Page 23 of Legacy

Luke: Sent them home. I’m tired.

Aarabelle:Why are you texting me? Go to sleep.

Leaning back in my chair, propping my feet up, I think about what to say next.

Luke:Why aren’t you sleeping?

She takes a while to reply.

Aarabelle:Your car got me so excited, I can’t calm myself down.

She ends it with a winky face, and continues.

Aarabelle:Do you have parties with Chase a lot?

Sighing, the sick feeling returns to my stomach.

Luke:Sort of. Not really. Like I mentioned, he’s big into the nightclub scene. It goes hand in hand with the celebrity scene.

Aarabelle:I got that impression. He gives off the lecherous, energy drink and blow by the pool in Vegas vibe. Owns a tiger. Has a few girlfriends a decade or so younger than him. Am I close?

Her assessment is pretty accurate. Although his lion stays at a private zoo in Texas. He visits a couple times a year and brings an entourage to show it off.

Luke:He recognized you as Henry’s ex.

I’m not sure why I sent that message. Maybe I want to know what she has to say about him. More than she’s already told me. Because he’s an ex-boyfriend and knows her intimately.

Aarabelle:Oh God. Do you think the other guys know?

Probably not. No one gives a shit about celebs in our community. I only know because of Chase.

I answer her as such, but she replies with the puking emoji.

Luke:From celebrity scandal to the SEAL Teams. Admit it, that’s kind of weird.

My message is meant to diffuse, but recognize she may take offense.

Aarabelle:If the Teams weren’t so adamant about letting me go through training when I graduated the Naval Academy, I never would have traveled to the U.K. I never would have met Durnin in that dirty pub. If you’re going to call anything weird, it should be the government for not letting me roll in with my graduating class.

I get it. The hostility. I like it. She texts once again.

Aarabelle:Oh my gosh. You will never believe what happened. This woman on the show just ran from the altar when she saw the guy she was supposed to marry. He was a ginger. I can’t blame her. I’d never marry someone I hadn’t met before.

Her attempt to deflect. Back to the mundane. I’ll allow it.

Luke:What do you have against gingers?

Aarabelle:They don’t have souls.

I cackle at her inappropriate joke.

Luke:I’m going to tell Mossimo you said so.

He’s a ginger SEAL with a vendetta against ginger jokes.

Luke:Just joking.

There’s a drawn-out pause before my phone rings. It’s her. “Are you into actual phone calls like a grandmother?” I ask.