Luckily it was just the two of us today. Blair had a meeting with her publisher and best friend, Cara.
“Yeah, I’m ready. I was just finishing up an email. We got a few more authors wanting us to carry their books, so I was just responding to some. We also need to order more of Blair’s last book. They’re selling fast.”
She smiled at the mention of her girlfriend and typed on her computer. “Done. It really is a great book, isn’t it?”
I nodded my agreement and checked my phone for the umpteenth time that day. It was almost time to go home, but I still had no messages from Daisy. She usually texted me throughout the day if she wasn’t in the store. I put my phone away and focused on the meeting.
“It was great to see Milo today. I’ve missed him. I’m glad Blair brought him.” Milo was their German Shepherd. Blair volunteered at the animal shelter in town, and fell in love with him. When Drea fell in love with Blair, she adopted Milo and the two had been inseparable ever since.
“She loves that little guy. She said he was getting restless in the house, but I think she just wanted to procrastinate. She’s starting a contemporary series and is really in her head about it. I keep trying to tell her it’ll be amazing, but you know how authors can be. I just smile and do what I can to be there for her.”
“You’re so good to her. Can I ask a personal question?”
She looked at me with furrowed brows but nodded. “Of course, Kai. You know you can ask me anything at all.”
I smiled, now knowing that was true. We had been through a lot together over the years. “Well, it’s just, I see how you were with Skylar and how you are with Blair. I mean, I could tell you cared for Sky, of course, but I don’t know. It’s just different I guess. My question is, why?”
“Whatdo you mean?” she asked.
“I mean, why does it seem like you treat Blair so much better than you treated Skylar?I don’t mean to say you treated her badly or anything. You never did. I just mean, why is it different? Or, how is it different?” I started to get nervous. I didn’t really know how to ask or what I was asking, and I didn’t want her to get mad at me for prying into her business.
She sat there for a moment, looking at the picture on her desk with a small smile. I knew the picture well. It had been in the same place since she’d gotten it a few years ago.
It was a picture of her and Blair dancing together at Fallon and Mackenzie’s wedding. Rylee had taken the candid photo of them without anyone seeing, and it really captured the love they had for each other, even if they didn’t quite know it yet themselves.
When you looked at the picture you could see it—the way Drea looked at Blair like she breathed for her, and Blair looked at her like Drea was her safe space. You’d think they had known each other for decades.
“It is different,” she finally started, looking away from the picture but still smiling. “I don’t know how to explain it, really. Of course I cared for Skylar. I mean, you saw how I handled our breakup. I drank and slept my way across half the city for two years before Blair. I did love her, just not in the way I needed to. Not in the way I love Blair. The love I have for her consumes me, and it’s all I know. Without her, I honestly don’t know if I would’ve come back. She literally saved my soul and brought me back home.”
Tears filled her eyes and mine didn’t look any different. Getting the phone call from Fallon saying Drea had been in an accident was one of the hardest days of my life. I had grown so close to her, and I saw her as a big sister, just as I did Fallon. I’d been so scared she wasn’t going to make it, and my heart had felt full the day I found out everything would be okay.
Blair had been right there with her the whole time, from the hospital to her bedside, nursing her back to health. I truly believed Drea when she said Blair saved her. Love was a powerful thing, and those two had it in abundance for each other.
I got up and hugged her as she wiped her tears away. I wiped mineaway before I spoke. “I’m sorry I brought it up, and I’m sorry all of that happened. I’m sorry I got angry and quit, and?—”
“Kaia, please. You have nothing to apologize for, love. I needed the ass kicking, and apparently the life threatening, to get my shit together and stop being scared. I am so grateful everything worked out, and I’m the one who should be constantly apologizing. Every time I bring up the past, Blair gets so mad and starts crying and I start saying I’m sorry all over again. I can’t say I’m sorry enough, to the both of you. And to Cara. Cara keeps telling me to shut the fuck up anytime I bring it up. Maybe I should stop. I’m just so grateful for all of you.”
I laughed through my tears. “You really should. It’s all over and we love you and forgive you. We all have regrets over what happened and how, but we’ve all made our peace, so you need to, too. Now, should we get going with this meeting? It’s getting a little late, and I know you have a date to get to.”
“Yes, we should. If I’m late for dinner, I won’t get dessert, and I have a big sweet tooth.” She winked and laughed at my expression.
I crinkled my nose and went back to my desk, feeling more eager to discuss numbers and construction schedules than her obviously happy sex life. Just because I loved her and was happy for her didn’t mean I wanted to hear about it.
Two hours and several pages of notes later, it was time to finally call it a night. I was excited for the construction of my new office, of course, but I was also excited to go home. I wanted to relax with my best friend and to make sure everything was okay with her.
Drea closed her computer and stretched her fingers. “That’s enough work talk for today. Let’s talk about you. How are things going with Daisy?”
“I’d rather talk about work stuff.” I groaned.
She frowned. “Oh no. Trouble in paradise?”
I rolled my eyes. “Drea, please.”
“Sorry. What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. Things are pretty weird right now. She’s been kind of avoiding me. I don’t know what I did wrong.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about it, Kai. She’s probably just adjusting to having someone in her space. Things will be back to normal soon.”
