Page 102 of Heartbreak Baby

Colston’s stayed near the entryway this whole time instead of crowding around the couch.

“Hey, Goldie girl.” His eyes drop to the marks on her arm, and his mouth tightens before he looks back at her. “I volunteered for Shamu-sitting duty. Felt irresponsible to let him operate heavy machinery unsupervised.”

Goldie’s mouth twitches. “Was he that bad?”

“Let’s just say there’s a good chance he’d have ended up in jail if I’d let him come alone.”

That gets a small laugh out of her.

Colston comes closer then, stopping on the other side of the coffee table. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m okay.”

Goldie reaches out, and Colston takes her hand and gives it a squeeze. “And for the record, Ellie was right to smack the shit out of him.”

“See?” Ellie says, gesturing at my best friend. “Jenny gets it.”

I look at Colston. “You know, this might actually bump you into the number-one best-friend spot.”

His head whips toward me. “What?”

“I said might.”

“Hold on.” His whole face lights up as he digs his phone out of his pocket. “Say it again.”

“Not happening.”

Goldie’s smiling now, some of the strain finally gone from around her eyes, and I appreciate the hell out of Colston for getting her there.

“Come on, Shamu.” He has his phone up already, the camera pointed at me, and he’s wearing a huge shit-eating grin. “Trace will never believe me without proof.”

“Then I guess he’ll never believe you.”

“You’re an asshole.”

Goldie laughs beside me, and Colston immediately swings the phone toward her.

“You heard him, Goldie girl. Back me up.”

“He said might, Jenny.”

Colston’s grin drops. “Whose side are you on?”

“His, kiddo. Sorry.”

“Unbelievable.”

“Put the phone away,” I tell him.

He gives me a long, offended look like I’ve just taken something precious from him, but the phone disappears back into his pocket.

Goldie’s smile lingers for another second before it fades. Her fingers curl around mine again, and when she looks back at me, her shoulders draw inward, making her look smaller than she did a second ago. I’ve never seen her hold herself like this.

“I need to tell you the rest of what happened.”

Ellie sets her glass on the island and jerks her head toward the sliding doors. “Come on, Jenny. We’ll go hang out back.”

Colston gives Goldie’s hand one last squeeze before letting go. “I’ll be right outside.”