Page 119 of The Temptation of Truth

“Understandable. A lot has happened since we left LA.”

I nod. “I don’t know how you guys do it.”

“For the money, baby,” Ezra chimes in from his place on the couch, and Callie rolls her eyes.

“You’re full of shit,” Callie says to him. “You’d be doing this even if we were still couch-surfing and living out of the van.”

Ezra shrugs. “I knew we’d get here. I was playing the long game.”

“Yeah. The fat paychecks make it all worth it,” Crue adds, and Rocky barks out a laugh.

“Shut the fuck up,Your Highness. As if you didn’t already have a treasury-sized bank roll.”

I look back at Crue. “Your Highness?”

Crue waves him off but ducks his face into a book in his lap. “Rock’s stoned.”

I survey Rocky. He doesn’tlookstoned, but what do I know? The hardest substances I’ve been around in years were the cocktails I consumed in Adelaide.

“Actually...” I glance around the room, then bring my attention back to Callie. “Now that I think of it, you guys have been surprisingly...sober.”

Callie grins. “We pride ourselves on bucking those rock star stereotypes.”

“She’s not like other girls.”

Ezra’s tone is high-pitched and mocking, but aside from the middle finger she brandishes in his direction, Callie doesn’t acknowledge him at all. I laugh, and she winks at me.

“Think of him like a pesky, annoying brother. He feeds off attention, so it’s best to let him starve.”

Her comment sends a wave of sorrow through me, and I can tell from her expression that she noticed. Her face softens with concern, and she lowers her voice so her next words can’t be overheard.

“Are you okay?”

I give her a shrug. “My brother passed away a few years ago. Sometimes it still hurts.”

She nods. “You’ll grow around it. The grief, I mean.”

“Yeah. I’m trying.”

“Give yourself grace. You’ll get there.”

A moment of understanding passes between us, and it feels healing, in a way. Being seen without pity. Having my pain acknowledged and accepted without shame. It brings a genuine smile to my face, becausethisis what it’s like to have friends.Thisis what it’s like to be met where you are without expectation or judgment.Thisis what I’ve been missing.

The realization gives me courage, so I take a deep breath and step a little closer.

“Callie, can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“It might be kind of personal...”

She smiles. “That’s fine. What’s up?”

I shoot a quick glance to the guys to make sure no one is watching. They’re occupied with each other, but I still turn my body so they can’t see my face before I speak again.

“If Torren ever wanted you to do something, but you really didn’t want to do it, how would you...I mean how would he...” I close my eyes and take a breath. “How would you handle that?”

“Oh, um...well, I guess it would kind of depend on what it was?—”