Sand & Snow (Sand & Clay #1.5) Read Free Page A

stories up in the air.” Aralia slid onto a bar stool as all the women found a seat.
    “Really? I have to come visit soon, although it makes sense. I mean you are dating freaking Logan Clay. I can’t even wrap my head around that. I had his Calvin Klein ad as the wall paper on my phone for like two years.” Jackie chatted.
    “Please tell me you don’t still have that.” Caroline groaned, still smiling.
    “My answer depends on if you look at my phone or not.” She grinned, teasing as Aralia signaled the bartender and ordered a round of cocktails for the three of them.
    “Because that’s not mortifying at all.” Caroline replied sarcastically.
    “Changing topics before either of you begins to inspect my phone, what are we doing for Christmas this year?” Aralia butt her way into their banter.
    “My house is off the table this year.” Caroline shook her head.
    “What? Why? You just moved into a gorgeous, freaking penthouse! That view is going to be killer when it snows.” Jackie protested.
    “I’m not talking about here, I meant my folks in the Hamptons.”
    “Well, hate to tell you, but we went there last year and your folks are kinda mood killers. Like serious wet blankets.” Aralia laughed.
    “Not her mom.” Jackie turned to her cousin.
    “That’s true. Elizabeth is cool as shit.” Aralia nodded in agreement.
    “You guys are ridiculous. Let’s just pick somewhere else.” Caroline rolled her eyes at them.
    “That’s fine, we can pick somewhere else, but my parent’s house is a no go this year too.” Aralia shrugged.
    “Why not?” Caroline asked.
    “Uncle Perv is coming for the holidays. Oops, I meant Uncle Marvin.” Both Aralia and Jackie burst into a fit of giggles and Caroline crunched up her nose.
    After plenty of Christmas’ growing up, it was a well known fact not to go anywhere near their Uncle Marvin when he was drinking or he would get too friendly, to a slightly creepy degree.
    “Hate to burst your bubbles, ladies, but I’m out entirely. I might have met someone a few weeks ago. He wants to take me up to Vermont for the holidays with a bunch of his friends and their wives or girlfriends.” Jackie glanced between the two girls nervously.
    “What! How am I just hearing about this now?” Aralia’s jaw dropped.
    “Why haven’t we met him?” Caroline immediately started her interrogation, leaning in closer as she sipped her drink.
    “You were out-of-town, and you are a lot of person to meet.” Jackie giggled and Aralia shot her a mean glare.
    “Fuck, well there go our holiday plans, Caroline.” Aralia tossed up her hands, then signaled the bartender for a refill.
    “Maybe not, Logan said his parents live up in Connecticut and we can go there for the week. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind you coming along.” Caroline offered.
    “When did this happen? When did I become the fucking third wheel?” Aralia took a large gulp of the drink that the bartender placed in front of her. She was only being partially serious, but she was still smiling at her friends.
    “Caroline’s the one who went and ran off with a rockstar.” Jackie started to point fingers, laughing.
    “Hey, you’re running off with a mystery man to Vermont. That’s pretty much the same thing.” Caroline retorted.
    “Yeah, minus a few million dollars.” Jackie grinned.
    “That reminds me, did you tell Jackie about your ridiculous living arrangements?” Aralia prompted, suddenly interested in the conversation and leaning back toward them.
    Caroline slit her eyes at her friend, then glanced at Jackie and awkwardly grinned.
    “It’s not ridiculous.” She shrugged.
    “Don’t tell me you guys have separate bedrooms or something like that?”
    “No, of course not!” Caroline laughed.
    “You got a sex swing? He has a dungeon? Does he have a red room?” Jackie started firing questions, getting more and more ludicrous with each one.
    “Will you stop?” Caroline laughed, “None of those things. I just am