“We get it,” I add, gently squeezing her shoulder before I let her go.
“I should have told you this months ago, Beck. I hope you can forgive me.” Grabbing her purse, she stands.
Beck rises to his feet the same time I do. “There’s nothing to forgive, Jan. Thank you for sharing this with me and for the info.”
“Make that bastard pay, Beck. He deserves to rot in hell for what he did to my best friend.”
* * *
BECK
One week later, Dexter Simpson is headline news as he’s arrested in a massive drug bust at his place. A ton of weapons was confiscated as well, and the two dead bodies found in the trunk of his car are the cherry on top of the cake. I hadn’t predicted that, but it’s the finest evidence of karma at work I’ve seen.
Jan wanted him to rot in hell, but rotting in a jail cell for the rest of his life will have to do. She sends me a text thanking me, and I tell her to keep in touch. I want to ensure she’s doing okay. She was close to Brielle in a way I wasn’t, so I can’t imagine the depth of her pain.
I head to my front door to let Hadley in when the bell pings. “Hey, Beck,” she says, letting her gaze roam the length of me. She whistles under her breath. “You sure make a suit look good. I bet you have all the women in the office creaming their panties and swooning at your feet.”
“Yet you still threw gay model into the mix?” I’ve been meaning to pick a bone with her about that suggestion.
She laughs as she breezes past me. “Just answer me one thing.” Hadley flops down on my couch like she owns it. “Have you ever taken it up the ass?”
I blink a couple of times, trying to work out if she’s serious or not. Sometimes it’s hard to tell with Stevie’s best friend. “I’m down for anal if my partner is into it, but I’m a giver not a receiver. I have no issue with men being with other men, but dudes don’t do it for me. I’m totally hetero and strictly into women.”
“Any women?” She arches a brow, smothering a smirk. “Or do you have a type?” Her eyes gleam with mischief. “Like, say, sexy redheads with a heart of gold?”
I’m so not getting into this. “You’re such a shit stirrer.”
“The worst.” She grins. “And I love the pun.”
I roll my eyes as I fight a smile. “It wasn’t intentional, trust me, and I’m glad we agree on something.”
Mercifully, she lets it go, sitting up straighter. “You said you wanted to talk about a couple of things. I already know they’re Stevie related, so hit me with ’em.”
“She mentioned last night that you told Mike no to the trip. Why?”
“Why?” Disbelief threads through her tone as she sits forward with her hands clasped on top of her knees. “You know why. Stevie is struggling, and she needs me.”
“She has coped better this week than expected, and it’ll get easier with the passing of time.”
“I know she has, but she’s still really fucking upset. As she should be.”
“She liked her therapist, and they’ve agreed on weekly sessions. That will help, and she has me.”
The jury is out on the guy I met, but I’ve decided to stick it out for a few sessions. Despite feeling lighter after Jan’s revelations, I’m still harboring guilt. Brielle was going to tell me about Dex, but I didn’t give her the chance. I will always regret that, but at least I know breaking things off with her wasn’t the reason she took her life.
“I know she has you. You’ve been amazing with her. I appreciate you looking out for her so much.”
“It’s not a chore. I care about her. Deeply.”
Hadley drills me with a look. “I know.”
The unspoken words linger in the air, and I’m grateful she doesn’t articulate them.
“Which is why I think you should go on the European trip,” I continue. “It’s only a month, and I was thinking of asking Stevie to come to France with me in July. My grandparents’ estate is idyllic and the perfect place to get away. It’s only a few miles from a large town and an amazing beach, yet the farm feels remote. We’ll have the best of both worlds, and I think she’ll be able to unwind. I also thought I’d try to persuade her to get behind the wheel again. The farm is private, and there’ll be no prying eyes. I wanted to ask your opinion before I mentioned it to her.”
“It sounds perfect, and you should ask her. But I don’t know. I don’t like leaving her when she’s so upset.”
“I promise I’ll take the best care of her, and if you and Mike want to come visit, that can be arranged. There is plenty of room.”
