I trudged back to the blanket, the sand warm under my feet, the weight of the calls with Kayla and Penelope sitting heavy in my chest.
"Hey, you okay?" Jasmine asked, her dark eyes narrowing, her braids catching the sunlight.
"Yeah, what's up?" Tessa added, pushing her sunglasses up, her brow furrowed. "You look like someone kicked your dog."
I forced a grin, dropping onto the blanket, the cooler's ice sloshing as I nudged it. "Ah, nothing, just work stuff, you know," I said, waving a hand, trying to sound casual. "Payment bullshit, like I said."
Kim tilted her head, her lips pursing like she wasn't buying it, but she didn't push. Tessa exchanged a glance with Jasmine, who raised an eyebrow but stayed quiet, too. They knew something was off, but they let it slide, settling back into the sun's warmth.
A shadow crossed the blanket, and I looked up to see a girl passing by, her steps slow. Our eyes met, and my stomach did a flip. "Oh," I said, arching an eyebrow. "You... Julia?"
