AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“This won’t work, Devon. Good luck with your next position. I… hope you find your mother safe and sound.”
“Wait, please, I—” The phone clicked in her ear, and she stood there, praying for someone to say it was all a bad joke. A bad dream. Any minute now, she’d wake up and—
“Dev?” Dara asked.
Devon pressed the button on the portable phone to turn it off and quietly set it on the nearby counter above the wine cooler. Even if she drank every bottle, it wouldn’t be enough. “Looks like I’ve been fired.”
“Oh, Dev.”
Dara rushed toward her and wrapped her in her arms, but after a moment’s embrace, Devon pushed her away. “I need a shower.”
“Devon?”
Oz. How could she have forgotten about Oz after last night—and this morning?
She shook her head, unable to even look at him because he’d always been able to see through her.
See whatever it was she tried to hide. And right now, she had to hide the fact she was angry. With her father. Her mother.
Ted.
Life.
Everything.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, so why was she on the receiving end of the fallout?
Where was her mother?
Her boyfriend or fiancé or whatever he was?
Why was this happening?
She took off for the stairs without a word and jogged up them, rushing down the hallway toward the bedroom she’d left ten years ago.
She shut the door and leaned against it, refusing to give in to the tears that prickled her eyes.
She was a strong, capable, independent woman. She’d figure it out. She had some savings. Enough to get by for now. It wouldn’t last long at New York prices and rental rates, so the race was on, but she could do this. Would do this.
All she had to do was find her mother, find a job… and find out what came next?
Oz stared at Dara once Devon was out of sight, but other than an expression of concern, Dara didn’t speak.
Devon’s sister turned on her heel and headed toward the refrigerator, yanking the door open so hard it caused everything inside to rattle.
“She’ll find another job,” he said, closing the distance between them.
“That’s not the problem.”
Oz leaned a shoulder against the doorframe and stared at the woman so physically like Devon yet so very different. “It is a lot to take in at once. Devon just needs some space.”
“I hope that’s all she needs. We definitely don’t need Mama and Devon both losing it,” Dara said, pouring herself some juice. “Maybe the Babes have some wisdom to impart that’ll help.”
As though summoned by her statement, the front door opened with a short, quick knock, and Tessa called out a hello.
“Kitchen,” Dara said.
Oz turned to see Tessa, Cheryl, and Mary Elizabeth enter, each carrying more dishes of food.
