“I dated enough. All losers more interested in themselves than in me. Believe me, Ava, I know the difference between someone who genuinely cares about me and someone who doesn’t.”
“Do you?” She hated saying it out loud, but it was important that Lacey knew Ava cared about her, worried about her. “You gave up school to chase this guy around.”
Lacey frowned. “I didn’t chase him. He came after me. We met at a party and he started calling me and we went out. We just clicked, Ava. There was nothing and no one but the two of us after that.”
Didn’t she know it. Lacey had all but fallen off the face of the earth after she’d met Bo. “But, Lacey . . . school. It was so important to you. To just walk away from getting your master’s when you were so close . . .”
Lacey waved her hand in the air. “I can still get my master’s. You make it sound like my whole life is over just because I’m taking some time off.”
“Are you though? Just taking some time off? You’ve changed so much, Lacey.”
“Have I? I think I’m still the same. Maybe I’m not the way you want me to be and you don’t like that.”
“No, that’s not it at all.”
“Isn’t it?” Lacey put her elbows on the countertop and leaned forward. “Look, Ava. I love you. We’ve been best friends forever—we’re so close we’re like sisters. But we both have to grow up. I know you like your life orderly, where nothing ever changes. But everything evolves—including relationships and people. Life comes along and we have to roll with it. I had a chance at adventure and I grabbed it. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Of course not.” She made Ava sound selfish. Was she? She hadn’t thought so. She was just worried about her best friend.
“And I’m thrilled you’re here and experiencing my new life with me. Maybe it’ll—I don’t know—take you out of your regimented lifestyle and teach you how to bend a little.”
“Excuse me?”
Lacey laid her hand over Ava’s. “You like your life the way it is, the way it’s always been, where you follow the same pattern that’s been laid out for you your entire life. You’re very . . . controlled.”
“What? I am not.”
Lacey laughed. “Yes, you are. You have to be in charge. That’s not a bad thing. It’s just the way you are and always have been. You like everything orderly and in a way that you can control it. I used to be the same way. And it worked fine for me for a while, but now it doesn’t. After I met Bo I realized how much I was missing—how much life I was missing. Now I want something different. I want this life. Maybe later, I don’t know. And maybe this will give you a chance to experience something unique and new and who knows what will happen to you because of it. It’s a chance to let your hair down a little—get a little messy. Give up a little of your control. You could use it.”
Now Ava felt like she was defending her own life and her own choices. “There’s nothing wrong with my life. I’m doing exactly what I’ve always wanted to do.”
“Of course you are. School, more school, and becoming a social worker. You have a flowchart with every step—every day, every month, every year—mapped out so you know exactly where you’re going. No deviations. I know it’s what you’ve wanted forever. But it’s okay to step away from academia now and then and experience a different side of life, Ava. There’s a whole real life out here that’s not in textbooks.”
Ava blew out a breath, tried to hold in her irritation. “Of course there is. I know that.”
Lacey smiled. “Good. Then let’s just have fun this week.”
Lacey made it sound so simple, when Ava knew it wasn’t. Lacey hadn’t just decided to go on vacation, or even sabbatical. She’d tossed everything about her life into the trash to do . . . what exactly? Hang with a biker? Did she even have a job?
Lacey had planned on becoming a psychologist. She wanted to help people. Her entire life had been focused on her studies. Her goal was her career, her future. Just like Ava’s had always been.
And then just like that she’d tossed it all away. Years of education, the momentum of undergraduate and graduate school. Lacey was going to be so far behind now. Ava just couldn’t fathom it. Not the Lacey she knew.
But this Lacey didn’t want to talk about school or what she’d given up. This Lacey only wanted to have fun.
It was a lifestyle Ava simply couldn’t comprehend. And that’s why she was here, to see if she could figure out what the lure was that would account for Lacey tossing aside her education in favor of a romance with a biker.
And maybe, just maybe, convince her best friend to turn the corner and come back home—back to school—where she belonged.
“Hey, baby, how about we ride on outta here?”
Lacey lifted her head and her whole body perked up as Bo entered the kitchen and rounded the island to put his arms around her.
“I’m game. Wherever you want to go.”
Bo tilted her back in his arms and planted a long, passionate kiss on her lips. Ava turned away at the intimacy and her gaze landed on Rick, who stood next to her, smiling.
“You ready to ride, Ava?”
“Sure.” Not like she had a choice since she couldn’t very well call a taxi to this remote location.
They climbed on the bikes and headed back into town. One thing about the desert—no matter what time of year it was, it got cold at night—especially in the fall. Ava had no choice but to snuggle up against Rick’s back to keep the chilly wind from penetrating through her jacket. Next time she was definitely dressing warmer.
Though she doubted there’d be a next time, at least not with Rick. Not after tonight.
Once they’d returned to the Strip, they pulled into the hotel parking lot and got off their bikes.
“I need to go get my bag from my car so I can check in,” Ava said.
Lacey looked to Bo, who had a tight hold on her hand, obviously eager to drag her up to their room.
“I’ll walk to your car with you,” Rick said. “You two can go on ahead.”
“Great.” Lacey waved to Ava. “See you in the morning.”
Nothing like getting dumped by your best friend. “’Night.”