Girl Crush(74)



The wrinkle between his brows when he furrowed them normally brought a smile to my face. It was adorable the way he scrunched his forehead and nose. But I was irritated he wasn’t more aware of my circumstances…even if I’d never drawn him a picture.

“I don’t have any money.” Never in my life had I been ashamed of my financial status. I was proud of the things I did have and didn’t need more. I could go out with my friends, travel occasionally, and every once in a while, buy myself a new purse or outfit. OPI was a fixture in my budget like most people bought milk, but I hadn’t picked up a single bottle in forever.

He reached for his wallet in his back pocket. “Here, just take my card.”

The piece of plastic felt like failure in my hand. “I don’t want it.”

“That’s silly, Elle. I asked you to go get the beer; I should pay for it.”

My teeth worried my bottom lip, and I refused to give in. My stubborn streak was as long and wide as the Grand Canyon.

“Why not?” His tone had gone from complacent to agitated quickly.

“Because I refuse to be that girl. I don’t want to take money from you. I want to stop buying things I can’t afford.”

“Where’s all this coming from?” It seemed to be from left field in Collier’s mind, but I thought about it every time I made another entry in my checkbook. “What girl are you talking about?”

“The one who takes money from you. Who uses you to improve their social standing.”

He lowered his head to meet my eyes. When I dared to face him, all I saw was love…and a shit-eating grin. “Babe, you’re the one who insists on keeping everything separate. Everything I have is yours. If you need anything, tell me, and I’ll make it happen. But, sweetheart,” he stroked my cheek with the pad of his thumb, “I don’t know what you don’t communicate. I don’t have a clue what your financial situation is because we’ve never talked about money. I mean besides the whole house thing.”

“How could you not know all of this”—I circled my arms around to show I meant the space in our home—“was a strain for me?”

“Because I assumed when we bought the house, that meant we were both in. Sold out. Mi casa es su casa. I don’t think of anything we have as mine.”

“I just know how angry you used to get with Beck when she’d use your credit card. And I never want you to question whether I’m with you because I love you or because of the lifestyle you bring to the relationship.”

He squeezed me in a full-body press and held my head to his chest. “I all but forced you to move out of your shoebox. It’s safe to say unless you’re a damn fine actress with the patience of a saint, that wasn’t a show you put on. Unless you have an Academy Award I’m unaware of.”

“Do you realize I haven’t bought a single bottle of OPI since we moved here?” I confessed into his chest. It might seem insignificant to anyone else, but it was my weekly splurge.

“Is that your nail stuff?”

I nodded as I pouted. I didn’t mind sacrificing for us, but it was tough when it felt like I was the only one doing it. His large hand cupped the back of my head and then ran the length of my hair. He kissed the top of my head before he handed me the credit card again.

Resigned to accepting this, I took the card and went to the store. When I came back, I let go of it for the time being. It hadn’t seemed to be an issue for Collier, and I didn’t want to ruin the evening. I filled up the cooler outside and put the rest of the beer in the fridge.

I stepped out onto the patio and hopped around, trying to get my bare feet off the hot ground.

“Gizzy, come sit with me.”

I traipsed over to my bestie, sitting with her girlfriend. Roxie and Amy had gotten into the water, and Beck and Stella were near the grill with Parker, Mark, and Collier.

I flopped my butt down on the lounge chair next to her, and my boobs nearly popped out of the top of my swimsuit. While I stuffed them back in, Ronnie made some raunchy face.

“Did you get a boob job along the way that I somehow missed?” she questioned me while staring down at my cleavage.

“No, why?”

“Your shit is busting out. Maybe you need to go up a size in the bikini department.”

“This is the same size I’ve always worn.”

“Did you put it in the dryer? Because it sure as hell doesn’t fit the way it did last summer.”

Trish took a swig of her beer before chiming in. “The girls look a lot firmer now that you mention it.”

“Jesus. Have the two of you been taking my measurements? Borrowing my bras?” I hadn’t been running quite as much as I did before we moved, but that was just the distance, I still worked out every day. We’d moved farther out, and now had a longer commute so I shaved off a mile.

“It wasn’t an insult. Just noticed you were heading in the opposite direction of most women your age.”

“You’re just as old as I am, Ronnie.”

“Anyone else would be thrilled to have someone say their tits had gotten fuller and firmer, but somehow, you’ve got your panties in a twist. And what’s with the mood swings? Are you and West fighting?” Ronnie eyed me. I knew what she was doing—she swore my right eye twitched just slightly anytime I lied.

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