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I shrug.
“Jen.” Her voice is exasperated. “Not too long ago, you didn’t even know where Drake was. You didn’t know that he would be here or that you would come face-to-face with him ever again. I haven’t forgotten when we were teenagers. You were there for him just as much as he was there for you. You two were amazing together—and you still are. I haven’t seen you smile this much since being with him in Fox River.”
I look over at her and when I do her mouth spreads to smile. It is gentle and sweet, and it warms me up inside. I draw in a thick breath and it sticks in my chest, dwindling to my lungs.
“I’m scared to be with him again,” I confess.
She’s quiet for a moment, and when the wheels of the cab run over a pothole, my body bounces. “I’m scared too, Jen. We never know what they will do next.” She grabs my hand, continuing a smile. “But that’s the fun of having a Davenport. They may be reckless, wild, and their next action unknown, but they love us. And that is for sure. Oscar has been saying it ever since he held me in his arms again.”
“He has?” I grin as she blushes. “Aww, Kylie, that is so sweet!”
She laughs. “I think you’re just afraid of what Drake can provide. You didn’t think you’d ever see him again, but now that he is here—and with more money—you aren’t sure how to go about it. I say stick with him. Work it out. Try and get on the same page again. Something tells me the Hulk isn’t going to let you go this time, no matter what you say or do.”
I snort. “He is like the Hulk right? All crazy and wild—and those damn eyes. That should be his fighter name right there!”
“Right!” She snickers. “He went all Doom Smash on that Slayer guy.” We bust out laughing, falling into each other. “But, hey, I wouldn’t mind him going Hulk on Shane. I really wouldn’t. I know this is bad to admit, but deep down I wanted to come into this hotel just to see Drake beating the ever-loving shit out of Shane. Now that would have been the fight of a lifetime.”
I groan. “I feel so stupid for letting Shane do what he’s done to me. But you know my situation with my parents…”
“Yeah, I know. Things aren’t going as planned with your life. But that’s okay. What you should have done was press charges, babe. Seriously. Just because he can’t do it to you anymore doesn’t mean he can’t with another innocent girl.”
“That’s true. Maybe I should.” We are quiet for a moment. “You want to know something weird?”
“What?”
“I know I told you my parents and I aren’t on good terms, but my mom has been calling me for like two weeks straight now.”
“What?!” she gasps.
“Yeah. She’s been saying that she really needs to talk to me but I don’t know what she wants. She seems a little… desperate.”
“So why haven’t you answered? It could be important.”
“Because I can’t help her, Kylie. What am I going to give her besides my ass to kiss?”
“That’s beside the point, Jenny. I know your mom was a mega bitch, but when has she called you non-stop? Never. Not since we were teens and she used to demand you get home.”
“I—I can’t answer, Kylie. What if she needs me to come to Fox River? I can’t go back to that city—that house.”
“Jen,” she murmurs. “I’m going to tell you something and I mean it with all of the love in my heart. Get over yourself, babe. You are twenty-three years old. You’ve just graduated college and you’ve gotten the love of your life back. To me, things are starting to look up for you. What’s to say they can’t with your mom, too?”
She gives me a look—one with way too much hope and faith. It shouldn’t bother me, but it does. But only because I wish I had as much hope as she did. I wish that I could just be happy for the life I’ve lived—to still be alive.
Kylie has changed drastically and I’ve loved witnessing her growth. She’s much stronger, mentally and physically. She’s a sweetheart, and she’s one of the most selfless people I know. I can’t even count how many times she’s put me before herself when I most needed her.
I’m trying to get to the level she’s on… but I’m not quite there yet.
“You’re probably right,” I murmur as we pull up to the front of the hotel.
“If she calls and needs you to see her, I can go back with you.” She pushes out of the cab and I walk around the back to meet up with her.
“Would you really?”
“Of course,” she sings. “You’re my best friend, Jen. I’d chop a guys balls off for you. Speaking of, don’t let me see Shane again. If so, I’ll have my knife ready.” I bust out laughing and she slings an arm around my shoulders, yawning. “But that can’t happen until I get some sleep. So come on, baby love.”
