The Dinner Party

Chapter 1

You are broke.

It’s not like you were rolling in dough before—being a diner waitress is hard work and low pay.

You have been living paycheck to paycheck for years now, but things have recently taken a turn for the worse.

You had some legal trouble in the last year, and although you avoided jail time, you’re now overdrawn and in credit card debt.

You are two weeks late paying the rent to your roommate, who is not the kind of nice and understanding roommate who will just be cool with that.

On the plus side, at least things can’t get any worse.

It’s six o’clock on a Saturday night, and you are lying on the bed in your room, scrolling the internet on your phone for ideas on how to earn some extra money, while you try to tune out the sound of whatever Blair and her boyfriend are doing in the next room.

It sounds like he’s killing her. (Probably not—you should be so lucky.)

The internet is not proving terribly helpful in finding money-making ideas. It suggests working for Uber, but you don’t have a car. It also suggests earning commissions by promoting products, but you have no social media following.

You have just clicked on a link to learn more about a promising site called OnlyFans when the door to your room suddenly flies open.

It’s Blair, who is not fond of knocking, but fortunately (or unfortunately), you’re never doing anything in here that requires much privacy.

She stands in the doorway in her boyfriend’s oversized T-shirt, her golden blond hair mussed, her face flushed.

“Aha!” Blair shouts, pointing one of her manicured fingers at the small desk lamp on your nightstand. “I knew it! This is why our electricity bill is so high!”

The tiny lamp is the only source of light in your entire room. What does she want you to do? Sit here in pitch blackness?

“It’s one light, Blair,” you point out.

Blair plants her hands on her hips. “But you have light from your phone. Why do you need another light?”

You don’t know what to say to that, so you keep your mouth shut, hoping she doesn’t bring up the late rent payment.

“Also,” she says, “you’re two weeks late on the rent, Sloan.”

Damn.

“I’m really sorry,” you say. “I’ll have it really soon. You know I’ve had some legal issues lately.”

“I know, and that’s why I’ve been trying to be understanding,” Blair says in a voice that is not even the tiniest bit understanding. “But enough is enough! You can’t live here for free, you know. Some of us work hard for our money.”

You know for a fact that Blair’s parents are paying the rent.

She has a cushy job as something called a brand ambassador—not to be confused with any sort of diplomatic role—but it’s not clear if she actually earns any money doing it.

All you know is that people send her lots of products.

And then she records herself taking them out of the package and looking excited about them. That’s pretty much her whole job.

“I’m sorry,” you say. “I know that I’m a little bit late on the rent, but I’ll have it really soon.” You won’t. “Really.” You’re lying. “I 100% promise.”

Blair glares down at you. “You’d better, Sloan. Because if you don’t have the money for rent by tomorrow, you are seriously out of here.”

“Tomorrow?” you squeak. “That’s so soon…”

“I have somebody else who’s interested in the room,” she says. “So if you can’t pay me, then I’m giving the room to her. Got it?”

Blair is always threatening you like that, and part of you thinks she’s totally full of it. After all, it’s not like she’s going to really kick you out for being only two weeks late on the rent. Also, how dare she speak to you like that!

Still, there’s no rental agreement, and if you lose this room, you don’t have anywhere else to go. It might be better to tread lightly here.

If you want to stand up to Blair, turn to Chapter 2 (page 5)

If you want to reassure Blair that you will have the rent on time, turn to Chapter 4 (page 10)

Important note: Chapter links should be used for the ebook, page numbers refer to the paperback ONLY!