I can’t help the snort of laughter that leaps out of me. “It did sort of get overshadowed by a worse threat. But it’s all over now.”
“Come stay at the house with me. Arlow’s staying with Lee for a couple of days.”
I’m alarmed at that news. “Is Lee okay?”
“He’s alright.” She reaches to squeeze my hand. “Arlow just thinks he could use a friend right now too. They’re grilling steaks and fishing.”
It would be such a relief to talk to Calli about everything. She’s my best friend and it made things harder, not being able to tell her. “Okay, let me grab something to sleep in.”
On our walk back to her house, I ask a question that’s bugging me. “You don’t see Lee any differently, do you? Because he killed him? You know he’d never hurt anyone for no reason.”
“I do know that. And I’m glad you see things that way too.” She looks over at me, the moonlight making her face glow. “Come on, I have some things to tell you that I’ve kept to myself for too long. Lee isn’t the only one with buried secrets.”
Lee is still an ache I can’t find relief from, but the last few days with Calli have really helped me focus on the positive. She talks me into going out for New Year’s Eve with her, Lacey, Trinity, and Arlow. I know they tried to invite Lee, but he refused.
Lacey wants to pregame before we hit the bars. Calli and Arlow pass on that offer, but plan to join us later. When I get to Lacey’s apartment, I use my elbow to knock because my hands are full with a bag of ice and a bottle of tequila.
Music thumps faintly through the door until it swings open and Lacey grins at me. Her cheeks are a little flushed and dusted with glitter. Seeing how happy and excited she looks lightens something inside of me. I’m going to do my best tonight to let go and have fun.
“Happy New Year’s Eve,” she exclaims, dragging me inside. “Are you ready?”
“Hell yes. Calli and Arlow will be here around nine to pick us up for the bar.”
Trinity pops out of the kitchen and takes the ice and tequila from me. “Oh, we’re going to be feeling really good by then,” she announces.
I shrug out of my coat and follow her to the kitchen to see the counter crowded with a blender, salt, glasses, and chopped fruit. “Do you want some help?”
“I’ve got this. You can keep Lacey company. She’s been bouncing off the walls.”
“I heard that!” Lacey calls from the living room.
With a smile, I leave Trinity to it and join Lacey. Her small Christmas tree glows from the corner and the lights she’sstrung around the room blink in tune with the music. “Where’s the boyfriend tonight?”
“We spent Christmas with his mother’s side of the family. He spends New Year’s visiting his dad who lives in a care home in Paducah. He has dementia and doesn’t do well around new people, so I didn’t go.”
Trinity enters carrying three glasses and hands one to each of us. “To surviving another year.”
We clink our glasses and drink. The first sip is sharp but delicious, the lime cutting through the burn. I take another larger swallow, determined to put myself in a festive mood. “Is that a new necklace?” I ask Lacey.
She beams and holds it away from her chest for me to see. The clear blue-green gem catches the light. “My gift from Nick.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Aquamarine. It’s my birthstone. What’s yours?”
“I don’t know. Is rock bottom one of them?”
“Stop,” Lacey giggles, taking a sip of her drink. “This is going to be your year. I can feel it.”
Trinity and Lacey start discussing a pop concert they have tickets for as we drain our drinks. Lacey’s phone rattles, and a smile leaps to her face when she looks at it.
Trinity and I trade a knowing grin. “Oh, you’re in deep,” Trinity teases her.
Lacey lays her head back against the couch with a groan. “Ugh, I am. He’s just so sweet. And good in bed. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a guy that doesn’t just snarfle around down there nowhere near the right spots?”
Trinity laughs and takes our glasses to refill them as I reply, “In your age group, absolutely.”
“Oh, so if this doesn’t work out, I need to go older,” Lacey says with a nod.
