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Frankie was bawling by the tirief and that had always made it easier for an "I’ve thought about this a lot I spent so ether And in all of that ti about anybody How is that even possible? He was just so good Iface, and how he’d co a problem, no el in heaven" She took a big bite of her cookie, like it was a toast You had to get creative around alcoholics likebite

I hadn’t expected Danika to say anything, I don’t knohy, but of course, she did She’d always had a ords, a way to shape the me coan "He used to callto him on the phone For hours He was the best talker And listener" She bent down and reached into her bag, pulling out a flip phone The thing was a relic

Her s hard not to cry "This thing can’t keep a charge for ten et rid of it I didn’t find this until after he passed"

She pushed some buttons, and then the sound of Jared’s voice came out of the phone "Hey sis I know you’re upset with hi he said Just give a brothers love you, sis Never doubt it"

That one gutted the roo while Even with the way it’d hurt, it’d still felt so daot completely blitzed at the sportsbook in the Cavendish casino?" Danika finally spoke to say "We had so much fun He was always so much fun"

Frankie smiled, mascara trails all over he pretty face "I reht You were off with Jared, while Tristan and I complained, for hours, about how crazy woht have come up a time or two, in the crazy column"

She rolled her eyes "I’m sure I took up most of the crazy coluether every video ever taken of Jared years ago There were only a few of us as kids, but thank God there had been several years worth of camera phones before he’d passed That made up the bulk of it We watched theood day of re, but it was better with her there Everything was

I’dand had a few rimaced when I saw that one was frootten her contracted to another act in two months, and she was not happy about it But she’d been acting strange since Danika and I had gotten back together, and it made me realize not to trust her, to in fact keep

Still, I listened to it, because it was unusual for her to leave a e I was a little stunned at what I heard And sad What were the odds, on today of all days?

I went to sit back with the group "Tony Biello just died," I said numbly I knew the numbness wouldn’t last He’d been a ure He’d been scheduled to uess I shouldn’t be this shocked He retired his act because his health was bad"

Danika hugged me hard I’d never talked to her about Tony, but I had a feeling she knew everything She’d beentabs on each other over the years

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

DANIKA

I showed up at his house already dressed in a conservative black sheath dress, non, my makeup neutral and soft I was in full funeral o

I felt bad about it, but I still didn’t feel right about going Mona always tried to be pleasant, but her father had just died, she had to be hurting, and I just didn’t think she’d want me to be there

I searched for the words to explain this to Tristan without sounding like an insensitive jerk about the whole thing He knew I didn’t like Mona

As though to pre-empt ing into his dress shirt It was still unbuttoned, and I ran ainst his tanned, tatted skin was just too delicious not to touch

He caught ainst hi to this It ht now, and I know you don’t like Mona, so I’ed hi backing out And for being so obvious about disliking Mona She’d really done nothing to earn it, aside froic s The two of you will never see eye to eye Let the lifelong catfight commence)