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The guys in the room laugh while hurt fills her eyes. She hugs herself as they throw around more lewd comments, looking at her like she’s their next meal.
It pisses me off, but I stare her down, drinking in her pain and humiliation.
I lied to her when I said it wouldn’t change anything.
This changes everything. I’m done ignoring her.
Six
Maisy
It took the entire ride over, plus one of Thea’s magical soul-restoring hugs and her beaming smile before I was able to shake off the dark cloud of what happened at the tree. At least enough to resemble a well-adjusted, functioning person who isn’t wrapped up in berating myself for falling for another one of Fox’s tricks.
The look on his face…
Do you seriously think I’m going to kiss you?
Ugh, he needs to stop living rent free in my mind. Shoving him from my thoughts and locking the last hour away behind a mental wall of concrete, I shift my focus to painting this mural with my best friend.
Stevie Nicks’ soothing voice serenades us from my phone as we work. I hum along to the melody of Dreams and laugh when Thea pauses her section of the mural to dance with her arms overhead, swinging her auburn curls around as she’s feeling herself, no longer afraid to show off her curves. Minute by minute, I’m beginning to feel more normal, chilled out by hanging with Thea. I realize as I guide my paintbrush along the celestial mural design outline that I’ve been carrying so much negative energy in my heart ever since this situation with Fox escalated. It has me missing last spring, when Thea and I went to the yoga studio every weekend with baby goats.
Fox’s dark shadow has infected the bright light in my life, shrouding me with his damn grudge.
“Yoga this weekend?” I suggest, rubbing the smooth piece of quartz in my brass bangle. I need something positive in my life to reset myself. A fresh nightly meditation plan is already forming in my head. I will get back to a zen headspace where Fox can’t infect my bubble of happiness. “I’ve been slacking and your girl needs some serious best friend time.”
Thea lights up. “Yes! I’ve missed going with all the stuff on my plate to get the bakery ready to open.”
Her energy is so great right now. It’s clear to see how happy she is, and that makes me glad for her. She deserves to glow like a goddess.
Smirking, I tip my head to the side. “Sure it’s not because you get railed on the reg by that good D?”
Thea whips toward me, her cheeks pink as she fiddles with the engagement ring Connor gave her six months ago. The guy bought her a building because he wanted to support her goals, like what an incredible proposal. “Maise. Jesus.”
I fall back out of my position on the floor, cracking up. I’m the most myself around her. It always surprises people who expect me to be quiet and prudish, but I’m not like that at all. Not the real me, anyway.
“You know I fully support your wild sex life. It’s self-care. I just like living vicariously through you since it’s just me and Righty.” I wave my hand and waggle my brows when she releases a tiny shriek. “Well, and Sir Good Vibes.”
“I still can’t believe you named your vibrator that.” She shakes her head in amusement. “You’re so weird. I love it.”
“Love you back, goob.” I blow her a kiss. “Where’s your man?”
“He’s building me a desk in the office. There’s still the city inspection, and the oven delivery got moved back, and, oh my gosh, the applications. I need to get those up, but I keep forgetting.” She gets that overwhelmed look once her ramble ends, the one that happens when she takes on too much. She blows out a breath, lifting a stray curl from her face. “How am I ever going to open this bakery on time?”
All she’s ever dreamed of is opening this place.
“Say the word, girl. My offer still stands—we can run away together and live our best life in Venice Beach. A shitty one bedroom apartment and the ocean, that’s all we need.”
I’m only half-teasing. The other half is kind of serious.
“That was always your wish.” Thea purses her lips to the side. “You’ll get to go on your road trip.” She comes over and hugs me from behind. “They can’t take it away from you, or any of your other dreams. You’re going to do everything you want to with your life, and the choice is yours, not theirs. Don’t forget that.”
My breath catches and I latch onto her arms as she gives me a squeeze. Once again the truth of the words spray painted on my locker hit me.
Damn, she’s too good at reading me. We’ve always had a strong connection, ever since I first found her bawling her eyes out
on a hiking trail in the woods at the summer camp we met at. She was lost and I helped her find her way back to the campground. We’ve been inseparable friends ever since, from middle school onward. I can’t imagine my life without her friendship.
“Thanks, dude,” I mumble.
