Bree cocked her head to the side. “Because I know you. If I had asked you’d have told me everything was fine. And the few times I did ask, that’s exactly what you did. I figured that night was going to be the breaking point. That’s why I sent Chris afteryou.”
God, she loved Bree. Loved that she understood her and all her fucked-up-ness. “Iwondered.”
“You needed a target. Someone you could unload on and not feel guilty about doing it. That wasn’t me or yourparents.”
“No. It wasn’t. I didn’t need to be coddled and I didn’t want to burden anyone when I lostit.”
Bree scooted closer on the couch so their knees were almost touching. “You have to stop doing that. You’re not a burden. You don’t always have to be the strong one that holds everyone else together. You suck up everyone else’s problems until there’s no room left for your own and then you lose yourshit.”
“I know. You’reright.”
“Of course Iam.”
Denise smiled, even though the backs of her eyes pricked. Even now, with the person she felt safest with, she tried to holdback.
“Promise me you’ll talk to me before you get to that pointagain.”
She licked her lips. “I’lltry.”
Bree nodded. “So that’s losing your shit.Sex?”
“I’m flattered, butno.”
“Ha. Ha.” She smacked Denise’s knee. “Don’t be a dick. Besides, I’m getting it good athome.”
“No. No. And more no. I already know too much as it is about you and Jase. I have a hard enough time looking him in the eyes, I don’t need moredetails.”
“Yeah, well. I don’t have that problem.” She drained her glass and went to the kitchen counter, bringing the bottle back with her. “The only reason I haven’t asked Chris to show me his signature move is because I’m still in the ‘we’re angry at Chris’ camp.” She sat back on the couch. “Unless we’renot?”
“I can’t believe I told you that story.” Denise took the wine bottle and topped off her glass, then set it on the coffee table. “We’re not, but I’m pretty sure Jase would not like you asking Chris to strip foryou.”
“Hmm…good point. Anyway. You? Chris?Sex?”
She took a fortifying sip. “I attacked him when he foundme.”
Bree’s forehead wrinkled. “Physically orsexually?”
“Both.”
“Uh, which did you dofirst?”
“Physical. Then the otherone.”
“And you hadsex?”
She half nodded. “And we…had sex.” Why was it so hard to share this with Bree? She’s shared before. The strip show. The kiss in the woods. Eventually, over shots of Jameson, she’d shared the rest of it. Sharing the details of this felt different for somereason.
“But it was…more…than just sex,” Breehedged.
“It was…more.”
“Oh my God!” Bree dropped her head back and stared at the ceiling. “Getting information out of you is like popping azit.”
Denise’s nose wrinkled. “Ew.What?”
She raised her head. “It’s like popping a zit that’s not quite ready, but you know if you work at it a little, maybe poke it with a needle to get it started, it’s going to explodeeverywhere.”
Her best friend had compared her to a zit. “I am equal parts offended anddisgusted.”
