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Ungodly amount? That doesn’t sound like Apple, either. Of course, I spent only an hour with her.
Addie pays for the cigarettes and then waits while I pay for my ice cream.
“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” I ask.
“Not really. Apple can wait a few minutes for her smokes.”
“You know what’s interesting?” I say. “We’re not anywhere near your place, either. And the last time I saw Apple, she wasn’t smoking.”
“When the hell did you see Apple?”
“Yeah, not your business,” I say.
“The hell it’s not. What did Apple say to you?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Something bothering you, Addie?”
She lowers her eyelids slightly, almost batting them for a second. “Of course not.”
“Really? Because I’m thinking those smokes aren’t for Apple. When did you start smoking?”
She scoffs. “I do not smoke.”
“And also, when did you start hanging around this part of town?” A light bulb flashes in my brain. “Which one of us are you following, Addie? Braden? Or me?”
“I don’t have to stand here and take this.” She flounces off, heading God knows where. I don’t see her car anywhere. This is a decent area, but no single woman should be walking alone after midnight.
“Whatever,” I murmur. I take my ice cream and head back to Tessa’s.
Once there, I knock.
No answer.
“Tess?” I say, trying not to shout too loudly. It is after midnight.
She doesn’t respond, so I turn the knob. It’s open. She didn’t lock up after I left, which is not like her at all.
So un-Tessalike. What the hell is going on?
I walk in. “Tess, I’m back.”
She must be in the bathroom. I jiggle the door handle, and—
“Oh my God!”
Chapter Forty-One
Tessa’s body is slumped over the toilet bowl, which is filled with vomit. Maybe that’s what she needed.
“Tess, come on.” I jiggle her shoulder.
She doesn’t move.
“Tessa! Come on!”
“What’s wrong?”
I jump out of my skin at the voice.
Addison Ames stands in the doorway to Tessa’s bathroom.
“How the hell did you get in here?”
“Same way you did. I walked in.”
“Why the fuck are you— Oh, hell. Never mind. Help me get her out of here.”
To my surprise, Addie helps me drag Tessa out of the bathroom.
“She’s out cold,” Addie says.
“Thanks for stating the obvious.” I pat Tessa’s cheek. “Tessa, come on. It’s Skye. Wake up.”
My heart beats wildly as fear settles in. Why isn’t she responding?
Did she take more drugs? Were there any drugs in the house? Fuck. “Call 911,” I say to Addie.
“She’s just drunk.”
“For God’s sake.” I leave Tessa for a moment to get my purse and grab my phone. I quickly dial 911 and explain the situation. “Please hurry,” I say before ending the call. Then I call Braden.
“Hey,” I say when he answers. “Tessa has passed out, and I’m afraid she might have done some drugs or something.”
“I’m on my way.”
“I may not be here. We called 911.”
“We? Who’s we?”
Shit. “Addie. It’s a long story. I’ll tell you when you get here.”
“Addie?” he nearly snarls. “I might have known.”
“Known what?”
“I can’t explain now. I’m heading to Tessa’s. If the ambulance gets there before I do, text me where you’re going.”
I nod into the phone. He can’t see me, but I can’t even think about that right now. He knew Addie was here?
But who cares? Tessa is unconscious, and I have no idea what she took.
I turn to Addie. “What do I do? What if she OD’d?”
“You mean Braden didn’t have all the answers?” she says with sarcasm.
“Stop it. Just stop it. This woman is unconscious. What do I do?”
“Why do you think I’d know?”
“You’re rich. You’ve probably experimented with drugs.”
“Apple did. I didn’t.”
“Then call Apple. Please. I don’t know what to do.”
She actually nods and grabs her phone. A few seconds later, “Apple said check to make sure she has a pulse.”
Good advice. Why didn’t I think of it? I place my fingers on Tessa’s neck. It’s faint, but it’s there. “Yeah, she’s got a pulse.”
“She’s alive,” Addie says into the phone. “Now what?”
Pause.
“She said make sure she’s lying on her side in case she pukes.”
“She already puked.”
“Doesn’t matter. She could puke again.”
“Got it.” I roll Tessa onto her side. “Now what?”
“Clear out her mouth.”
I take a quick look. “She’s clear.”
Addie listens intently with her phone to her ear. Then, “That’s all Apple knows. We just wait for the paramedics.”
I nod. “Tell her thanks.”
I sit, Tessa’s hand in mine, actually thankful that Addie is here. Having another conscious human helps me, even if it’s Addison Ames. Why she’s here, I still have no clue. Braden didn’t seem surprised, but I don’t even care about that right now.
Each second passes like an hour. Only ten minutes have elapsed since I called 911, but every moment is one less moment that Tessa has.
“Addie, look around,” I say, my other hand lodged on Tessa’s neck over her carotid. “See if you can find evidence of drugs. We need to be able to tell the paramedics what she took.”
