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“Thank you, Jenny.” She grinned at me, eyes sparkling. “I don’t know how much credit I can take, though. It’s pretty easy to look classy in a thousand-dollar sweater.”
“Ha! True,” I agreed. “But you look happy, and I’m so happy for you.”
Audrey’s eyes sparkled. “I feel like I need to pinch myself. Everything that’s happened since I met James is like a fairy tale. I do feel… Happy.”
I squeezed her hand. “Nobody deserves that as much as you. And it makes me, your BFF, happy to hear it.”
The server brought us menus and coffee; luckily, everything on the entree list was recognizable. We each ordered French toast with berries and more coffee. Audrey looked tired but somehow also energized. “What did you get up to last night?” I asked.
“Oh, you know, engaged-person kind of things.” She winked at me. “How about you and Cole? You two seemed pretty romantic in the hot tub.”
I had another sip of coffee before I answered her. “It’s kind of hard not to be romantic. It’s stunning here. And it’s a wicked nice hot tub.”
Audrey gave me a level stare. “And it’s Cole.”
I groaned. “Oh, all right,” I snapped. “And it’s Cole. Are you happy?”
She grinned again. “If you are.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I’m happy. It’s just… complicated.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
I sighed, yearning to tell her the truth. “It’s like I told you before,” I said instead. “Cole and I are from two different worlds.”
She started to argue, and I held up my hand. “Woah, Audrey. Here’s the thing. Like I said when I first saw you, you’re classy. It doesn’t matter how much your sweaters cost. You were only ever working as an escort because you needed to keep your brother in his group home. You’re a saint.”
“No, I’m not, but that doesn’t even matter. You’re not a bad person because you’re an escort, Jenny.” Audrey’s eyes were huge in her face. “I know you used to waitress—so did I. Good luck paying rent in the city on tips. It’s not exactly like either of us had a trust fund to fall back on, or a degree, or aparent.”
“I know all that.” I blew out a deep breath. “But I got a history, Audrey. I’m no good for someone like Cole.”
“Cole’s probably got a history, too,” she quipped. “And just because he’s rich doesn’t make him any better than you.”
We stared at each other for a beat. “Rich people don’t have the same kinda problems, though, you know?” I asked.
Audrey nodded. “I know. But look at James’s mother. Is she any better than us because she was born rich? I don’t think so.”
Celia Preston had been arrested for hiring someone to get rid of a young woman James had dated when he was young. The woman, Danielle, died in a car accident after being run off the road. It was a cold case, but the Boston police department had recently reopened it. Celia had been arrested and released on bail. She hadn’t been formally indicted yet, but James believed that his mother was directly involved in Danielle’s death.
“Of course not—Celia Preston’s the devil,” I said. I shivered and crossed myself. “But that’s not even what I’m talking about. What I mean is that sometimes you do things because you’re poor that you would never do if you were rich. Like hooking. I don’t know many financially independent hookers, do you?”
“No,” Audrey said. “But just because you need money to eat and keep a roof over your head doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. You’re the one who taught me that.”
“Yeah, well, maybe stop throwing it in my face, then.” I finished my coffee. “Let’s go pet some buffalo, okay? I don’t want to argue with my BFF about the morality of being a prostitute!”
The server jerked his head in our direction, and I grimaced. “I guess I should be a little quieter,” I said.
Audrey arched an eyebrow. “Good thing we basically own the place.”
“Ha, yeah. Good thing.” We hopped up and headed to the lobby, where we were supposed to meet our guide for the day.
“I forgot my sunglasses—let me run and get them,” Audrey said. “Meet you in the lobby.”
I headed in the opposite direction, smiling when my phone buzzed. Cole must’ve finally woken up. “Hello?” I said brightly.
“Jennifer, this is Lewis Bryson.”
“I can’t talk right now?—”
