Chapter 52


    Chapter 52


    Selina texted, “Hey, where’s your ce? I’ll swing by for a bit of fun.”


    Leanne, with her trademark cool detachment, texted back, “A secret,” and promptly ended


    the conversation.


    Before she could enjoy the silence, Joy called her.


    “Babe, get your stuff together, I’ll be at your doorstep in ten! My boss hooked us up with two tickets to


    the theater. I’m taking you out for some culture!”


    Just like that, Leanne’s ns for azy Sunday were hijacked.


    Closing her book, Leanne replied, “Hold on, I’ll change.”


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Only Joy could manage to drag her out on a precious weekend with just one phone call.


    да


    Leanne quickly did her makeup, slipped into a new outfit, and stepped outside to find. leaning against a


    sleek ck SUV, with sporting sunsses, striking a cool pose.


    As Leanne passed by, she snatched Joy’s sunsses and put them on herself.


    Joy


    “What?” Joy crumbled her cool fa?ade in a second. “I’m standing here looking all hot and are you not


    even phased? And you take my shades!”


    “They’re only worth taking if they’re on someone hot.” Leanne teased, “Do I look hot?”


    Draped in a caramel-colored coat, the color set off her features perfectly. With oversized. shades on


    her petite face, she looked like a celebrity hitting the streets, absolutely


    stunning.


    “You’re killing me here, not gonna lie,” Joy pouted, then coaxed, “Come on, give me a kiss!” Leanne


    pushed her away yfully, “Oh,e on, don’t do that.”


    Inside the car, Joy held out her hand expectantly, bragging, “How about this ride? Lost a bet to my boss


    and now I get to drive it for a few days. Cool, right?”


    Leanne handed her some hand sanitizer, “You’ll probably make a fortune gambling. someday.”


    The thing about Joy was her uncanny luck with bets. It worked like a charm, but only for


    bling.


    Jughout her


    her life, Joy never lost a bet. She’d won a year’s worth of cleaning duties from er deskmate in school, a


    rich guy’s allowance of three grand, and even the attention of the most sought-after guy in college from


    her nemesis.


    When the nemesis couldn’t face the defeat, she spitefully gave Joy the guy’s number. Joy sent him a


    voice message, “Your girl doesn’t want you anymore, haha!”


    After rubbing her hands clean, Joy started the car’s music app, shuffling through her boss ylist with


    a disdainful sneer, “What a strange music taste!


    Finally, a song she liked came on and she sang along passionately while driving


    “I needed to lose you to love me


    I gave my all and they all know it


    You turned me down and now it’s showing.


    In two months you reced us


    Like it was easy


    Made me think I deserved it”


    Leanne nced at the disy, “What’s this song?”


    “Lose You to Love Me,” Joy said, her favorite. “Have you never heard it?”


    “Nope,” Leanne replied, feeling a twinge of recognition, “It’s just… the lyrics feel like they’re about me


    and Curtis.”


    ig away.


    Curtis had loved her fiercely but briefly before coolly walking a


    She, always slow to warm up, was left to love him deeply and torment herself for more than two years.


    But at least now, she was finally cooling down.


    As she was speaking, Joy abruptly changed the song, looking annoyed, “Bad vibes! That. jerk doesn’t


    deserve to ruin my favorite song.”


    Leanneughed just as her phone rang.


    Being a doctor, she was used to getting calls from unknown numbers. Patients often called for advice


    after appointments. Without much thought, she picked up.


    “Suzan?” Leanne’s smile faded a touch.


    “Thought I might have dialed the wrong number,” Suzan said. “Nothing urgent, really. I just got back


    into town. Devin and the gang are throwing me a wee back party. I told


    it’s too much, but Devin insisted and now there’s a whole shindig.”


    in sounded quite resigned. Leanne, not particrly keen, stayed silent.


    The thing was, Devin and his friends treated Suzan quite differently than they did Leanne. Devin and


    Suzan had grown up together, after all.


    Sensing Leanne’s hesitation, Suzan continued, “I was hoping you could join us tonight. It’s been a


    while.”


    Leanne was about to decline when Suzan added with a chuckle, “You’re not going to use


    Chapter 52


    work as an excuse, are you? I checked with Curtis, and he told me you’re off today.”