Lauren parked in front of Sticky Sweets Bakery and turned off the engine. The cool Wyoming air from outside seeped into her old Honda Civic as she stared at the wall of windows on the storefront. Lyric’s car was parked two spaces down.
“I can do this. I can be honest. Just tell her the truth. ‘Remember that one time I was abducted and your husband was shot by the Wilson brothers? I invited one of them to live with me.’”
Resting her forehead against the steering wheel, Lauren switched from talking to herself to talking to God.
“I need help, Lord. Please.” The plea at the end was drawn out and whiny, but what did it matter? God knew all about the storm rolling in her heart. Not one part of her wanted to have this conversation, but it was the right thing to do.
Lauren straightened, let out a whoosh of airthrough her rounded lips, and opened the door. One foot in front of the other.
Sticky Sweets bustled with people during the early breakfast hour. The patrons were a mix of working men grabbing a quick breakfast sandwich before heading to a job site or ranch, and younger women sitting with a cup of coffee in front of laptops. The bakery was sparsely decorated. The large windows looking out onto the downtown street were the most eye-catching feature, but it was a welcoming place. It was casual and practical with a basic menu that promised each plate was cooked to perfection.
Lyric Scott waved from a booth in the back. Baby Nora slept soundly in her carrier beside her mom.
Lauren lifted her smile and pointed toward the line. Lyric already had a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich sitting beside Nora’s bottle.
After ordering, Lauren sat in the bench seat across from Lyric and Nora. “Good morning.”
Lyric brushed her hand over her high ponytail. “Good morning. Nora would be wishing you a good morning with her sweet smile, but her days and nights are flipped. She was up all night, which means I was too.”
Guilt gripped Lauren’s chest. She wasn’t about to do Lyric any favors by dropping the news on her. “I’m sorry. Do you want me to come over and watch Nora while you get some sleep?”
Lyric glanced over at her adorable infant daughter, and a genuine smile spread over her lips. “No, Bettyhas been helping a lot. I don’t mean to complain because I have the best mother-in-law ever. Also, I feel terrible for sleeping because I don’t want to miss a minute of this.” Lyric’s eyes glinted with unshed tears. “She won’t stay this little forever.”
Lauren reached for Lyric’s hand, gripping it with all she had. “You’re a great mom, and it’s okay to get the rest you need. You’ll feel better after you do.”
Lyric brushed her fingers over her eyes. “I know. I’m just emotional. When is the crying supposed to stop?”
“Yours or hers?” Lauren asked.
That earned her a chuckle from her friend. “I might take you up on that nap one day. Betty is coming over later, so I’ll rest then. How are things going with you?”
This was it. Lyric was giving her a perfect lead-in. “Things are…complicated.”
“How so?”
Lauren shifted in her seat. She’d been rehearsing this conversation in her head for the last hour. Why was she drawing a blank when it was time to actually say the words?
“I…I haven’t been honest with you about something.”
“Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good.”
Lauren let out a panicked wheeze. “It’s not.”
Lyric reached over the table and laid her hand over Lauren’s in the same way she’d been comforted mere seconds ago. “Whatever it is, we can figure it out. You know that,right?”
A shaky breath rattled in Lauren’s chest. Her friendships weren’t flighty, but this was something Lyric might not understand. It was hard for Lauren to talk about her relationship with her cousin. There were some pretty raw wounds she still hadn’t cleaned up.
Swallowing the knot in her throat, Lauren whispered, “You know how Zach Wilson was released yesterday?”
Lyric’s eyes widened slightly. It was a touchy subject—her husband took the bullet that was meant for Lauren—but while the physical injuries had healed, the invisible hurts lingered. They’d all been a little broken after everything went down. Seeing the brothers endure punishment was only part of the healing. How did anyone go about forgiving when the attacks were so personal?
“Yeah. We’ve talked about it a few times. Why are you bringing it up now? Did he do something already?”
Lauren picked at the old pink polish on her fingernail. There was no way Lyric was ever going to believe this. “Not exactly. I did.”
Lyric’s mouth opened just as someone called Lauren’s name from the counter.
Saved by the barista, but only for a moment. Lauren held up a finger and went to grab her coffee, taking the opportunity to breathe while she wasn’t staring at the hurt in her friend’s eyes.
