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I smile wide. “Yes. I am. There is no one else I’d rather go through all this shit with.”
“Ditto.” He bends down to kiss my lips. “I could kiss those lips forever and never get tired of them.”
I give him a playful shove because I am not the mushy type. But Hayden has turned me into a lovesick woman. “Seriously, I don’t know where I would be without you.”
“I love you, Claire.”
“I love you, Hayden.”
“Guess who is back?”
“Is Astera back?”
He grins. “Your bestie is back.”
“Thank god.”
Jumping out of bed, I pull on a one-shoulder, black, long-sleeve tee, pull on a pair of my dark wash jeans, and put half my hair up, leaving the rest to hang down.
Barefoot, I pad through the house, looking for Astera. “Claire,” I hear her call.
When I spot her, I grin wide. “You are glowing,” I wrap her in a big hug.
“What did I miss while we were gone?”
I laugh and put my arm across her shoulders. “A lot. How was your honeymoon?”
“Fun. And I found out some unexpected news.” She reaches for my hands and squeezes them.
I smile. “Don’t leave me in suspense.”
“I’m pregnant.”
“Astera!” I give her another big hug. “Congratulations. I am so happy for you guys. Do you know how far along you are?”
She beams with delight. “I don’t know. I’m scheduling a doctor’s appointment tomorrow.”
“I can go with you if Griffin can’t.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know. Now, what did I miss.” We sit in her room on the bed, and she crosses her legs, ready to listen to everything that happened when they left. And I begin to give her the low down, starting with the fight with Lauren, the sex video of Hayden and me at the club, and the strip club being burned down.
“That is a lot. I am so sorry you had to deal with that, especially the sex video. How does Rowan feel about that?”
“As far as I know, Hayden kept it pretty quiet. Luckily, Killer got rid of it, but that doesn’t mean there is another copy somewhere. And who knows how many people saw it online. It’s mortifying. I’m sure if Rowan knew, he would have murdered someone, but we don’t know who is doing this.”
“I won’t say anything. It sounds terrifying, though.”
“And moments before I knew you were here; Hayden professed his love to me.” I laugh at the thought. “I don’t know why it took me aback when he said it. But then I realized he’s seen me at my worst and didn’t give up on me. So, I can only imagine how it could be when we aren’t dealing with any bullshit. And, of course, I feel like I am falling for him even more now.”
Astera reaches out her arms to hug me. “I am happy for you both. I think you both are meant for each-other.”
“Thanks.”
“Well, we should probably go see what the others are doing.”
“Before we go out there, can you keep your eye out on Lauren? I really think she is behind all this nonsense, but I don’t have proof. Just going by a feeling I have. And Hayden is also having Rowan look into her as well.”
“I will keep my eyes and ears open.”
