My jaw drops as I stand up in front of her. “Are you sure you want to help? I could never forgive myself if something happened to you.”
Bea looks behind me for a moment before subtly nodding and looking back at me. “I’ll be okay, Grace. Let’s make sure you will be, too.”
I look over my shoulder, seeing nothing but my reflection in the standing mirror, before returning to look at Bea and give her a tight hug. I close my eyes and let out a heavy exhale as she squeezes me back just as tightly. We pull apart, and she suddenly bursts into laughter, snapping the tension immediately.
“Why are you naked?” I look down and realize I had opened the blanket to hug her and laugh along with her. I flush in embarrassment.She wiggles her eyebrows, and I push her shoulder, wrapping the blanket over my shoulders again and turning toward her bedroom.
I giggle and open her closet, looking for something casual. “Here.” She steps in front of me and grabs a black sweatshirt with the wordsNut Busterprinted on the front.
“Really, Bea?” I laugh while she shrugs.
“What? It’s hilarious!” I shake my head as I follow her to the other side of the room.
“I don’t think you’ll fit in my bra, but I’ll grab a sports bra.” I stick my tongue out at her, and she winks over her shoulder at me playfully.
“Thank you, Bea.” She looks over her shoulder as she grabs the remaining clothing items. She tosses the sweatpants at me first.
I turn away, dropping the blanket as I slide the sweatpants over my legs, “So, what’s new with you, Bea?” I hear nothing as I continue putting on the remaining clothes.
I turn around and look at her face, pinched in indecision now. “Oh, hell no.” I laugh as I walk to her, snagging the sports bra from her before turning around once more, dropping the blanket, and putting it on. “I told you, now it’s your turn to tell me.” I glance over my shoulder. “I trust you, Bea.”
She frowns slightly. “I didn’t get the promotion with the garage.”
I freeze at her words and turn around, looking at her curl into herself. “That was a year ago…” I whisper.
“I know.” I frown. She hid that from me? I go to ask her why, but bite my tongue at the realization that I’ve hidden things from her too.
“Bea.” I step toward her, but she brushes it off with a wave of her hand.
“It’s fine. It hurt a lot then, but things are different now. Better.” She smiles earnestly, and I can’t help but smile back at her too.
“When this is all done, we’ll catch up, right? We’ll share everything?” I ask nervously.
She walks over, offering her pinky. “When thisis all done.”
I wrap my pinky around hers and nod. “When this is all done.”
“Can I maybe borrow some shoes too?” She looks down at my feet and laughs.
“Greedy,” she jokes.
I continue getting ready in Bea’s clothes and then walk toward the entrance of her apartment. “Are you sure you want to drop me off?” The thought of Priest Brown even seeing her with me fills my stomach with instant nausea. But Bea grins with a sinister smile.
“Of course I do. Let’s hope that piece of shit isn’t in sight or I’m absolutely storming onto that campus.” She grabs her carabiner and opens the door for me.
I place my hand on her arm and look into her eyes. “I’m serious, Bea. Do not get involved with this. I’d never forgive myself?—”
She frowns and shakes her head. “If something happened to me. I know, I know.”
I clench my jaw, following her out of the door as worry courses through me, worried that her coming remotely near the campus will be a danger to her.This is probably how Milly feels.
I exhale and run to her, hugging her tightly. “Thank you, B. But please leave the second you drop me off, or I swear I will just walk.”
She leans back to look in my eyes, frustration painted clear as day in her expression.
“I promise,” she says defeatedly.
“Bea, I mean it.”
