Carter Reed 2

I shook my head. “No. I haven’t had the heart.”

“Good.” She sounded relieved. “Good. I haven’t said anything to Brian, and I’ll break it off. I’ll do it when I get home.”

“Now.” I said that word, but it wasn’t me speaking. It was a different Emma, someone I didn’t recognize. She was cold and firm while I was comforting and soothing, or that’s how I should’ve been. Amanda’s eyes widened, but I had to say it again. “You should do it now. Get it done. You’re here with us. Maybe you could take some time off next week. We could all stay here and help you.”

She stiffened at my words. “Theresa doesn’t know.”

“I know, and I’m here.” God, I was a heartless friend. I was wrong. I was the nasty bitch, not her, but this wasn’t the life we lived anymore. That was the truth about our situation. I couldn’t be the friend to her that I would’ve been before Mallory, before Franco Dunvan. “If you’re really going to do it, do it now.” I reached over the table and slid her phone so it was right in front of her.

She took her phone. Her eyes didn’t leave mine.

“It’ll be better this way,” I said. My heart was ripping, though. Chills went down my back from the sound of my own voice. I was so hard right now.

“Okay.” She held the phone to her chest and slid out from her end of the booth. As she passed by me, she paused and said, “I’m going to need you after this.”

I was going to hell. Grasping her arm, I squeezed it before letting my hand fall away. Pushing someone I considered family to end her relationship, that wasn’t right. She loved him, I could tell, and she’d never told Theresa. She’d be mourning in silence.

I was a shitty person.

Then my phone buzzed with a text from Carter: I love you. I’m coming back tonight. I’m sorry for leaving without seeing you first, but I’ll explain everything. It took a day longer, but it was necessary. How are you?

I replied, Fine. It’ll be good to see you. I love you. As I put my phone away, a tear fell onto the back of my hand. I hadn’t even known I was crying.

Two songs later, Theresa returned to the box. Smiling and sweating, she ran a hand through her hair, fluffing it up as she slid next to me. “Where’s Amanda?”

“She’s on the phone.”

“Oh.” A small frown and then a shrug. “I hope she stays on it for a while.”

“She’s not normally like that.”

“I know.” Theresa cast me another frown as she picked up her drink and sucked from the straw. “Something’s up her crack, but I know it wasn’t me. She’s the one who wants me to move in with Noah. Maybe that’s what it’s about? You think she’s jealous?”

I tensed. “Jealous?”

“Of me and Noah. She’s alone. I mean, I don’t know why. She’s beautiful. I know she’s had offers, but she never dates. Is that what it’s about? She’s worried about when I’ll move in with him.” Her eyes got big and her hand flung up to cover her mouth. “Oh, no. I can’t believe I said that.”

“When?!” I teased. “When? So it’s happening?”

“Oh god. I just admitted it, didn’t I? I said it out loud.”

“You did.”

She leaned back against the seat and gripped her drink. She shook her head. “I can’t take it back. I mean, I’m doing it. I can’t believe I’m doing it.”

“Speaking of doing it. Where’s Noah?” Sending her a knowing look, I asked, “Are you supposed to meet up with him in a private room somewhere?”

She giggled. “No. But, damn, that’d be nice, huh? No, he got a phone call, and I think he was looking for an excuse not to come back here. Amanda’s usually quiet, you know?”

I knew.

“And she’s usually friendly, always kinda in the background. I don’t think he knows how to handle her when she’s like this.” She scratched her forehead. “Come to think of it, I don’t either. Did you fix it?”

“Fix it?”

“Fix Amanda. Did you send her off to get a new attitude before she comes back?”

My heart broke a little more for my friend. She was off ending a relationship and was going to walk back into this? “If there was no Carter, there’d be no dilemma.” Amanda’s words came back to me. Hearing how tormented she’d been, I hadn’t known what to say. She’d said Noah would pull away, but maybe it was me. Maybe I needed to do what I’d considered doing before—pulling away from Amanda. I turned with new eyes toward Theresa. Would she be better off without me?

Yes.

The answer resounded in my head. They all would be. That was the right thing to do. Seeing Amanda so grief-stricken, I knew this was the right thing to do. She could still be with Brian, but the phone call—“Let me out.”

“What?”

“Let me out, Theresa!” I hadn’t meant to shout, but it got her going. She scooted out, and I was right behind her.

“Where are you going?”

“To stop a phone call,” I yelled over my shoulder as I ran from the private box.

“What?”

I heard Theresa behind me, but I kept going. Within seconds, as I knew they would be, the guards were around me. The new one who had shown up this afternoon was bigger than the rest, and he moved in front of me, clearing the way. I didn’t know his name.