***
The next morning, Reggie watched the drama unfold. Amy’s parents had come to pick Rachel up, and the little girl was ecstatic to go away with Grandma and Grandpa. Amy was livid and blaming Reggie for her mistakes. Which should have made him feel lower than scum. He used to feel terrible whenever he’d disappoint her. But now, he just felt numb.
Her parents took Rachel away, but before she left, she turned and ran back to hug him. “Thanks for helping, Reggie. I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too.” He felt better about her leaving this time. Her grandparents would look out for her.
They waved and left.
Reggie took a deep breath, centering himself, and let it go. He needed to do the right thing here. Not for Amy, the guys, his family, or even Maggie. But for himself. “Amy, you need to leave. Now.”
“What?”
“I said get out. You lied to me. You manipulated me. I’m done.”
She cried, and he knew the tears were real. “Where will I go? I can’t go back home.”
“You can. You choose not to. But you know, it’s your choice. I won’t clean up your messes anymore.”
“But Reggie, I love you.”
Looking into her eyes physically pained him because he could almost feel her despair. “I think you did once, but you don’t now. Not really. You love the idea of what Devon should be for you. But he’s not a good person, and you know that. You just don’t love yourself enough to expect you deserve better.” He’d lived with her long enough to know that was true.
Amy kept crying. He couldn’t handle it. So he hugged her and dried her tears. But when she tried to kiss him, he gently pushed her back. “No.”
“Why?”
Her fragility and helplessness, what used to urge him to solve all her problems, now just made him sad for her. “Because I love someone else. And you need help I can’t give.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
He never got to answer the question, because that someone he loved stood there in the doorway, looking shocked.
With Mack grinning from ear to ear behind her.Oh, shit.
***
Maggie stared at a woman who looked unnaturally beautiful. Like someone stepping out of a seashell, all legs and goddess-like grace. She was everything Maggie was not. And a big, fat liar to boot.
After clearing her throat, Maggie said, “Hi, Reggie. Hello. You must be Amy.”
Amy of the timeless beauty wiped a tear from her cheek, the act perfection itself. “Hi.”
“Yeah, you’re the bitch who lied and tried to get me to break up with my boyfriend.”
Amy blinked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Save it. Get your skinny ass out. Now. You have manipulated him for the last time. You’re done.”
Reggie gaped. “Maggie, I—”
“Shut. Up.” She glared at Reggie, so mad, she wanted to hit something. “Well, Cinderella? Your prince is waiting in Tacoma. Better hurry up before he shoves a glass slipper on someone else’s foot.”
Amy angrily wiped her tears. “You’re mean.”
“Yep. And you’re so pretty. And sad. And helpless.” Maggie sneered. “Give me a break. That worked last time. It’s not working now.”
“I don’t have to leave,” she tried again, looking pleadingly at Reggie. “Reggie? I need your help. If you kick me out, I could be in serious trouble. You’ll never forgive yourself if I end up dead.”
