Page 118 of Hearts Storm

“Good point,” I laugh, shaking my head.

Sasha’s head pops up from behind one of the couches, a glass of red wine dangling from her fingers. “There she is! Come sit next to me.”

Noia is curled up in one of the armchairs, dressed in soft gray shorts and a tank top with some kind of book quote printed across the front. Instead of a glass of wine, there is a can of Coke sitting on the small round table next to her chair.

A tingle runs over my arms. Noia always has a glass of wine in hand on girls’ night…

“Hey, Rey! We were just about to pick a movie to watch later, but we want to hear how things are going with you first.”

“Reyna?” Noia’s voice is soft, canting her head as she studies me. “You okay? You look a little pale.”

I open my mouth to say I’m fine—the word is right there, ready to roll off my tongue like it always does—but suddenly Madame Solis’s words of caution echo in my head. You need to let the people who love you in. All the way. Otherwise, you will never fully heal.

My throat tightens.

“Actually...” I sink onto the couch. My hands are shaking, so I tuck them tightly between my knees. “There is something I need to tell you.”

The room goes quiet as they all give me their full attention. Sasha sets her wine glass aside. Lizzy takes a seat in the empty chair next to Noia. All of them giving me their full attention.

“I had a twin sister,” I say, and the words feel foreign in my mouth. I haven’t said them out loud to anyone other than Logan or Brex in years. Not to anyone. Not since I left Colorado and buried that part of myself so deep I almost convinced myself it didn’t exist. “Her name was Becca.”

Sasha grabs her wine and takes a big gulp before slumping back against the couch. “Twin? Were you identical?”

“Yes,” I nod. My voice sounds like it’s coming from somewhere far away as I continue. “We looked exactly alike. Same hair, same eyes. People used to get us confused all the time, even our parents.”

“But that’s not the worst part.” My voice cracks as I pull my trembling hands from between my knees and twist my fingers together. “She drowned when we were ten.”

The silence that follows is so thick I can almost feel it pressing against my skin.

Sasha’s wine glass hovers, frozen halfway to her lips. Noia, always quick with a joke or a sarcastic comment, stares at me with her mouth slightly open. Lizzy’s face has gone stoic, eyes glassy. It’s in that moment I can see her resemblance to Logan, and it makes my heart squeeze in my chest.

Pushing thoughts of my broody boss aside, I tell them the rest of my story. When I’m finished, I feel so much lighter. Lighter than I have in years. To be able to tell my friends, these women I trust the most, my story? It means the world to me.

“Oh my God, Rey.” Sasha scoots over, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”

“That’s horrible,” Lizzy murmurs, shaking her head slowly as she gets up and comes over to sit next to me, resting her head against mine.

“That’s why you became an EMT, isn’t it?” Noia asks.

“Yes.” I think about telling them about Logan and Brex. About how they want to come over tomorrow, but I’m done talking about myself.

“Enough about me. What about you?” I wave a hand at her can of Coke. “Are you sick or something? Since when does the ‘Queen of Steam’ not have a glass of wine in her hand?”

Noia and Sasha exchange secret smiles.

“Actually, it’s not just me…”

“You first,” Sasha says.

Noia takes a deep breath, eyes sparkling as she flattens a hand over her stomach. “I’m pregnant,” she announces, voice shaking slightly. “Ryder and I are going to have a baby.”

The room erupts with gasps from me and Lizzy. Sasha just grins. She’s been Noia’s best friend since middle school, so it makes sense she would already know.

“Holy, shit!” I laugh, joining the hug pile forming around Noia. “That’s amazing!”

“I know!” Noia laughs, tears glistening in her eyes. “We just found out last week.”

“Wait,” Lizzy says, holding up her hands. “This is what Madame Solis predicted!”