“Yeah. But you and Mal were different. You basically couldn’t stand each other. Coop and I… Well, we have this foundation. It has cracks here and there, and of course, there are things we’re just learning about each other, but most of it is rock solid. We spend time together all the time. He makes me laugh. And he accepts me as I am. Plus, he’s into music just as much as me and—”
“Uh-oh.”
“What?”
“You’re on your way already. Those must have been some orgasms.”
“They were pretty damn amazing,” I admitted. “But that’s not it. I trust him with everything. After Pat, I can’t say how important that is to me.”
“You never said his name before.”
I pulled my knees up to my chest on the chair and pulled Cooper’s shirt down over my legs. “It’s getting easier. I need to stop letting him have power over me. Especially if he’s not behind any of this crazy shit going on at Ripper.”
So much for just telling her what she needed to know.
There was a long pause. “All right, you’re going to have to backtrack and explain that to me. And while you’re at it, you can fill me in about why you and Coop and Zane ended up at the jail today. Those tabloids never get the story even half right.”
“It’s even worse than they assumed. They figured Zane just had a rockstar gone wild sort of night. It was so much more than that.”
“Go on.”
I started from Coop’s call from Zane and worked my way backward, trying to ensure I hit all the important details. Somehow it was easier than starting with Priscilla.
“Okay, wait a second. You’re saying some girl we went to school with a lifetime ago sold you a spiked drink? Did she hit on you? You are pretty cute but that’s a lot.”
“First, I was hot. Now demoted to cute. Is this because I’m short?”
Ricki didn’t laugh. “I don’t get this. Any of it. Why would someone who used to be a friend do that? And to you, not one of the guys in the band? Not that that’s kosher either, but we occasionally get some wacked out fans. Unless she played for the other team, but still, I’m at a loss.”
“We are too. But Cooper bought the drink for me. She knew it was mine. She talked to me while I was holding it. Zane drinking it instead was just bad luck. Normally, I suck those down in a minute, but I was sucking on Cooper instead, and he was way more delicious.”
“You’re sure someone else couldn’t have tampered with it while it was on the table before Zane drank it?”
“No. I wasn’t there. But he seemed pretty certain. I don’t know if she was trying to get my defenses down for some reason and it didn’t play out the way she intended or if it was just to show she could get close. That they could.” I swallowed hard. “She called me tonight. And I swear, Ricki, maybe I’m being paranoid, but my gut tells me she isn’t Priscilla Jones at all. She didn’t remember things she should have. Like about her dog she doted on.”
I connected the dots on the rest, and then Ricki exhaled. “I barely remember her. I didn’t hang out with cheerleaders. My crowd was more the stoners.”
“You hung out with me.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t know I was a stoner.”
“I wouldn’t have cared, anyway.”
“Another reason I love you. And another reason I could wring this Priscilla Fake Ass’s neck if she’s really doing half the shit your gut says she is.”
“If I’m wrong—”
“Trust yourself. I do. When are you meeting her? I want to get a look at this chick.”
I filled her in on the meeting time and place.
“Okay, yeah, I can make that work. I can swing by Cooper’s place—hold on.” She covered the phone while she had a conversation with Mal, and then came back on with a dramatic sigh. “Grouchy Mr. Clean is insisting on accompanying me. We’ll meet you guys around the block from there at Angel P’s fifteen minutes before. Along with our bodyguard.” Another sigh.
Cooper looked like he was done stalling inside. He crossed the room in long strides to the glass doors, toting his laptop as if it weighed nothing.
I bit my lip. He probably was not going to like making this a party. I wasn’t sure I did either, but Ricki had good instincts, and I wanted backup on my feelings about this girl.
If we even got a look at her again. She’d ghosted at the last mention of Ricki, so I had a feeling she’d probably do it again, which would suck if it meant we couldn’t get all necessary information from her.
On the other hand, I’d had quite enough shit lately, thanks, and did not mind one bit having an army around me.
“Sounds good. See you tomorrow. I love you,” I said impulsively as Cooper slid open the door.
“Love you back. Let that hunk of hot manflesh soothe what ails you.”
I smiled at his puzzled expression as he set down the laptop on the table. “I plan on it. Tell my favorite grouch I said hi.”
“Will do. Bye.”
I hung up and did not inquire about what Cooper had found. I did not pretend-pout over the lack of more wine. Instead, I rose and went to the small bit of railing beyond the gravity pool to stare out at the city skyline twinkling in the darkness.
When he came up behind me, I leaned into him. “I came here at almost seventeen with my folks, and I thought I could do anything. Be anything.”
Cooper brushed a kiss over my temple. “And look at you. In a fucking amazing band with all our friends, kicking ass.”
I smiled as I reached up behind me to hook my hand
