Page 83 of The One You Want

I squinted at her in the darkness. “Forwhat?”

She gestured back across the square, towards my place. “You’re my best friend and I had no idea you were doing allthat.”

I looked away, embarrassed. “That’s not your fault. I never told you aboutit.”

She shook her head. “You did, though. You mentioned your jewelry all the time. I just…I never thought…” shegrimaced.

“You thought it was just a hobby,” I guessed, and she nodded, lookingmiserable.

“I was probably so patronizing about it. No wonder you didn’t want to tell me how serious it was foryou.”

I reached over and nudged her arm. “I don’t blame you. You’ve known me for a long time. I know how it must have seemed, all those years. Me living off my trust fund, looking for silly stuff to fill my time while you had to actually be a grown up andwork.”

“I, uh, might have been a little jealous of that,” she admitted, then sighed. “That makes me a crappyfriend.”

“It does not,” I assuredher.

To my surprise, Riley threw her arms around me, hugging me tight. “I’m really proud of you, girl. I feel like you’re so much more confident than you were at the beginning of the summer. And your jewelry kicks ass.” She released me, smile huge. “I think you’re going to be very successful, Jenny Hillman. Will you promise to remember me when you’re rich andfamous?”

I stuck my nose in the air and adopted an affected voice. “Well, I’m already quite rich and still slum around withyou.”

She laughed, punching my arm, and together we walked back into the Libbies meeting where the rest of our friendswaited.