Lucy

My family tried to hide that I’m gay from the time I came out. Once I started my cannabis oil business and used the provocative photos to promote it, my mom and dad disowned me. I knew it would happen. My father is a councilman, now running to be the Senator. He has spent his entire life building up to this.

I’m a problem, a blip on my family’s pristine reputation. I had to be disowned and swept under the rug. Heather has been the closest thing I’ve had to family. The Blacks and Lockharts have been an added bonus.

Still, I’m no fool. I’m losing Heather, I have been for some time. The entire thing with Billy was a mistake. I see it now. I think I pushed Heather too far. I don’t know if I will ever get her to see me the way I see her, but now I’m scared I’m losing so much more.

I see the way Braxton looks at her, I see the way she reacts to him. Heather thinks no one sees, but I do. They charge a room, whenever they’re in one together.

Braxton is so close to having what I want and it hurts so much. My greatest fear is that one day Heather will give in to what she feels for him. I’d be completely devastated.

I’ve thought about trying to seduce them both on more than one occasion. If they want each other, I could have Heather and they could have each other. I’ve just chickened out every time I think of making a move. I mean, this is Heather. What if I could get them to agree to a threesome and then she totally freaks out?

No, I’ve done enough damage. If she ever finds out that I’ve been lying to her and playing these games, I’m sure to lose my friend. I want so much more, but I can’t lose her as a friend.

I drop another of my crystal ornaments, closing my eyes against the sight and sound of it shattering. They’re my prized possessions. This is what I get for the shit I’m pulling. That’s the fourth one I’ve broken. My hands are trembling.

“Hey, are you okay?” Heather calls over the music, as she sits unpacking a box of books for me.

“Yeah, I haven’t eaten. I think I’m a bit shaky,” I reply.

“Understandable. I mean, this all happened so fast. Your landlord is a total dick,” Heather says sympathetically.

I swallow hard, my heart sinks, another lie I’ve told. I didn’t lose my apartment. It’s just…Heather has had so much going on in her life in, I’m starting to feel like we’re growing apart.

I was sort of hurt that she didn’t ask me to come along to Wyatt and Nellie’s wedding more than a year ago. I never said anything, but I would have liked to be there. I felt like I was holding my breath to receive an invite to Nellie’s baby shower. All things Heather would have once invited me to without a second thought.

All of that was when she needed me. Now, I have to figure out how to get her to need me again. Her dad doesn’t breathe down her neck like he used to. Heather seems so much happier these days, I’m sure that’s why he’s giving her space.

“Hey, did you hear me?” Heather says breaking into my thoughts.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I shake my head.

“I asked if you want to order something. Brax and Ry will be here soon to give us a ride to the baby shower,” she says. “But we can get a pizza or something if you need to eat.”

I fight to keep from frowning at her words. Instead, I count to ten in my head. I offered to drive us, but she insisted Braxton and Ryan would come for us. Something about needing their help to lift her gift for the shower.

“No, no, I can wait. I’ll be fine,” I force a smile.

“You sure?” Heather gives me a questioning gaze. “Sorry I don’t have anything here. It’s been a busy week with all the planning and stuff.”

“You’re already doing so much for me. Don’t worry about it,” I insist.

You’re the world’s worst friend. Look at how concern for you she is. But that’s why I love her. She’s going to find out everything and you’ll be all alone.

She can’t!

* * *

Heather

“Yeah, I’m great. You really don’t have to help me with this. I know you should be busy getting ready for the baby shower,” Lucy replies.

I look at my phone for the time. “Actually, you’re right. They should be here soon. I need to get over there to help set up,” I sigh and stand.

“Thank you so much, Heather,” Lucy beams. “I promise, as soon as I find a place, I’ll be out of your hair.”

“No worries,” I reply, sort of wishing I hadn’t told her long ago that she could move in with me, if she ever needed a place to stay.

I mentally chide myself. I still fill tremendously guilty about how things worked out between her and Billy. With all that’s happened in my life, I never really had time to hold up my end of the bargain. I hate that I broke a promise.

I seriously had no control over things. There was the whole thing with Nellie’s ex. Then, Bean’s drama with Josh, Aunt Nora’s passing, Nellie and Kamara’s kidnapping, and finding out about Toby’s little family,—the list just keeps going on and on. The last two years have been brutal.

Not to mention, Eugene has been MIA for a few months now. I don’t feel as comfortable going to see Amanda, without him around. I still check on her, but without Eugene to cover and watch her back, I’m not willing to risk causing her problems.

There are a few things that have allowed me to relax a little where Amanda is concerned. At sixteen, she has more afterschool activities this year. I love the young lady she’s blooming into. There is also the fact that my mother hurt her back at work. She’s been home more in the last year.

Surely, that woman wouldn’t let anything happen to Amanda in front of her face. That bitter thought makes me cringe, whenever I think of my sister. I have keep telling myself that, until I figure out where Eugene is. I’ll have to trust that Amanda is safe.

“I’m just going to jump in the shower and get ready,” Lucy says, breaking into my thoughts.

“Okay, I’m going to do the same.”

I leave the guest room in my apartment and head for my own. I rub my forehead. Lucy is my friend, I don’t want to see her out on the street, but this is complicating things.

Brax and I have been going strong for two years. I know he hates it, but we’re still keeping it a secret from everyone. He’s going to kill me, when he finds out about this. He’s been away for a few days, off the grid. I never got to talk to him, before I agreed to Lucy staying.

Brax practically lives at my place. He’s here most nights, if he’s not on assignment or begrudgingly sleeping at his own place because Ry has badgered him about never being home. Half of my closet has his things in it. He is here more often than not.

Honestly, I was a little thrown when Lucy called asking for the favor. We haven’t been as close as we used to be. Like I said, my life has been busy.

Heck, I been helping to plan Nellie’s surprise baby shower and helping with Toby’s plans for his surprise engagement party and wedding. Honestly, Lucy couldn’t have picked a worse time for this.

I blow out a breath, letting my lips flap, as I close the door to my bedroom behind me. I can feel the tension building in my neck. I bend it left then right, trying to ease the tightness. Braxton is going to lose his shit.

“This is going to be the final straw, Heather,” I mutter to myself.

My shoulders sag, this is not how I wanted to greet my man, when he gets back. Running a hand through my long bangs, I mutter to myself for a few more minutes. I want to snatch the strands from the roots.

“Two steps forward, thirty back. This is some bullshit,” I groan.

Checking the time again, I see I need to move my ass. I get started with my makeup and hair. I’ve grown the right side of my hair out, it hangs around my cheek bones now. The left side is shaved low.

I’m tired of pretending, but a part of me hasn’t learned to let go fully. What can I say? Some habits do die hard. Eyeing my makeup, I blink, as I try to decide if this will be one of the times I shock everyone by showing up, as the girl only Braxton has ever seen totally unveiled.

I shrug off the idea, going for a natural face. I move to my closet and tug out a pair of skinny jeans and one of my graphic tees. My eyes bounce between my heels and my heavy black boots. Again, I decide to go with comfort over feeling self-conscious.

Once fully dressed, I look in the mirror, pulling a comb through my bangs to sweep them across my face. I look down at my clothes, pressing my lips and second guessing myself. It’s a party, will they notice, will I stand out that much?

Aw, fuck it.

I turn to head back into my closet just as the doorbell rings. I groan, knowing it’s Braxton and Ry. I’m not only out of time, but I have to face the music. I want to climb into the bottom of my closet and hide there.

Suck it up. You made the bed now lie in it. He’ll cave if you pout.

Ha! Somehow, I don’t think that’ll be the case this time. Braxton warned me off of Lucy so many times, before we naturally started to separate from each other. This is going to set him off, I know it.

Sighing, I straighten my shoulders and start for the front of my apartment. I’m more than annoyed, when I find Lucy already opening the front door. I want to chuck something at her head.

“Lucy, long time no see,” Ry croons, as he’s the first to step into the door.

I don’t miss the deep frown that hits Brax face, when he looks up from his phone to see Lucy, standing with the door open. His eyes turn in my direction and a brow lifts at me in question. I bite my lip and give a slight shrug.

Bean was the one to invite Lucy to the baby shower. I hadn’t even thought about it. I think I subconsciously try to keep the two apart. Now, I wish Bean would have kept her mouth shut.

“What’s with the boxes?” Brax grumbles, looking around the apartment.

His face may have become a mask, but I can read his eyes. He’s fuming. I tug at my t-shirt, holding a hand full in my clinched fist.

“I needed a place to stay for a bit. Heather was cool enough to let me move in on such short notice,” Lucy replies.

I glare daggers at her. I wanted Brax to hear it from me. When I turn my eyes to Brax, his golden eyes look like flames are glowing in them.

“That’s so nice of you,” Brax says, with a mocking smile on his lips.

His fingers start to fly over his phone. I feel my own phone vibrate in my pocket, when he lifts his head. I roll my eyes, reaching to pull the phone from my pocket.

Brax: What the fuck? Seriously? When were you going to tell me about this shit?

Me: It was last minute. You’ve been off the grid. I planned to tell you when you got here.

Brax: This is bullshit. How am I supposed to spend time with you? You can’t come to my place. I can’t come here. The hell. This is why we need to stop hiding.

I look up from the text with pleading eyes. I don’t want to have this discussion over text. I’m so frustrated with the situation, as it is.

Brax frowns. “Where’s the shit we need to carry? We need to go,” he says harshly.

“Damn, what’s got your drawers in a bunch all of a sudden?” Ry taunts.

“Not now, Ry,” Brax warns.

I close my eyes, trying to take a deep breath. This is going to be worse than I thought. You know, there was a time I thought about going to be a nun. I wonder if it’s too late.

“Hope you’re say a prayer because you’re going to need it,” Brax hisses in my hear startling me.