Free Slut by Sara Wylde Page B

though. I’d seen it begin as a tiny seed and I watched as it blossomed and bloomed into something too big to be contained by anything other than a human heart.
    Rosa texted me a few times and I heard nothing from Gavin or Thornton.
    Which was both a relief and an irritation.
    On the other hand, my father texted me enough for everyone. Every day, it was some other little thing I needed to do to get ready for his party. He wanted me to check on the caterer. He wanted me to drive out to the house to let the decorator in. He wanted me to remember to pack casual—his version, not mine.
    When I told him that I was bringing Rosa, he said to make sure any friends that I brought had the appropriate attire and if she didn’t to buy it for her.
    Which would go over with Rosa like… like nothing. She’d feel like I was looking down on her. Or my father was, but he looked down on everyone. Me included.
    I hacked the Chubbalicious website—Claire’s company, to get to Rosa’s wishlist. My father had invested enough to move Claire’s production from her room to a warehouse in the city to keep up with orders. But it was Claire who’d given me access to the site.
    I figured if I just bought everything on her wish list, it would help Claire, buy Rosa something she wanted, and keep my father happy. Problems solved. I really liked that whole throwing money at things solution.
    People were fond of saying that money couldn’t buy happiness, but it could buy a lot of options until you could find your happiness. I’d rather cry in a Mercedes with heated seats than an El Camino with no roof.
    When Rosa showed up on Friday afternoon, I handed her a dress bag and a pre-packed suitcase.
    “What’s this?”
    “Don’t ask. A gift from my father. I told him I was bringing you and he said to make sure you were dressed appropriately.”
    She arched a perfectly plucked brow. “Oh really? Like what I have isn’t good enough?”
    “What I have isn’t good enough. It’s not just you. Don’t be offended.”
    “I ought to do bad things to your father to show him just how good slumming can be.” Then she pinched her lips closed. “Shit. I didn’t… that was inappropriate. I’m sorry.”
    The look of horror on her face tickled me for some reason. “Rosa, whatever happens, I guess we’re close now. I slept with your boyfriend. You’re going to…” I trailed off and wrinkled my nose. “Whatever. I’m just not going to call you mom.”
    She laughed and hugged me. “I really love you, Bex.”
    I froze. Claire hugged me a lot, but she wasn’t super expressive about our friendship, at least not verbally. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with this. So I hugged her back.
    I realized I loved her too. She was my friend. She was loyal. She was steadfast. She cared about me. Not because of what she thought I could do for her or give her, she just liked me as a person.
    “I love you, too.”
    And it was okay that I loved her. It was okay that I loved Ryan. It was okay that I loved Claire. These people meant something to me.
    Now, I felt extra shitty for sleeping with Gavin. I shouldn’t have. The fact that he tried to put the moves on me was enough to report back. I didn’t actually have to go through with it, but I did because I’m a horrible, selfish, needy bitch with daddy issues.
    I sighed. At least I knew myself. I saw who I was.
    Maybe, if I didn’t like it, I could change it.
    Thornton’s words about who I was and who I wanted to be echoed back at me.
    While I hugged her, I swallowed hard, pushing back the discomfort of apology and owning my actions. “I’m sorry I fucked Gavin.”
    She laughed and pulled away, searching my face. “Why? Was he bad?”
    I scrubbed my hand over my face. “No, I was. I shouldn’t have. I didn’t need to take it all the way. He wanted to. That’s all you needed to know. I didn’t need to drive the knife home.”
    “Yes, you did. I asked you to. I mean, not that you should screw a guy just