do get a monthly allowance that just sits there. I want to give it to you.”