the hat. Julie had learned to change the subject or get out of her way when those moods hit. She’d talked to Cal years ago about seeing a therapist for her mood swings, but she’d just rolled her eyes. I don’t need a therapist when a good fuck will get my aggression out, Cal had once told her.
Julie disagreed as she pocketed her phone and hobbled into the house.
* * *
Carrie Ann slammed the door from her garage and tossed her keys on the kitchen counter. She hated every single thing about this day. Grabbing a bottle of peppermint schnapps from her freezer, she poured a stiff shot. She wasn’t much of a drinker, especially in the daytime, but she needed a little numbing at the moment. Tossing back the liquor, she felt the cold slide all the way to her stomach. She smacked her lips and poured another before sitting at the bar that overlooked the majority of the living space in her condo.
She had a beautiful place. She loved the energy of the dark red accent wall behind the flat screen TV, loved the splash of bright pillows on the black leather sofa. She couldn’t imagine living anywhere else, just as she knew that Drew loved the house they’d grown up in. Carrie Ann had managed both mortgages without too much trouble. She made a good living. Just not Julie Fraser’s living. Though she enjoyed the good things in life, she didn’t have the freedom that Julie had to spend money on anything anytime without a second thought.
Carrie Ann sipped her schnapps.
Julie should be here now, helping her with Drew. Instead, she’d taken the first opportunity to bail out of town with the first hard-bodied male who’d come along. Was it possible that Julie was actually fucking this guy and hadn’t told her? Maybe Drew was right. Julie was never there when they needed her. She pretended to be a best friend, but had she really proved it? Wouldn’t a best friend have told her about a new relationship?
Her anger rose in degrees as she swallowed the rest of her shot, grabbed the bottle and headed toward the front door. She pulled her Gucci suitcase out of the hall closet and carried it to her bedroom. She threw clothes haphazardly into the bag as she drank from the bottle. The piece was part of a set Julie had gifted her with years ago and Cal had loved it. Of course, now it was scratched, faded and in need of repair. Much like their friendship.
Sometimes things couldn’t be repaired and you had to get rid of them.
Her phone rang and she punched the talk button without looking at the screen. “What?” she snapped.
“Hi.” Al’s voice sounded tentative. Big surprise there. The guy was two nerds rolled into one.
Cal took a deep breath and poured on the charm. She was an actress first and foremost. “Hi. Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” She threw underwear into her bag and an idea formed in her head. “Are you busy for the next few days, the next week?” she amended.
“Uh. Depends. Why?” he asked.
She envisioned him scratching his jaw with his knuckles the way he did when he concentrated on something. “You feel like taking a road trip with me?”
“Where?”
“Massachusetts. I feel the need to check on my best friend. Want to tag along?”
The silence on the other end of the phone surprised her. For some reason, she thought Al would jump at the opportunity.
“I guess I can make a few calls and push some appointments. Sure. When did you want to go?”
“As soon as we can get packed and map out a course. We can take turns driving and sleeping and get there in about forty-five hours, give or take a few hours.”
“Wow. That’s an aggressive schedule. Your car?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes. He’d leased a Lexus, but hardly drove it. What was the point of having a car if he didn’t plan on driving it? “Yes. My car. I’ll pick you up in two hours.” She might not know exactly where Julie had landed in Massachusetts, but she had an end state and that was enough for now. Two hours should give her enough time to map out a route, finish packing and stop by the house for what she needed. It would also give her some time to do a little detective work. She not only planned on checking out Troy Mills, but she wanted to know more