Chapter Two

Kate

Willing my muscles to behave, I hung up my purse, then coat.

“Kate, what happened?”

“I was happy with my life how it was,” I said to the row of jackets. “Why can’t anyone understand that?”

“Happy? Or settled?”

I closed the closet door. “Your meddling is only going to bring pain.”

“Honey, I want you to be happy like we’re happy.” My best friend and little brother.

I put my back to the wall, arms crossed. “We?”

She sighed. “Yes. Look, I didn’t want to tell you until after—”

“Tell me what?”

Couldn’t I go one day without a bomb dropping?

“Pete and I are going to move in together.”

I pushed off the wall. “Excuse me?”

Sonya stood. “He asked. Before you yell at me, he asked me. And because I love him, I said yes.”

“So that’s it, then.” I charged for my room. So that’s how it was.

“Kate…”

I slammed the door.

They didn’t need me anymore, so now they wanted to push me at the first guy calling. Even if he lived in California. Because poor Katie couldn’t be left alone.

Fuck this pity bullshit.

“Kate, please...” she said through the door.

“Don’t,” I snapped.

“Kate, we’re best friends.”

I opened the door. “Best friends listen to their friends and don’t go against their wishes, damning the consequences. You wanna play house? Get out. Now.”

Sonya’s honey eyes went wide again. “You don’t mean that.”

I stepped up nose-to-nose. “Don’t I?”

She retreated toward her door. “I’m leaving to let you calm down. We’re not done discussing this.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

I went back into my room and slammed the door again.

Collapsed on the bed face down.

A year ago, I would’ve run to Davis, but now I had no outlet for my pain.

Certainly wasn’t going to ask Sam to fuck it out of me.

My phone rang in my purse in the living room. I let it go.

But there was one safe space, a place I hadn’t been to since Lacy died.

She’d been a member, sponsored me, and paid for my membership as well.

Swiping at my eyes, I sat up, took in and released a deep breath, and went to my closet.

Thursdays were girls’ nights.

I changed into pretty things I wouldn’t freeze in, refreshed my makeup, and left.