about Reed’s over-the-top “bougie-ness” the whole time.
When we come to a standstill in front of Reed’s yellow Ferrari, the second-to-last entry in the collection, I say, “Reed finally got this beauty back from the body shop yesterday. A few weeks ago, he was driving it too fast around a curve and, according to him, a tree ‘leaped out into the middle of the road,’ right in front of him.”
“Oh my gosh. Was Reed hurt?”
“No, thankfully. But the right front of the car wasn’t as lucky. Apparently, it was really smashed up... right through there.”
I crouch down and peer closely at the area in question, and Alessandra bends down and joins me in scrutinizing the body shop’s handiwork.
“You can’t even tell it was ever busted,” Alessandra marvels.
“Yeah, it looks as good as new. Wow.”
We straighten up and walk a few steps to our left.
“And last but not least... this is Reed’s favorite, by far.” I motion to Reed’s beloved Bugatti. “It’s a Bugatti Chiron. Which, believe me, is far superior to the Bugatti Veyron. The Bugatti folks really upped their ‘pickup’ game with the Chiron.”
Alessandra scoffs and rolls her eyes along with me. “Like I always say, the Veyron is a straight-up piece of shit.”
I burst out laughing. “That’s exactly what I said!”
We laugh and laugh.
“Wow, Georgie,” Alessandra says. She pauses to look around the expansive space. “Reed really did make you his Cinderella, didn’t he? Just like he said that night at the bar.”
I inhale sharply. Holy crap. Alessandra is right. He did. Indeed, that’s exactly how I’ve been feeling this entire week with him. Like Cinderella at the ball.
Alessandra walks a few steps away to inspect Reed’s sporting equipment on the far wall, but I stand frozen and flabbergasted by my epiphany. Have I been a fool to let myself get swept into a fairytale with a man like Reed Rivers—a man who’s made it quite clear he’s got no desire to be anyone’s Prince Charming? There can’t possibly be a happily ever after at the end of this fairytale I’ve been play-acting with Reed. I really need to remind myself of that fact, and prepare myself for the alternate ending. I need to pull back. Stuff these feelings down. Guard my heart so it won’t get hurt. I glance at Reed’s sparkling yellow Ferrari, and think, If I give my heart to Reed and he smashes it, I can’t imagine I’d come out the other side looking as good as new, the way this Ferrari did.
“Earth to Georgie,” Alessandra says.
I look at her blankly.
“I asked if you’re ready to go to the pool now, Cinderella?”
“Oh.” I take a deep breath. “Yeah, great. But, please, don’t make Cinderella my nickname. It only makes me think I’m one midnight away from everything around me turning into a pumpkin.”
***
After changing into our swimsuits, Alessandra and I arrive at the pool to find Reed’s sister and her friend enjoying the sunny day, joined by Josh and his pregnant wife, Kat, who’s rocking a white string bikini with her baby bump, and Henn, who’s here with his adorable, bespectacled wife, Hannah.
Introductions are made, and easy conversation ensues. After some preliminaries, Kat asks me about the special issue and how I got my cool gig, so I tell the group the story of how I ambushed CeeCee at an on-campus event for music students.
“Sounds like she’s your spirit animal, Kat,” Josh says to his wife. “A woman who knows how to get shit done.”
“He’s complimenting you,” Kat assures me. “Josh loves my devious side.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Josh says, laughing. “The way Kat cleverly gets what she wants is one of my all-time favorite things about her. Kat’s family calls itself the Morgan Mafia. And she’s definitely ‘The Godmother’ in that clan.”
“Oh, you’re a Morgan?” I say to Kat, putting two and two together. “Are you related to Keane and Dax?”
“They’re my brothers. My two little brothers. I’ve also got two big brothers. I like to say I’m the meat in a Morgan brothers sandwich.” She giggles at her own joke.
“Are your two older brothers coming to the party tonight, too?”
I don’t recall seeing any other Morgans on the guest list. But, then again, I didn’t make it through the entire list before Alessandra showed up.
“No. My oldest brother, Colby, isn’t a big partier. And my second-oldest brother, Ryan, loves to party, but not with Reed.”
My stomach clenches. “Oh.”
Kat looks embarrassed. “Oh, no, it’s nothing big. Reed flirted with Ryan’s wife, a million years ago, and