Coach nods again. “Well said, and I suppose I can’t argue with that,” he says with a quiet laugh. “As much as I’d like to.”
“Thanks. Just seems like the best way to handle it.”
Meg nods, agreeing with me. “Men respect those whoshow they deserverespect. Not those who simply demand it. So, for what it’s worth, I believe your strategy is the best course of action, West.”
With how much I respect her and her husband, it means more than they know that they’re both willing to let me take the reins here.
“Much appreciated.”
Meg flashes a smile. “Of course.” Her gaze shifts to Blue next. “And what about you, sweetheart. Have the ladies been welcoming to you, Josslyn, and… um…”
“Tiffany,” Blue cuts in, reminding Meg of her name.
“Yes, Tiffany.”
Blue smiles and lowers her fork. “Well, do you want me to be honest?”
Meg arches a brow. “Of course.”
Blue takes a breath, gathering her thoughts. “Well, because April’s in Reed’s corner, she’s naturally not Team West and Blue, which I cansomewhatunderstand, but… it’s clear the rest of the ladies chose a side, too.”
“And it wasn’tyourside, I take it.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Blue says with a smile.
Meg tilts her head. “Oh, honey. I’m sorry. The last thing you two need to worry about is pettiness from the Empress Circle or whatever the hell they call themselves.”
Blue laughs, and as I watch her, I’m starting to think we were wrong to assume that coming here was a mistake. Maybe we needed this, a little outside support from two people we both respect. Two people we know have our best interest at heart.
“For what it’s worth, I steer clear of April and crew as much as possible. I mean, sure, they’re all smiles and polite hugs when they come around, but it all just feels so…”
“Fake?” Blue chimes in, prompting Meg to smile.
“Exactly,” she laughs.
For the first time tonight, my heart is settled. Seated beside my wife, in the company of good people, I’m actually not worried about anything. I relax deeper into my seat as we eat in comfortable silence, and all the drama feels miles away for once.
But of-fucking-course… my phone chimes, then Blue’s does the same half a second later, and my heart drops straight to my stomach.
Blue gets to her phone first, maybe because I’m intentionally stalling without realizing it. But as my screen lights up to reveal a post from Pandora, I catch Blue’s expression in my peripheral vision.
And she looks fucking horrified.
Shit.
Shit, shit, shit.
My eyes are glued to the screen, the words. Words that have the potential to ruin my entire life, and I’m frozen in my seat, not knowing what to do, what to say. Blue looks just asstunned, and I can feel Meg and Coach’s eyes glued to us both. But then, their eyesaren’tglued to us.
Because Meg rises from her seat when their phone begins to ring in the kitchen.
Without question, I know exactly what someone’s calling to say, because they must’ve just read the same post Blue and I read. I’ve woken up in a cold sweat many nights, imagining this very situation playing out. Now, here I am, living it in the flesh. So, while I know there’s nothing I can say or do that can pull me out of this nightmare, I have no choice but to face it.
Head on this time.
“Meg, wait. Please. There’s… something I need to say to you both. Before you hear it from someone else.”
Coach arches a brow at me, and Meg stops cold. I swear the phone seems to get louder and louder as the room starts closing in on me.
