“They’re all beasts,” I announce. “So, I think I’d prefer one that doesn’t try to hide it.”
She gives me a mischievous glance. “Is that why you’re with Lee? Because he’s an honest beast?”
My thoughts flash to the merciless way he fucked me before and the promises hinging on threats to do it again until I beg him to stop. Yeah, he’s a beast, but still. “I’m not with him. Neither of us wants that. It was a one time thing. We’re just friends now.”
Her head tilts, the corner of her mouth pulling slightly to the side. “He doesn’t look at you like a friend would.”
“Well, he has seen me naked.”
Our eyes meet, and she giggles. “I don’t mean he leers at you. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain. He just seems different with you. And not as moody.”
I set my glass down and stare at her over it. “That’s him not as moody?”
“It is.” Silence seeps in for a moment before she adds, “He’s been through a lot.”
There’s so little I know about him, really. Especially when it comes to how he lost his wife. “Calli told me his wife was killed and that he doesn’t like to talk about it.”
Lacey nods and sips her drink. “I’ve learned it’s better notto bring it up. He still struggles sometimes, but he’s doing better than he was.”
“What was she like?” I probably shouldn’t be questioning her, but I’m curious.
“She was fun, full of energy and ideas. I loved visiting them when I was a kid because they’d always take me to do things that Mom wouldn’t. She called it having adventures. It might be learning to water ski or climbing a rock wall. It was like she hated sitting still. And she was nice to me after Mom died and I moved in with them, but it was only three months until she died.”
“I’m sorry. Losing your mom at such a young age and then her right after. And Lee losing a parent and wife so close together. That must’ve been terrible.”
She nods. “It was awful. My mom wasn’t Lee’s mom, we only shared a dad, but Lee always looked out for me after our dad bailed. After Mom died, he took custody, got me into therapy, and made sure I spent time with a great aunt on my mom’s side of the family. So, I still had a woman to talk to about things. He’s the best. That’s why I want him to find someone good, you know? So he can be happy again.” She sighs. “Isla’s death changed him.”
“Losing someone’s bad enough. I can’t imagine knowing it was intentional. Can I ask what happened?”
Lacey fills our glasses again. “All I know is Lee texted to tell me my aunt would be picking me up from school and I’d be staying with her for a few days. He didn’t tell me why. I ended up staying there for two weeks before he came back for me. All Aunt Eleanor would tell me was that Isla haddied. It wasn’t until Lee came to get me that he told me she’d been murdered. We were still living in Paducah then, but he’d already bought this house. He and Isla were fixing it up for us to move in the summer, but he’d moved us in while I was gone. We never went back to our old place. And he hasn’t been the same.”
I reach over to squeeze her hand. “Did they catch whoever killed her?”
Lacey shakes her head. “They had a main suspect. I don’t know the details, but I know that by the time a warrant was issued, he was long gone. Probably out of the country.”
I can’t even imagine knowing the person who tore your family apart is still out there, living their life. “Fuck.”
“Yeah,” she says, taking a deep breath. “Okay, I’ve brought things way down. Let’s change the subject.”
“I’m the one who asked, but you’re right. We’re supposed to be having fun by bashing men. Now, tell me what Nick did and whether I need to staple his dick to his leg.”
She chokes on her drink and giggles, then wipes her mouth. “I don’t know. After hearing what your ex did, it feels stupid. Maybe I’m overreacting.”
“I’m sure you aren’t. Men are awful. I promise I’ll take your side.”
“Okay, you know that show, Hollowsong?”
“Yes, I love it. No spoilers though, I haven’t seen the finale yet.”
“Neither have I, but that asshole has. We watched it together for the last three months. Every week when a new episode would drop. I couldn’t this week because I had a lateshift and was too tired when I got home. We agreed to watch it together tonight. But guess what I saw when I logged in to the streaming service earlier?”
I’m doing my best not to laugh but the buzz of the alcohol isn’t helping. If this is their biggest fight, I think they’re going to be alright. “He watched it?”
“Yes! You can tell a show has been played on a shared account. It was at the end of the episode. And then when I called, he acted like it was no big deal and said he’d watch it again with me!”
“That son of a bitch.”
“I don’t want to watch it when he already knows what’s going to happen! That’s so uncomfortable. You know how people look at you waiting to see your reaction. We were supposed to watch it together. I mean, he apologized, but honestly, he couldn’t wait one day because he was too curious how it’d end?” Her anger is faltering as she rants, and I can see the amusement slipping into her expression.
