Platinum (All That Glitters #3)(93)

“Yes,” Lydia beamed. “I hope you will join us.”

Damon caught Trihn’s eye, ignoring Lydia’s apparent charm. “We’ll see. Come on, love.”

Damon offered Trihn his arm, and they strolled into the house with their luggage without a backward look. Trihn showed him where the room was, and they stashed their bags.

She collapsed back onto the bed with a laugh. “That was hilarious. Did you see the look on his face?” she asked.

“I was preoccupied with yours.” He sank down on the bed and looked over at her. “You’re not still thinking about him, are you?” His words were hesitant, as if he hadn’t wanted to ask.

Trihn quickly sat up and looked deep into his eyes. “No. I didn’t mean it to come out like that. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want them to get married, but it’s not about me. It’s about Lydia. I wish I could prove to her that he’s not a good guy. But it has nothing to do with how I feel about Preston at all.”

“Okay. I just wanted to make sure that, when you saw him, it didn’t change anything.”

“Are you that worried about our love?” she asked.

“First love is hard to overcome. He was the guy you compared everyone else to. You’ve spent two years obsessing over a few days spent here at this beach house. I just want to make sure you’re okay, that we’re okay,” he told her.

“I am. We are,” she told him. “I’ve realized there are more good memories here than bad ones. I wish I’d seen it earlier. I was worried that being in this room would remind me of the time he and Lydia had had sex loud enough that I could hear it, driving me from the Hamptons entirely,” she said quietly.

“You never told me that.”

“It’s a dark memory. I don’t like to think about it. But being here with you is just right. It’s about new memories.” Trihn smiled. “You’re my future. I don’t want to live in the past.”

“Well, good,” Damon said before kissing down her neck, “because I like the idea of us having a future together.”

“Mmm…me, too.” She leaned her head back, getting lost in his kisses and forgetting everything else.





“WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?” Trihn screeched.

She and Damon had managed to survive an awkward dinner exchange with Preston and Lydia the night before. And to avoid another such encounter, Trihn and Damon had to decided to spend the day on the beach. But she definitely had not expected to see her two best friends from home strolling toward her.

Trihn tackled Renée in a hug. She was a petite African American girl with black hair, and she was the most amazing ballet dancer Trihn had ever seen. It had been crazy to be separated from her, but when they were back together, it was as if no time had passed.

“Hey, hooker,” Renée said with a laugh.

Trihn turned her sights to her other best friend, Ian. She released Renée and pulled Ian into a hug. The two couldn’t have been more different. Renée had grown up in the Bronx with a single mother and was constantly helping to provide for her younger siblings. But Ian was from old money, and his parents owned the beach house next to Trihn’s. He preferred cardigans and computers and was embarrassed by Renée’s crude humor. But they somehow worked.

“I’ve missed you both.”

Ian smiled. “It’s good to see you, too.”

“This is Damon.”

“Damon Stone,” Renée said, eyeing him up and down.

Shirtless, he was just wearing blue swim trunks, and Trihn knew he looked amazing.

“Well, I have to say this is a massive improvement,” Renée added.

Trihn laughed and looked at Renée in exasperation. Ian and Damon shook hands and immediately started talking as if they were old friends.

It felt…amazing. Trihn couldn’t believe how great it was to just be out in the sun in her all black bikini, lying in the sand with her boyfriend and best friends, with no worries. No Preston and Lydia. No Chloe. No paparazzi. It was just a relaxing day.

Except it wouldn’t last.

After they’d been out for an hour, two figures started traipsing toward them on the beach.

“Oh no,” Renée said.

“What?” Trihn asked. She put her sunglasses back on and squinted in their direction. “Oh.”

“Are they really coming over here?”

“Looks like it.”

Damon frowned. “Lydia really wants you to be at that wedding.”

“No f*cking way!” Renée cried.

“I have to agree. It would be disastrous,” Ian said.

“And I don’t want to go, so she can shove it,” Trihn added.

The group fell silent as Lydia and Preston drew near.

“Mind if we crash this party?” Lydia asked. “We brought some more beer.”

Preston dropped a cooler into the sand before anyone could decline, and he started handing out beers. Trihn reluctantly took one, hoping that the alcohol would soothe their bad company.

Lydia laid down another blanket in the sand and spread it out. Preston stripped out of his own shirt and tossed it into a bag before joining her.

Damon’s gaze rested back on Trihn, and she smiled confidently. She was not going to let this ruin their afternoon.