AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"And that's why I started the business. It's not my money. It's the business's money."
David runs a hand through his hair and a whistle escapes from between his teeth. "I know we said not to tell us about the business—but it is… legal… right?"
Their happiness is already lifting my spirits, and I chuckle. "Yes, it's completely legal."
Beth and David share a look and then burst into matching smiles, David laughing, Beth crying. For the first time in months, I can breathe again.
This is the only thing that keeps me going.
Beth gets up from the table and wraps her arms around me. "Chris would be so thankful that you're taking care of us. You were such a good friend to him."
If only that were true. At least his parents will never know the truth.
I hug her back; her embrace a comfort I’d long since forgotten.
Chapter 22
Lara
Hangoversareanewexperience for me, but I've found a pretty simple solution: just keep drinking. Keeping my mind in a perpetual state of blurriness dulls a significant amount of the pain, and when my heart starts twisting its familiar knot again, another sip of wine always helps me breathe through it. Eventually, sleep comes. A drunken slumber that stops me from ever achieving REM. Which, thankfully, keeps Jamie out of my dreams.
To my dismay, each morning unravels as the start of its own nightmare as I wake to one thought: Have I become the villain in my own story of justice?
By mid-afternoon, well into my second bottle of Chardonnay, that thought has completely drifted away. I’m dancing toShake it Offby Taylor Swift for the eighth time on repeat when there is a loud rap on my door.
The landlord of my apartment building has already yelled at me twice for what he described as multiple noise complaints from neighbors who describe a shrill elderly woman sobbing.
I stab at my Bluetooth speaker to pause the song. “Sorry!”
An apology should be enough… and does my landlord really need to see me again? I think not. I don’t answer the door. Lord knows I haven’t showered since… When was the last time he stopped by?… Three days ago? Or maybe that was yesterday.
Shrugging, I swig straight from the bottle. Whatever.
Pointing at my speaker, I swing my hips across the kitchen, sliding in my socks. “Come on, Taylor, let’s dance.” A second before I press play, there’s another knock on the door.
My hands drop to my side. Is this dude serious? “I said I was sorr—”
“Lara?” Gary’s voice calls out on the other side. “It’s me. Open up.”
My jaw drops and I let out a squeal. “Gary!” Spinning in a circle and cradling the bottle to my chest, I skip across my apartment, jumping over piles of laundry and empty boxes from Uber Eats.
Throwing open the door, I blink as my vision doubles. I'm fine with it. Two Garys is better than one. "What are you doing here? You came to visit me!"
His lips dip at the corners and his shoulders stiffen, his eyes widening as he glances past me. "Honey, holy hell."
I follow his gaze and shrug. "I know, it's a little messy, but you know, it's been a long day."
His frown turns into a scowl as he scrunches his nose. "Lara, please don't take this the wrong way, because this is coming from a place of love. But you smell like a fucking winery. And not the vineyards of Simi Valley—we're talking stomped grapes in a moldy barrel. Now give me that."
He reaches for my half-empty wine bottle, and I stick out my bottom lip. "No, this one's mine. Get your own."
Cocking his head, he hands me a sparkly gift bag with yellow paper. "I brought you something better than wine."
"Presents? For me?" My jaw drops and I completely forget about the wine, releasing my hold on the bottle as I take the bag.
Gary takes the bottle and slides past me, weaving around the clutter littered across my floor like a tiptoeing rabbit. I chuckle at the thought. "Oh, I love you, Gary. You didn't have to get me anything. Can I open it?"
Scanning my apartment, Gary's scowl deepens. "I should have brought bleach. Lara. when I picked you up from Eden's last week, you said you were going to get your shit together." He waves his hands around my apartment. "This is the opposite of that."
