Epilogue
Morgan, A Few Weeks Later
Sunday Funday has a notable absence this week—Kit.
“Where is he?” Hunter asks, looking worried.
The rest of us exchange glances. We’re at Hunter’s house, because it’s too cold up on the mountain to play. So far it’s just the eight of us.
Hunter’s got a card table set up next to his dining room table to fit enough seats for everyone and we’ve plunked Rory there with her cast. She’s grumpy because she’s on painkillers and can’t have a mimosa (which Bailey has decorated with fanned-out strawberry slices and I would love to see Rory enjoying one).
Bailey’s half a drink in already and has been complaining about some tax kerfuffle at her job to Leo, who sits next to her looking confused and saying things like, “I thought taxes were due April fifteenth” and “But why would you prepay taxes?” Silas sits next to her.
Jared and Quinn round out the group. Tuan had a family obligation, so at least we know where he is.
But Kit . . . he’s a no-call, no-show.
“When was the last time Kit missed Sunday Funday?” Leo asks.
Hunter’s arms are crossed over his chest and he’s peering out the front window. “Not since he moved back from Albany.”
“Maybe he’s with—” I snap my mouth shut, having just remembered that I’m not supposed to know that he’s been spending time with a certain celebrity.
Hunter’s eyes narrow. “With who?”
Fortunately Silas interrupts. “Come on, you’ve seen him around town a few times with that woman, Jess.”
“Yeah, but still. He wouldn’t miss Sunday Funday.”
“Should we start without him?” Bailey asks.
Hunter doesn’t answer for a moment, and then he sighs. “Let’s give it five more minutes.” He paces over to the table and picks up his phone. “I wish he was answering our texts.”
Bailey and Silas exchange glances over their mimosas and Hunter resumes pacing.
“So, you have a kid?” Rory asks Jared, who is more than happy to tell my girlfriend how “fucking cool” his daughter is.
After the five minutes are up, we start our game without Kit. We’re a few rounds in and I’ve just given Hunter a penalty for playing out of turn (on an easy move, but he’s so distracted he can’t function properly) when Bailey’s phone buzzes.
She picks it up, frowning at the screen, and taps something. Her eyes widen.
“Oh my god. Kit’s in LA.”
Hunter stands. “What do you mean Kit’s in LA?”
Bailey holds her phone out and presses the button to turn up the volume. She leans over to show the video to Rory and the rest of us gather around.
The video is of a red-carpet event with a woman’s torso superimposed over it. She’s pointing up, her finger poking the face of someone in a tuxedo.
Not someone. Kit. He’s standing next to Julie Meyer—yes, the Julie Meyer, and I wonder if my NDA is valid anymore—who is dressed like a hot vampire—right out of Anne Rice, I swear to god—and she has her hand on the back of his neck while they look at each other.
Her voice gets louder. “. . . who the fuck is this guy? No one knows. But after he did this move here—”
I watch on the screen in slo-mo as Kit says something that looks like “well . . .” and takes her hand from the back of his neck, twines his fingers through hers, and presses a kiss to her pulse point.
But it’s not just a kiss.
“Look at that!” the woman in the video shouts. I can only see from her eyes up now, and that accusatory finger pointing at my best friend. “Look at that! I’m pregnant just from that eye contact. That is a man who knows he’s gonna—bleep—the hell out of her tonight.”
“Holy fucking shit,” Jared says.
We watch the video again. Yeah, Kit’s eyes are hot on Julie’s, his lips soft on her wrist, and there’s a flash of teeth against her skin.
A third time. Julie’s eyes darken, her lips part.
I’ve seen Kit flirt with plenty of women. This is something different.
“Did you know he was in LA?” Hunter asks, though I’m not sure who he’s asking.
“He’s never even been on an airplane before,” I murmur.
“How does he know . . .” Silas trails off. “Oh my god, Jess.”
Everyone groans but me and Leo.
Leo looks around. “What? Do you think he’s cheating on Jess?”
“No,” Bailey explains. “Jess is Julie.”
Hunter’s head whips over to me. “Did you know that?”
“Uh . . .” I hate lying to Hunter, but I do not want to get sued, not when I’ve just gotten the money to buy into the lodge.
Silas saves the day. “How did you find this?” he asks Bailey.
“Remember my college roommate Becky who came for Thanksgiving one year? She sent it to me.”
“How does she know who Kit is?” Jared asks.
Bailey rolls her eyes. “Guess.”
They boinked. Kit and I both thought she was hot and had a friendly competition. He won.
“If she figured out who Kit is, other people will,” Hunter says. “Everyone is going to know that she’s been here. She might be coming back. People will be talking in town, on social media. Maybe there will even be paparazzi.”
The last word hangs in the air, but it feels like it carries the weight of impending doom.
This is going to be a shit show.
The End