XI

Summer Preston

"I don't think my arms can hold any more bags!" Nolan groaned dramatically behind Adrianna and me, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

"We only have a few more stores left to hit!" I replied cheerfully, brushing off his complaint as I stepped into Louis Vuitton.

"A few more?" he groaned. "Why do you guys need so many clothes anyway?"

I turned and gave him an incredulous look. "We're going to LA, Nolan. Obviously we need this many clothes. What do you expect us to do—pack light?"

Adrianna giggled beside me, her arms laden with shopping bags that Nolan had yet to take from her. Meanwhile, I was already eyeing the luggage display near the front of the store.

Currently, the three of us were deep into a shopping spree. Well, Adrianna and I were shopping. Nolan had been reduced to our unofficial bag carrier—and, judging by his dramatic sighs, he was taking his new role very seriously.

To be fair, we already had our premiere outfits picked out, but you can never be too prepared. We needed backup outfits, casual options, accessories—the works. What if something didn't fit quite right? Or worse, what if someone else wore the same thing? A nightmare like that could only be avoided with options.

"Which suitcase do you like better?" I asked Adrianna, holding up two options—a sleek pink hard-shell and a minimalist blue one.

She tilted her head thoughtfully. "The pink one, definitely. It's cute. You should get the matching duffle bag too."

"You read my mind," I said with a grin, scanning the store for Nolan. I spotted him lounging on one of the plush chairs in the corner, sipping a flute of their complimentary champagne.

"Maybe we should've brought the drivers inside to help him with the bags," I said, pointing toward him.

"He'll survive," Adrianna replied breezily, tossing another shopping bag in his direction. Nolan groaned as it landed on top of the pile already towering over him.

We wrapped up at Louis Vuitton and moved on to Chanel, Zara, and Cartier. By the time we finally left, it felt like we had purchased half of the inventory from every store on Rodeo Drive.

The premiere was just a week and a half away, and I wanted to make sure I had everything I could possibly need. Clothes, shoes, toiletries—you name it. Adrianna and Nolan had their teams to help them prep for the event, but I preferred to handle these details myself. If you want something done right, you do it yourself.

When we finally got home, I staggered through the door, balancing what felt like twenty shopping bags on each arm. Nolan trailed behind, looking like he might collapse at any moment. Adrianna was too busy texting to notice anything.

"Did I need most of this stuff?" I muttered to myself as I dumped the bags onto the floor. "Probably not. Did I want it? Absolutely."

After all, money does buy happiness. I don't care what anyone says.

I carried everything upstairs, one trip at a time, and began unpacking. I laid it all out on my bed: designer dresses, heels that sparkled in the light, skincare products with names I could barely pronounce, and, of course, my new pink suitcase and matching duffle. It was a sight to behold—like a mini department store had exploded in my room.

As I started packing, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. The premiere was so close, and this trip to LA was going to be everything. For now, though, I had one job: get organized. Or at least, pretend to.

After about three hours of meticulously sorting undergarments, pajamas, loungewear, club outfits, regular outfits, event outfits, sneakers, heels, slides, jewelry, and skincare products, I was finally done. My bed looked like a perfectly organized fashion display. I flopped onto it with a satisfied sigh.

This was the best part of being a girl—organizing, planning, preparing. A man could never understand the pure joy of this process.

As I stared at the ceiling, letting the exhaustion sink in, my phone buzzed with a notification. I reached over to grab it, noticing Solené's name on the screen.

Hey, are you home?

I quickly typed back. Yes, I replied.

Her response came almost instantly. Can I have your address?

I frowned, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. Why? I typed, raising an eyebrow even though she obviously couldn't see me.

I just need it. Please?

I let out a small groan, knowing full well that curiosity would get the best of me. Fine, I typed, sending her my address before tossing my phone onto the bed.

Shaking off the mystery, I decided to head downstairs to grab a snack. As soon as I walked into the kitchen, I froze. There they were: Adrianna perched on one of the stools, casually munching on my Nutella biscuits, while Nolan leaned against the counter, unapologetically digging into my Goldfish.

"Both of you, out!" I exclaimed, marching over and snatching the snack bags from their hands. "Why are you eating my snacks? Don't you have homes?!"

Adrianna pouted dramatically. "What kind of best friend kicks their besties out like this?"

"This kind," I shot back, pointing toward the door. "Now go!"

Nolan sighed, reluctantly pushing off the counter. "We'll be back tomorrow."

"I know. That's the problem," I muttered, ushering them both toward the front door. Before either could argue, I slammed it shut behind them, leaning against it for a moment to savor the silence.

Finally, peace.

I walked back into the kitchen, grabbing one of the Nutella biscuits that Adrianna had so graciously opened for me. My mind wandered back to Solené's cryptic text. Why did she need my address? And why now?

Shaking my head, I chalked it up to Solené being her usual mysterious self. For now, I decided, I deserved to enjoy a quiet night. Well, as quiet as it could be when you had a week and a half until the biggest premiere of the year.

A soft knock interrupted my snack break, echoing through the quiet house. Frowning, I made my way to the door. When I opened it, I was greeted by none other than Solené, standing there with flushed cheeks, a bouquet of flowers in her hands, and a bright, slightly wobbly smile.

"Hey," she said, her voice warm and a little breathless. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes sparkling, and it didn't take me more than a second to realize she was tipsy.

I leaned against the doorframe, crossing my arms with a playful smirk. "So your plan was to show up to my house... tipsy?"

She pouted in that exaggerated, adorable way that made it hard to be annoyed with her. "I was out having a drink with some friends," she explained, holding up the flowers like a peace offering. "And I realized that the flowers I gave you last time probably died by now, so I brought you more."

Before I could respond, she continued, her words rushing out like a flood. "And also... I wanted to see you because I feel like I can't get enough of you. You're on my mind all the time and I don't know if that's normal, but—"

I pressed a hand over her mouth, cutting off her rant with a soft laugh. "Aww, sweetheart, you're definitely drunk," I teased, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face. Her skin was warm under my fingertips, and she blinked up at me with wide, glassy eyes.

"Come on," I said, taking her arm gently. "Let's get you sobered up."

I led her inside, supporting her as she swayed slightly on her feet. She clung to my arm with one hand while still gripping the bouquet tightly in the other. In the kitchen, I guided her onto a stool and handed her a glass of water.

"Drink," I instructed, watching as she gulped it down in record time.

"Better?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Mm-hmm. Much better."

"Good," I said, taking the flowers from her. "And thank you for these. They're beautiful."

As I placed the flowers in a vase, I heard a soft giggle behind me. I turned just in time to see Solené grab the kitchen faucet. Her mischievous grin gave her away, but before I could react, she pressed the sprayer nozzle, sending a jet of cold water straight at my chest.

"Solené!" I yelped, stumbling back as the cold water soaked through my shirt.

She doubled over in laughter, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling. "Oh my god, your face! Totally worth it!" she managed to say between wheezes of laughter.

I glared at her, but her laughter was contagious. "You are so dead for that," I warned, snatching the sprayer from her hands.

"Wait, no!" she shrieked, trying to dodge, but it was useless. I aimed the nozzle and sprayed her right back, drenching her hair and shoulders.

She squealed, holding up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! I give up!"

I turned the water off, both of us soaked and breathless from laughing. My shirt clung to my skin, and her once-fluffy hair now dripped water onto the kitchen floor.

"You're ridiculous," I said, shaking my head as I grabbed a towel and handed it to her.

She dabbed at her wet hair, grinning cheekily. "And you love it."

"Debatable," I shot back, rolling my eyes even though I couldn't fight the smile tugging at my lips. "You're lucky I like you."

"You love me," she teased, her grin widening.

"Keep telling yourself that," I said, wringing out my hair as she laughed again.

I sighed, realizing we couldn't sit around dripping wet. "Come on," I said, tugging her toward the stairs. "You need dry clothes before you ruin my couch too."

I found her a pair of sweatpants and an oversized hoodie from my closet. She held them up, smirking. "You're really going for the whole cozy vibe, huh?"

"It's either that or I throw you in my dryer," I shot back, grabbing a change of clothes for myself.

She giggled and disappeared into the bathroom to change while I headed to my room. I slipped into a pair of leggings and an old T-shirt, grateful to finally be dry. When I came back downstairs, she was already waiting in the living room, curled up on the couch in my hoodie that was far too big for either of us.

"Much better," I said, grabbing a blanket and draping it over both of us as I joined her.

She leaned back, pulling the hood over her damp hair. "Okay, I admit it—this is nice."

I chuckled, tucking my legs under me. "See? Cozy vibes win every time."

We settled into a comfortable silence, the warmth of the blanket chasing away the chill from earlier. Solené leaned against me, her head resting lightly on my shoulder.

"You know," she said softly, her voice quieter now, "I wasn't lying earlier. I really can't stop thinking about you."

Her words hung in the air, warm and earnest. My chest tightened, but I kept my tone light. "Oh yeah? And what exactly are you thinking about?"

She gave a small, sleepy laugh. "Just... you. Being here. Talking to me. I don't know—it's like you've taken up permanent space in my head."

I smiled, brushing a damp strand of hair from her face. "Well, I guess I should be flattered."

She nodded against my shoulder, her eyes fluttering closed. "You should be," she murmured, her voice trailing off as sleep claimed her.

Within moments, her breathing slowed, and her head slid down to rest on my lap. I froze for a moment, glancing down at her. She looked so peaceful like this, her features soft and relaxed, her usual energy quieted into something calm and unguarded.

Careful not to wake her, I adjusted the blanket around her and leaned back into the couch. The room was still now, save for the sound of her breathing, and for the first time all day, everything felt perfectly right.

For once, the chaos didn't feel like chaos at all—it just felt like her. And that was more than enough.