The pressure lifted off his shoulders with those words was immense. “In that case, I’ll come. I promise.”
“I love you, you know. I don’t say it enough, because I assumed you knew I love you. But that’s the problem. Sometimes we think a person doesn’t need to hear something because it’s obvious, because they know what’s in our hearts. But that’s not how the world works. We have to say the things.” He cleared his throat. “So, I love you. I want you to be happy.”
Jas swallowed the lump in his throat. “I love you, too. I am still extremely mad at you about this ruse.”
“Fair.”
“I don’t quite understand how you pulled this off. Is this legal?”
“Pshaw.” His grandfather puffed out his chest. “I am the Peach Prince. Favors have been called in for this.”
Jas glanced around. “Do we need to leave?”
His grandfather grinned. “It was lots of favors. We can stay here for a minute. Open that drawer, son.”
Jas opened the nightstand drawer and couldn’t help but chuckle at the bottle of scotch inside. “Grandpa, honestly.” He glanced up when there was no response, to find Gurjit and Andrés exchanging a look.
“Haven’t heard you laugh in a while,” his dad explained.
Aw, jeez. Jas had something in his eye. “You’ll hear it more, I think.” He pulled out the bottle. “Who wants a drink?”
Chapter Thirty
“I LOVE YOU.”
“No, I love you.”
“I love you more.”
“Ugh.” Jia dropped her phone on her stomach and glared at Katrina and Rhiannon. “Being sober around drunk people is so annoying. Is this how Lakshmi feels when she’s around me?”
Katrina laughed and rested her head on Rhiannon’s shoulder. They sat on their patio, enjoying the cool evening air and relaxing after dinner. Katrina had grilled burgers for them. Then they’d opened the wine. Then they’d drunk the wine.
And now she and Rhiannon were ensconced side by side in a chaise lounge, the chair too small to really hold both of them, but that was okay. Katrina did love cuddling.
“How is the internet doing, Jia?” Rhiannon’s words weren’t slurred yet, so Katrina figured they hadn’t drunk enough wine.
“Pretty good, actually. The internet is amazing.” Jia twirled a thread on the hem of her dress between her fingers. She wore a flowy embroidered caftan this evening. She looked like a garden princess.
“Amazing,” Katrina echoed sardonically, but she was amazed at how quickly her statement had been embraced. Think pieces upon think pieces had been furiously written all day.
She was sure there was an ugly section of the internet that had sneered at her earnest plea for privacy, but she wasn’t living for them. She had a web of people who had protected her, even if some people hadn’t. Her family. People who, even if she was exposed, would shelter her.
“It helps that those Japanese zoo escape drills went viral.” Rhiannon tucked Zeus under her chin and scratched the kitten. Doodle was happily snoozing in the garden. “You couldn’t hold anyone’s interest, really, when up against a man in a panda suit running away from tranq guns.”
“So glad I’m less attractive than a six-foot-tall man-panda.” Katrina stretched her legs out. “I hope the couple and Ross don’t get too much hate, though.”
“Ugh, Lakshmi’s right, you’re so nice,” Rhiannon said.
“I’m not nice. There’s nothing wrong with giving people the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps they’ll learn from this and grow.”
“Too. Nice.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m on Rhiannon’s side. You are too nice.” Jia came to her feet. “I’ll get you guys some water.”
Rhiannon set the cat on the ground. “I don’t mean anything bad when I say you’re nice, by the way. I think it takes a certain kind of strength, when the world is hateful or mean, to come out on the other side with your heart and your kindness and your humanity intact. I honestly don’t know how you can be so optimistic after everything you’ve been through.”
Katrina gazed at the sprawling city in front of them, the sun setting over the ocean in the distance. She’d bought this house partially for the privacy, but mostly for the view. “I think I have to be hopeful because of everything I’ve been through. That doesn’t mean I’m not angry. But if I didn’t have hope or believe in others, what’s the point?” She shook her head. “Humans aren’t meant to be indefinitely bent into pretzels. We bend until we snap, and then we put ourselves back together and hold steady until someone or something bends us again. Every part of that process requires strength, and hope, I think.” Even the breaking. Even if you need help putting yourself back together.
Rhiannon nodded. “I get it. Everything may not be perfect all the time, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hope for more.”
“Happiness is a radical act.”
“What?”
Katrina’s smile was self-conscious. “I saw it on this sign in French Coast and it kinda spoke to me. I was raised to make sure everyone else was happy. So now, when I’m truly happy, it feels . . . radical. To be happy, or even to have the possibility of happiness, when the world tells you you shouldn’t, it’s downright subversive.”
Rhi’s eyes shone. “Like you’re showing everyone who made you unhappy.”
Katrina nodded.
“I used to tell myself success was the best revenge. But I like your saying better.”
“Whatever works.”
Rhiannon took her wineglass, set it on the table, and then hugged Katrina tight. “Cinnamon roll. Too good, too pure for this world,” she whispered against Katrina’s hair. “I’ll protect you with my life.”
Katrina laughed. “Hopefully it’ll never come to that.”
Jia came back out to the patio and handed them each a water bottle. “Drink this, or you’ll be miserable tomorrow. Now, who did we drunk-text while I was gone?”
“No one. Samson had to go to bed early.” Rhiannon gave Katrina a questioning look.
She rolled her eyes. “Jas is with his sick grandpa, guys!”
“Have you heard from him at all?” Rhiannon asked.
“He texted me when he got to Yuba City.”
Jia wrinkled her nose. “That’s it?”
“Yes.” Katrina took a sip of her water. “What more do you want?”
“I dunno, your smooching this morning looked way more fiery than hey plane landed texts.”
“Like I said, his grandfather’s sick.”
“He’s not dead, right?”
“Jia,” Rhiannon snapped.
“Sorry, sorry. What I mean is, you could still text him a supportive emoji. A kissy face or a hug.”
Rhiannon stuck her tongue in her cheek. “Or the eggplant.”
“I’m definitely not doing that last one.”
“What’s up with you guys? You haven’t figured stuff out yet?” Rhiannon asked.
“No.” Katrina made a frustrated noise. “He doesn’t say anything. That’s the problem. I know him and love him, but I can’t read his mind.”