"Are you just going to stand here?" Annabelle demanded when she stalked back into the living room with a startled looking Ryder in her arms. "Or are you going to go up those stairs and make things right with your wife!"

Sighing wearily, I sank down on the couch and dropped my head in my hands. Everything was so messed up. I couldn’t think straight. Anxiety and adrenalin were coursing through my veins and I was craving something fierce.

"Jordan," Annie snapped when I didn’t answer her. "You can't leave it like this. You have to talk to her."

"I don’t have anything left in me," I confessed. "I'm so fucking tired, Annie."

"You chose this," she replied, this time in a gentler tone. "You said you were ready for this."

"Yeah?" I hissed, running my hands through my hair in frustration. "Well maybe I was wrong."

"I know you don’t mean that," she whispered, sinking down on the couch beside me. "That woman upstairs has been your whole focus these past six years. And now you have her back, you're lying to her? Avoiding her?" She shook her head. "I don't understand."

"I can't go there," I bit out. "I can't be around those people."

"They're her family, Jord," Annabelle stated calmly. "It's kind of a package deal when you marry into a tight knit family like the Carters’."

"I can't do it," I choked out. "I am so fucking close to losing my goddamn mind here, Annie. I am hanging onto my sobriety by the skin of my teeth when all I want to do is find the nearest bar and drink myself into oblivion."

"It won't help," she whispered. "And it won't change your past."

She was right.

Of course, she was fucking right.

It still didn’t change the way I felt though.

"Tell you what," she said then. "The next time they invite you over there, I'll come, too."

"What, and be my bodyguard?" I shot back, smirking now.

"If that's what you need," she countered with a smile. "

"Thanks," I sighed. "But I can't ask you to hold my hand every time I'm put in an uncomfortable situation."

"You're my best friend," she replied, blue eyes heated and locked on my face. "There's nothing I wouldn’t do for you, and if I have to stand and face Kyle Carter and every one of his duplicates for you, then I will." She shifted Ryder into her other arm and reached her small fist towards me. "Teammates?"

"Always," I whispered, fist thumping her back.

* * *

Hope

I could hear hushed voices coming from downstairs so I grabbed a pillow and held it over my head. I didn’t want to hear what they were saying to each other. I wanted no part of it.

Pulling out my phone, I debated calling Teagan, but then thought better of it. She already wasn’t keen on Jordan. If I told her about this fight, she'd hold it against him forever. I couldn’t talk to my family either because as mad as I was at Jordan, I still wanted to protect him. I didn’t want anyone to think badly of him.

Without giving much thought to what I was doing – or considering the repercussions of my actions – I opened my messages and tapped out a quick text before pressing send.

Six words was all the message contained. But I knew deep down those six words would change everything. The truth was, there was only one person in the world I wanted to talk to right now.

Hope: I really need my friend tonight.

Seconds later, my phone pinged in my hand.

Hunter: Holy shit, that was fast. Didn’t you just leave here?

His response made me smile.

Hope: Yep. You still at 13^th street?

Hunter: Hell yeah. I've got a bet going with Derek to see how long it takes Teegs to crack up and smash the board over Kyle's head.

Hope: Oh, yeah? And how's that going for you?

Hunter: Derek has ten bucks on it happening in the next fifteen minutes, but I'm holding out a little longer. I know our girl's got stamina when she's winning. I'm betting on 30 minutes.

Hope: Lol.

Hunter: What's wrong, HC?

What was wrong? My entire life…

Hope: Why would anything be wrong?

Hunter: I'm giving you a "don't bullshit me" look right now. Talk, Carter.

I sighed heavily. Why did he always seem to know when something was wrong with me? And why did I always want to tell him exactly what?

Hope: I just need a friend tonight, that's all.

Hunter: Then feel free to use me for as long as you like. Your whole life, if you want...

My pulse raced erratically as I read then reread his words before responding.

Hope: Hunter...

Hunter: I'll be good.

Hope: Thank you.

I paused and then quickly tapped out another message.

Hope: I'm lonely, Hunter.

Hunter: Want me to come and break you out of the tower of doom, Cinderella?

His response made me smile, and knowing he was on the other end of my phone settled the lonely feeling inside of me.

Hope: Cinderella? Try Rapunzel, douchebag.

Hunter: Wanna hear something that's both depressing and wildly amusing?

Hope: Always.

Hunter: I lost the bet.

Seconds later, a picture message came through. I clicked on the link and burst out laughing when the image of Teagan smashing the monopoly board over my father's head filled the screen.

Hope: Omigod. Is he bleeding?

When he didn’t respond straight away, my heart sank. It sank further as another minute passed by. But just when I was about to give up on him and toss my phone on my nightstand, it rang loudly.

Hunter's name appeared on the screen and I pushed accept and pressed it to my ear. "Hello?" I spluttered, desperately trying to calm my racing heart.

"Sorry about that," he chuckled. "The she-devil caught me laughing at her and rushed me with a chopstick."

"Oh my god." I laughed loudly at the thought of Teagan chasing Hunter around my parent's kitchen before covering my mouth to muffle the sound. "Did she get you?"

"Do you really need to ask that?" Hunter replied, and I could tell he was smiling from his tone. "She's like a miniature, ninja assassin – of course she fucking got me."

"Where?" I laughed.

"My ass," he confirmed. "Thankfully, just the left cheek. She promised to ram it up, and I quote, the highest part of my hole." He put on an Irish accent to say that last bit and had me in near convulsions.

"Oh my god," I laughed, biting down on my knuckles to control myself. "Her hormones are driving her crazy"

"Don’t blame pregnancy on this," he countered, laughing. "That girl is batshit crazy on a good day."

That was true. Teagan Messina had a temper that rivaled an aggressive animal. She might look like a cute, little Maltese puppy, but she had the temperament of a rabid Pitbull.

I loved her for it.

"I've been thinking about what you said," I whispered, biting down on my bottom lip. "And you're right. I want my friend back."

"Which one?"

"You, dummy," I shot back, smiling. "I want us to have what we used to have," I added. "You know? Before…"

"I know what you mean," Hunter replied, tone serious now. "And I want that, too. I miss being with you."

"But it's different now," I interrupted, needing to put this out there before I lost my nerve. "And I need you to promise me something first."

"List your demands, HC," he chuckled.

I clenched my eyes shut and blurted out the words, "Promise you won't fall in love with me," before cringing in embarrassment.

Hunter was silent for a long time before finally saying, "You seem very sure of yourself, HC."

"I'm serious," I whispered. "You can't ever fall in love with me, Hunter. It will ruin everything, and I don’t want to lose you again." I need you in my life. "If we want to be friends, this has to be purely platonic."

"Duly noted, HC," he replied. "But you'll have to promise the same thing."

I frowned. "Come again?"

"You can't fall in love with me, either," he said with a teasing lilt to his tone. "I know it's going to be a damn near impossible task since I'm such an awesome fucking person with irresistible characteristic traits, but you've got to try your best to resist the urge."

"You're so dumb," I laughed. "Okay. I'll try if you will."

"So, friend," he mused. "Since we're friends again, do you want to talk about whatever it is that happened that has you all riled up?"

"You called me," I accused.

"You needed me," he shot back calmly.

I was stumped.

I did need him.

To talk to, at least.

"Then talk," I heard myself say. "Please."

And he did.

He talked and talked until my eyelids fluttered closed and sleep caught up with me.