Lord, just when she thought she was beginning to figure things out... Everything she thought she knew was crumbling down around her, making the situation worse.
Reese stroked her hair, making soothing noises. Although technically her roommate and landlady, Reese was also the big sister she’d never had. At least Reese would understand. “I’m sure we’re missing part of the story,” she began.
Reese’s willingness to let Marnie live with her so her family would believe she was being properly looked after in the big, bad world was the only reason she’d been allowed to enroll at Hillbrook in the first place. And while Marnie would be forever grateful for that, Reese’s attempted defense of Gina only drove the knife deeper. “It seems pretty straightforward to me. How could Gina do that? She seduced my brother, took advantage of him. Does she not think any man is off limits?”
“Carter’s an adult, and he’s equally responsible for his actions.”
Marnie couldn’t believe this was Carter’s fault. They’d been raised with the same values, the same knowledge of right and wrong. Sex was for marriage, something saved solely for your future spouse, but Carter had still betrayed that fundamental belief—as well as his bride—making him a hypocrite of the worst sort.
Her heart constricted with pain for her best friend, who’d spent the past year planning the perfect wedding to start their perfect life together. Missy would be heartbroken.
She’d never been comfortable with Gina’s overt sexuality, the way she treated sex like a recreational sport and men like disposable items, but there was something in her spirit and embrace of life that was attractive, too. It hadn’t been enough to sway her morals, but then Gina had never tried to seduce her, either. The girl was a proud, self-proclaimed maneater.
Which, Marnie decided, was just another word for slut.
“No. Carter is a decent man.” That much Marnie was sure of. Carter was a little overprotective, becoming even more so after Daddy passed five years ago, but he was everything a good man was supposed to be. He was even beginning to respect the fact Marnie wasn’t a child anymore: just last week he’d suddenly agreed to let her go on the road trip with the others this summer.
“Carter was raised right, with honor and integrity and respect. He’s a gentleman. Men can be weak sometimes when it comes to the flesh, and...and...” She struggled to find the right words, the right explanation for Carter’s behavior. She couldn’t find one at the moment, but she knew there had to be one somewhere. “Well, there’s no way he would have done something like that unless Gina—”
Reese shook her head. “You can’t just blame Gina. It takes two to tango.”
She shrugged off Reese’s embrace and stood. “You’re defending her? Taking her side?”
“I’m not taking anyone’s side, Marnie. Remember that Gina is your friend—”
“Some friend,” she snapped. “A real friend would have left my brother alone. A real friend wouldn’t hurt people I care about just so she can get her own thrills.”
“I doubt Gina meant to hurt you with this.”
“Then why tell me about it? Why do it in the first place? My friend? I don’t need slutty friends who jump into bed with men they barely know.”
Reese’s cheeks took on a pink tint and she played with the square-shaped pendant on the necklace tucked under her shirt. She cleared her throat. “Marnie, remember how we talked about how you can be really judgmental sometimes...?”
“I’m sorry, Reese, but there’s right and wrong in this world. Carter is in the wrong, too, but Gina has, once again, proved she’s no better than a common whore!” She shouted the last word, well aware of how it would carry through the hall of Reese’s beautiful house and straight up the stairs to Gina’s room. “It’s just more proof that Gina doesn’t care about anyone except herself.”
“Marnie...” Reese began.
Marnie waved her silent and stalked over to the glass of champagne she’d merely been toying with all night. In three long swallows, she drained it, then, ignoring Reese’s shocked “Marnie!” reached for the bottle and refilled the glass.
“I think I’ve earned this,” she said before she caught herself and sat the glass down instead. Her mother had never allowed alcohol into the house, and it wasn’t until Marnie came to Hillbrook that she’d even tried it. Just more proof of how she’d changed thanks to her roommates—but maybe these changes weren’t for the better.
She heard footsteps and turned to see Cassie returning.
“Gina says we’ll talk tomorrow,” Cassie said, as oblivious as ever. Usually, Marnie found the nerdy Australian’s lack of understanding about social situations rather endearing, but tonight she was angry and lacked the patience.
“There’s nothing more to talk about, Cas.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Then let me explain this to you. I’m never speaking to Gina Carrington again.”
“Why?”
“Because Gina is a selfish tramp who doesn’t care who she hurts. I bet poor Missy and what this would do to her never even crossed Gina’s mind.”
Cassie nodded. “It’s very unlikely since Gina doesn’t know Missy.”
Oh, my sweet God. “She knew Carter was engaged, though.”
“As did Carter. I don’t see why you’re holding Gina responsible for Carter’s decisions. He chose to be unfaithful, and having made that decision, the woman involved is irrelevant.”
Marnie wanted to pull her hair out. “I can’t believe you’re taking her side, too. Wow, y’all are lousy friends.”
“Marnie, we’re trying to be good friends,” Reese started carefully, “to both you and Gina—”
Cassie nodded. “Which is difficult when you’re overreacting like this.”
Reese put a hand on Cassie’s shoulder. “Cas, let me handle this, okay?”
That was the last straw. “There’s nothing to handle. Missy has been my friend—practically a sister—since we were little girls, and as her friend, she deserves my loyalty and support because that’s what friends do. Real friends don’t seduce your brother, and they don’t defend and make excuses for the woman that did. If y’all don’t see that, then I’m not sure I want you as my friends anymore.”
Her voice broke on the last word, and she ran to her room before she burst into tears.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Marnie lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling as tears burned her eyes. And it’s all my fault.
Everyone back in Savannah had tried to tell her this was a bad idea. Maybe they were right. Maybe she should have just gone to Simmons State and pledged Kappa like every other woman in her family. She’d only applied to Hillbrook to be polite—the recruiter who’d visited her school had been hard to ignore. She hadn’t given it a second thought until the acceptance came—along with an attractive scholarship that played to her ego and made her feel like the school really wanted her.
Carter had protested, Mama had been heartbroken, and her boyfriend horrified she’d even consider it. Coming here had been her first act of rebellion—ever.
And it had felt so good.
Even if she’d been scared to death.
But Reese and Gina and Cassie had supported her, introduced her to a world beyond her carefully controlled Savannah circle, and encouraged her to come out of her shell and experience so many new things.
Beautiful