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Still…something was bothering me, and I couldn’t put my finger on what.
I tucked the letter away, preparing my heart for tearing into the rest. What did he have to say to me once a month for three years? Possibly that he was sick? Perhaps that he wanted to see me again or that he missed me.
Max whined at the door right before a soft knock sounded on the other side. He tilted his head back like he knew who was on the other side then gazed at me, as if he wanted me to hurry up. Which meant my visitor was Laura. I didn’t have any other friends in the city that I knew well enough for Max not to bark when they came over. Just to be safe, I peeked through the eyehole and smiled.
Laura was five foot two and practically my twin in every way, save for her cascade of blonde curls and sharp blue eyes. I had a milder temper, and I was quiet. If someone cut me off in traffic, I’d curse them out in my car, but if our windows were down, I wouldn’t say a thing. Whereas Laura would crawl through her window to get to their car just to wring their neck. She was dynamite walking on two legs. There was something about her that reminded me of Rose Ridge, and while I had no illusions about my life growing up, I still missed home.
Unlocking the deadbolt, I swung the door open with a sigh.
“You brought me wine?”
Shouldering past me, she headed straight for the kitchen, scoffing as she went.
“This is my security blanket and not for drinking.”
Max fell into a trot, moving past me toward Laura.
“What exactly about a bottle of wine acts as a security blanket?”
With her back to me, she set the bottle down and moved to the fridge.
Ducking inside and pulling out a Gogurt, she straightened while tearing off the top.
“Are we ever going to talk about why you get kids’ yogurt pouches? And I just got off the train. Cops were called to the platform again because two people were reenacting some scene fromThe Avengers. One of them kept saying he was Thanos and making everyone uncomfortable. Also, your apartment is shady as fuck. There were two drug deals happening when I walked in, and one of the guys watched me like I was hiding a dime bag in my bra.”
The Gogurt she was sucking on actually looked kind of good, and if I couldn’t have wine, it would be the next best thing.
“Give me a strawberry one, please.”
Laura dipped back into my fridge to retrieve it while I sunk onto one of the stools at my breakfast nook.
“So you carry the bottle as a means of protection?”
Her lips wrapped around the yogurt pouch as she tried to get the last remnants out. “I just have this theory that women holding bottles of wine don’t get kidnapped or approached.”
I shook my head, sucking on the tip of the pouch until the strawberry yogurt hit my tongue.
“Can’t argue with that logic.”
My best friend smiled wickedly as she grabbed a glass. “Right? It sort of makes sense, the more you think about it.”
“So” —she focused on me, sliding her elbows onto the counter—“you look like you’ve been crying. Wanna talk about it?”
No.
I shrugged. “My dad left me ten acres of property, his clubhouse, and a letter where he basically apologized for the past twenty-eight years of my life.”
Her blue eyes rounded.
“Damn.”
Maxwell whined, laying his chin onto his paws as he watched the both of us from his spot on the floor. It was something he did whenever Laura or I were together. It made me think of when I first met her. She was on a delivery route, looking for someone on my floor. She couldn’t find them, and when she knocked on my door, she was so frustrated she just gave me the food for free and asked if I had any beer. I invited her in, we ate the guy’s food, and she ended up staying for four hours, effectively quitting her job. Max laid on the floor watching us that night, just like he was now. We’ve been best friends ever since.
“You’re a homeowner now. In some countries owning land makes you titled, like a duchess or countess. Either way, you’re out of this shit hole.” She did a little dance, clicking her shoes on the ancient linoleum of my kitchen.
Max raised his head at the echoing sound.
I waved my hands at her, half reaching for her. “Stop, you’re going to wake up my neighbor.” With a small laugh and roll of her eyes, she settled.
