When they were gone, Birdie rounded on us.
“Now tell me why you three had to gang up on her like that.”
“We did no such thing!” Reagan protested.
Birdie merely pursed her lips and glared.
Unsurprisingly, as the one of us who didn’t spend a lot of time around Birdie Lawless, I broke first.
“We were just wondering what she’s doing here.”
“I invited her. That’s all you need to know.”
Damn, I’d forgotten how shitty it was to be chastised by a parent.
After Birdie walked away, the three of us looked at each other—and cracked up laughing.
“She’s really mad at us,” Aspen whispered between chuckles.
“Y’all will be fine,” I said around my own. “You’re her family now.”
Reagan settled a hand on my shoulder and winked. “You will be too.”
I didn’t respond immediately, instead taking a beat, deciding how much I wanted to share. Finally, I jerked my head in the direction of outside, and they followed me around the barn to a quiet corner where we wouldn’t be overheard or interrupted.
“You really think there’s something there between us?” I asked them quietly when we were alone.
Aspen laughed. “Yes.”
Reagan nodded her agreement. “Without a doubt.”
“Then what is hedoing?” I asked, tugging on the brim of my beanie in annoyance, pulling it over my eyes to shield myself from the sight of them standing together.
“Who the hell knows with Lane,” Aspen answered. “But I don’t think Addie is any part of it.”
“Really?”
“Really,” she confirmed. “Didn’t you notice how irritated he was that she’s here?”
“Hewasclenching his jaw tight enough to crack a tooth,” I admitted with a laugh.
“Plus, there’s the fact that he told her they aren’t anything more than friends.”
“Wait, what?” I asked dumbly. “How do you know that?”
She wagged her finger between herself and Aspen. “We sleep next to two of his brothers every night. Word gets around.”
“Thenwhyis she here?” I gritted out.
“What happened between you two?” Reagan asked softly. “Back in college.”
Shit. I’d known I’d have to make this confession as soon as I steered us into this conversation. Very few people had ever heard me utter the words out loud, and I was afraid they’d stick in my throat now.
Thankfully, though I kept my voice low in deference to our surroundings, they came out clear and steady.
“I was raped on New Year’s Eve that year. Or, technically, New Year’s Day. Hell of a way to ring in my twenties,” I said wryly.
Aspen gasped, and Reagan instantly reached for me, cupping my hand between both of hers.
