For The Win (Gamer Girls, #6) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,75

help, but Kate and Adam had never once hesitated. Just look at this hotel room! She was stuck in the middle of the worst day of her life, and living like some kind of queen. So, if she had to beg for help, it would be to them first, Psyc second, and then she'd go from there. One way or another, she'd get a job, get back on her feet, and then figure out how to achieve her own personal dreams.

Rhaven had just lined her lips when someone tapped at the door. A quick swipe of lipstick finished her look, then she hurried to get her meal. In truth, she was starving, so the lipstick was a waste, but she didn't care. This was her own personal therapy, because she honestly liked how it felt when people called her ma'am and miss.

But it wasn't some guy with a tray waiting in the hall. Instead, it was Kate. Her hair was a jumbled mess of orange curls on her head, her mascara was a bit smudged, and her clothes were clearly meant for an office. It was the suitcase behind her that was the most confusing.

"Kate?" Rhaven asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to check on you," she said, grabbing the handle to wheel her bag into the room. "Oh, and we're sharing tonight. Someone's in the presidential suite until the morning, and Adam won't be here until Friday."

"Uh..." Rhaven just closed the door behind her. "But don't you have to work?"

"Not when my best friend is having a crisis," Kate explained, parking her luggage beside the couch. Then she turned around. "How are you, Rhaven? Honestly?"

"Still waiting for it to sink in," Rhaven admitted.

"Well, Adam is freaking out, so he basically told me to get my ass here and make sure you weren't alone."

"I'm fine," Rhaven insisted.

"Yeah," Kate agreed, making it clear that was obvious. "But this sucks, and no one should have to deal with it on their own, and I'm sort of freaking out for you. So! This means we get a girl's night, all drinks and food is on Adam, and I want to hear all the details you skipped over." Then she flicked a finger at Rhaven's hair. "And I just had an idea."

"What?"

"Tonight, we relax, and tomorrow I think we should get our hair done. I know I need a cut, and I have a feeling you've never been allowed to do anything but something androgynous, right?" Kate shrugged. "Rhaven, you're the only girl who'll do these things with me. So… what do you think?"

"I lost my job," she reminded her best friend. "I have no idea what I'm doing on Sunday. I don't even know if my dad will want to talk to me, and I'm pretty sure I can't go back to Prescord! I can't just go get my hair done on a whim."

Kate flicked her tongue against the corner of her mouth, reached into her pocket, and then pulled out a very silver credit card. "Adam said it's on him. He said I deserve a day off, and you deserve a good day. Anything we want. Rhaven, he's rich. Like stupid rich. The man gives millions to the QQ program, let alone all the other stuff, and this is how he can feel like he's helping. It took me a long time to figure that out, but you're my best friend, and to him, that's the same as family. So? What do you think?"

"I've never had a girl's haircut before," Rhaven admitted.

Kate grabbed her laptop bag and headed over to the couch. "Nails?"

"Never did that either."

"Then let's make an appointment someplace for the afternoon, and our dinner should be here soon." Kate sat down on the couch and began typing away. "So how bad was it really?"

Rhaven took the spot across from her. "I don't know. I mean, these people showed up at work, and I honestly thought they were going to beat the shit out of me, but I think that was the worst."

"Besides the embarrassment of it all," Kate pointed out.

Rhaven just shrugged. "I'm actually kinda used to that part. Although I did puke in the trash can at the register."

"Oh," Kate groaned, smacking the enter key. "Yeah, that sucks." Then she set the laptop on the coffee table between them and stood. "Appointment's made for tomorrow. I'm brewing coffee, but tell me about your family. How'd they take it?"

While Kate headed to the kitchenette, Rhaven clasped her hands on