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Lizzy collapsed onto the stool beside mine. “I don’t know why I’m bothering.”
“Because you want to keep her alive,” June offered.
Lizzy shot her a dirty look. “Pick a damn side already.”
June grinned. “I prefer to stay neutral and argue whichever side is the most logical at the moment.”
“Eem,” Evan wailed, lunging for Lizzy’s bowl. His was empty—the little dude was a monster.
“Here, bud,” Lizzy set him and her bowl down on the floor. He squealed happily, shifting forms before he attacked the bowl with his little furry face.
June sighed. “Look, it kills me a little to say this, because I’m all for sending men running for the hills if they’re assholes, but I think Lizzy has a point about Dax. Zed says he’s the one who keeps an eye on everyone else—Elliot and Ford will deliver groceries, or show up to help people through their shit, but Dax is the guy who notices when something is wrong with the others. So he’s probably not an asshole. And believe me, if a guy isn’t an asshole, then he’s worth calling yours. The sex is fucking incredible, and the friendship is even better somehow. Just try to move on from the past, and see where things go.”
I grimaced. “How do I move on from knowing that he wasn’t attracted to me? Our connection isn’t even real if he only wants me because of the mate bond, is it?”
“That’s something you’ve got to decide yourself.”
Lizzy sighed. “You know you’re only bothered about this because you expected instalove, Sab. And instalove isn’t real; when people try to look for it, they end up in shitty situations like I did with SD. It’s just hormones and lust. Real relationships develop slowly, and are about loyalty, friendship, and trust.”
I shot her an exasperated look. “I’m not a complete moron, Lizzy. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for the guy I’m supposed to spend my life with to be attracted to me.”
“He is, though.”
“No, the mating bond is.”
Lizzy groaned.
“Clearly we don’t agree on all this.” I waved around the house. “Just let me live my life, okay? I’m not being stupid or letting myself die just because he doesn’t like me. I’m not telling him to leave. I’m allowed to have feelings, even if they aren’t the same as yours. My mate didn’t swoop in and make everything perfect like yours did, so just let it fudging go.”
Lizzy’s face was red, but she jerked her head in a nod. “Fine. I just want you to be happy, you know.”
“I know. But you and I are different people, and I don’t need you to mother me.” A wave of exhausted achiness rolled through me, and I slouched in my stool.
“Let’s get you to the couch,” June suggested, slipping an arm around my waist and helping me down.
I nodded, and Lizzy came over to the other side. That was far from the first time we’d fought about something, and it would be far from the last time, too. Our disagreements had never affected our loyalty to each other; we weren’t just friends, we were family.
“How do you feel?” Lizzy checked, the back of her hand resting against my forehead as they helped me sit down.
“You don’t want to know.” My eyes closed.
“I’ll call Elliot,” Lizzy said quickly.
Opening my eyes, I grabbed her by the arm. “Don’t. I need a break. Having Dax around is… a lot.”
Lizzy didn’t look convinced.
“I’m not in pain right now. Just exhausted, and sore. Feels like I worked out really hard yesterday or something,” I added quickly. It was the truth. “If I get much worse, I’ll tell you, and you can have Dax come back.”
Lizzy sighed, and put her phone away. “I’m worried about you.”
“I know.” I flashed her a small smile.
“So what’s your plan?” June asked, dropping onto the couch beside me.
“I don’t know. I’m shitty at plans,” I admitted sheepishly.
Lizzy snorted. “Understatement.”
