Restless Ink (Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs Book 2)

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Abby and Kaylee worked on the rice and table settings, and the five of them laughed, drank more wine, and did their best not to burn themselves since they kept bumping into each other in the kitchen.

  “So, Mace was trying to get Daisy to sleep, but Daisy decided to play a game of tag instead.” Adrienne snorted. “So it’s nine at night, and the little girl who I swear has never rambled before in her life, starts screaming with laughter and talking a mile a minute as she evades Mace while he chases her around the house.”

  Daisy was Mace’s child from a previous relationship. Daisy’s mother had moved to Japan for work and had given up custody so she could focus on her career and create a substantial college fund for Daisy. Thea had no idea what the other woman was thinking, but Mace and Adrienne were doing their best to make sure Daisy had the best life she could have. Mace’s ex wasn’t a horrible person—okay, maybe she was—but there was still communication and lots of letters and video chats between mother and daughter. Thea didn’t know how that relationship could ever be fully repaired, but Daisy’s mother cared in her own weird and dysfunctional way.

  “And where were you during this?” Thea asked, pulling herself out of those thoughts.

  “Laughing on the floor like any good girlfriend would be. Tears streaming down my face, giggling to the point where I couldn’t breathe. You know, the usual.” Adrienne beamed, and Thea held back a happy sigh. Her older sister was just so damn happy these days. She’d fallen in love with her best friend and had gotten a little girl who meant everything in the world to her in the process. Thea knew Mace and Adrienne had already talked about marriage but were taking things slowly since their relationship, once they’d started seeing one another, had gotten hot, fast.

  Thea was only a little jealous. Not of Adrienne having Mace, but of the idea that someone could love another so quickly. Thea glanced over at Roxie, doing her best not to make it look like she was doing so. She loved Roxie and Carter together, but she wished she knew what that undercurrent of…sadness was that she always felt between the couple.

  Or maybe she was just thinking too hard about it because she wasn’t dating anyone anymore and doing her best not to think about Dimitri at all.

  She took another sip that wasn’t a sip but more of a gulp.

  Adrienne gave her a look that meant there would be questions about her mood and actions soon, and Thea had a feeling there would be no running from it. After all, she’d done the same thing to her sister more than once.

  By the time they’d finished making dinner and were all at the dining room table, laughing, eating, and drinking—water in Thea’s case since she didn’t want to go too overboard—Thea knew she couldn’t hold back anymore.

  It wasn’t that anyone was interrogating her, far from it, but it was the anticipation of that interrogation and the fact that she truly needed to tell someone what happened that made her want to spill.

  And it wasn’t like she could talk about it with Molly.

  Dear God.

  “I slept with Dimitri.”

  She hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that. Had meant to casually drop it into conversation with theoreticals and maybes. She didn’t even plan to say his name or even mention it was her. She was going to be smart about it, maybe be casually hypothetical, and try not to make it sound like a big deal when it was truly one of the biggest deals.

  Abby had her drink up to her lips, her eyes wide as she stared at Thea, but she didn’t say a word. Kaylee had snorted her iced tea at the announcement and was currently blotting her top, a small smile playing on her lips, but she too remained silent. Adrienne tilted her head and blinked wildly, though she didn’t speak either.

  No, it was Roxie who spoke first.

  “Like…fell asleep after a long night, or banging hard against something? Because Dimitri seems like the hard-banging type.”

  Thea couldn’t help the laugh that burbled from her throat, and she slapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself.

  But it was too late.

  The others laughed as well before Adrienne tapped her wine glass with her knife, bringing everyone to attention.

  “Thea didn’t answer, so I’m going with banging.” Her sister turned to her. “Am I right?”

  Thea swallowed the rest of her water, and Abby quietly reached over to pour some more. Bless her.

  “We had sex. On my living room floor.”

  There was a round of cheers as Abby asked, “When?”

  Thea bit her lip. “After game night.”

  Roxie laughed. “I knew you two were competitive, but that’s taking it to a whole new level.”

  Adrienne frowned. “Huh? How is banging on the floor competitive? Unless there’s like a banging Olympics.”

  “Can we please refrain from using the word banging?” Thea asked, rubbing her temple. “It wasn’t…banging.”

  “Sex is good for the soul,” Kaylee said sagely, her lips still fighting that smile. “Or so I hear.”

  “You’re a gorgeous artist with a fantastic rack,” Adrienne put in, “I’m sure you get all the sex you want.”

  In answer, Kaylee toasted with her tea before downing the whole thing.

  Interesting.

  “We’ll get back to that soon,” Roxie said before turning to Thea. “You slept with Dimitri. As in your best friend’s ex-husband, Dimitri. Am I getting that right?”

  Guilt swarmed Thea, and she nodded slowly, wishing she hadn’t had so much to eat since she was afraid it was all going to come up again. She was a horrible friend, a horrible person in general. And she hated herself the more she thought about exactly what she’d done.

  “Yes, that’s right. I slept with Dimitri. My friend. The same friend who used to be married to my other friend. I’m going to hell.”

  “No, you aren’t,” Abby said. “There are codes or whatever gibberish the media tells us, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t murky.”

  “How exactly did it happen?” Roxie asked, then put up her hands as the others glared at her. “I don’t need the details, though you know us, we always want the details since we’re fiends like that. But, really, you two were a little buzzed but totally not drunk when the rest of us left. You guys were warm and laughing and acting like the friends we all know you are. Hell, Dimitri looked lighter than I’ve ever seen him, actually. Like he was happy. So, what happened?”

  “He dared me to a rematch of Twister, and when one foot went one way, and the other foot the other, we ended up tangled up in one another and then…and then, well…”

  “Over Twister?” Roxie gasped.

  “What game was it supposed to be?” Adrienne asked dryly. “Dungeons and Dragons?”

  Roxie affected her most serious face. “Is that not how you defeat the troll?”

  This sent everyone at the table into peals of laughter, but Thea could only look down at her clasped hands.

  Abby reached out and put her hand on top of hers and gave a squeeze. “Don’t beat yourself up. You had sex with a single man. That’s it.”

  “It’s more than that, and we all know it. I slept with a man who used to be married to my best friend.”

  Adrienne scowled and sipped her drink.

  “What?” Thea asked. “What’s that look for.”

  “I don’t know. You call Molly your best friend, and yet she doesn’t hang out with us. We don’t even know the woman. But, whatever.”

  “And that gives me an excuse to sleep with her ex?” Thea asked, incredulous.

  “No, you don’t need an excuse. And one has nothing to do with the other. But I’ve never liked that best friend tag you’ve given her.”

  “I agree,” Roxie put in.

  Thea just shook her head. “Whatever you think, she’s still my friend. Just because she’s not an honorary Montgomery like Mace doesn’t mean she’s not my friend.”

  “I get that. But I also think you’re putting too much guilt on your shoulders for a woman who doesn’t give you anything.” Adrienn
e winced and then shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m off track and, apparently, one glass of wine makes me say things that shouldn’t be said.”

  Thea wasn’t so sure that was all it was since the others were staring at Thea as if their minds were on the same track as her sister’s. Just because Thea and Molly didn’t run in the same circles or see each other every week, and their families weren’t close, didn’t make their friendship any less.

  Damn it.

  “I don’t know what to do, you guys.” Thea rested her face in her hands, and Abby rubbed small circles over Thea’s back.

  “You need to talk to her,” Adrienne said softly. “If it’s hurting you this much, you need to talk to her. But before you do, you need to talk to Dimitri to see what it all meant.”

  Thea looked up, narrowing her eyes. “It meant nothing. It can’t mean anything. He’s my friend, just like Molly is. Having sex with him was a drunken mistake that can’t happen again.” And though it hurt to say those words, she knew they had to be true, because she couldn’t lose both of her friends because of her actions.

  It didn’t matter that Dimitri was the best sex she’d ever had and that he meant more to her than she could say because it all had to be ignored. She had to keep her friends, no matter what.

  “I’ve seen the two of you together,” Adrienne said after a moment. “There’s something there, Thea.”

  Thea was already shaking her head before her sister had finished speaking. “There can’t be.”

  “Then talk to them both and make sure everything is out in the open,” Roxie said. “Secrets kill, Thea.”

  There was something in her sister’s words that worried Thea, but she didn’t say anything. It was already enough as it was. So, she took a deep breath and tried to think about what she was going to do next. Because no matter what, she couldn’t lie to Molly, and while she knew that sleeping with Dimitri had been a mistake, she still cared about him and couldn’t push him out of her life completely.

  To say that things were complicated was an understatement.

  But she’d figure it out. Because she had to. There wasn’t another choice.

  Chapter 9

  Thea sat in her car in front of Molly’s house, knowing she needed to send out the text she’d been dreading now, or it would be too late.

  Thea: I need to tell Molly what happened.

  Dimitri answered right away, telling her he’d been close to his phone just like she had been all day. The girls had left after dinner, and Thea had called Molly, telling her that they needed to talk. The wine was out of her system, and Thea would be doing this stone-cold sober. Dimitri hadn’t contacted her all day, but she figured he wouldn’t. She’d been the one to kick him out of the house, and she’d known that he would never push her into contact. That wasn’t the man he was.

  If he hadn’t been Molly’s first…well, then, maybe things would be different between the two of them. But they weren’t, and Thea would just have to deal.

  Dimitri: Okay. I didn’t want to tell her until I talked with you.

  Dimitri: But, Thea? She noticed lipstick on my jaw, and I don’t know if she thought it was you or another woman. Just be prepared. And I’m sorry.

  Dimitri: Not sorry it happened, but sorry you have to do this.

  Thea sucked in a breath, her hands shaking. So, Molly might already suspect. And while Thea technically hadn’t done anything wrong, it still felt icky. So, she’d tell Molly everything and take whatever the other woman gave her. She deserved nothing less.

  Thea: Thank you.

  Dimitri: We should talk.

  Thea: Not yet.

  Dimitri: Soon.

  Thea didn’t answer. Instead, she slid her phone into her purse before getting out of the car. Time to face the music and whatever else came with it. She knew that while she hadn’t really done anything wrong, she’d still done everything wrong. It didn’t matter what feelings might be, at this very moment, curling inside her, she had to tamp those down since they had no place in her life, especially not when friendship meant more than anything.

  It had to, or she wasn’t the woman she thought she was.

  Thea knocked on the door, and Molly opened it quickly. “Hey there. I’m glad you stopped by.” Molly smiled and leaned over, giving Thea a tight hug that made Thea want to hide.

  She was a terrible friend with terrible decision-making skills. But she’d tell Molly the truth, and whatever happened after that, she’d deal with.

  “Thanks for letting me come over on such short notice.”

  Molly waved her off. “No worries, darling. I had my mani-pedi earlier and was just working on the donation requests for the next fundraiser. So much to do, so little time. Though now you can help me pick out my outfit for the next event. I do love that part.”

  Thea smiled, but she knew it didn’t reach her eyes. And, honestly, even if she weren’t here to possibly ruin Molly’s world, she hated picking out outfits for her friend. They had such different tastes, and Thea never understood the cutthroat nature of trying to one-up another at a charity function. However, it wasn’t Thea’s world, and since she was there for not-so-nice reasons as it was, she ignored that train of thought.

  “Molly? There’s something I need to tell you.”

  Her friend must have read something in Thea’s tone because she straightened, nodding slightly. “Okay, honey. What is it?”

  “We should probably sit down.”

  “Now you’re worrying me.” But even as she said it, she sat on one of the ornate couches that Thea had always been worried about spilling something on, and she knew Dimitri had felt the same.

  But, then again, he’d loved his wife and had let her pick out the things that filled their home. Everything except Captain, that was.

  Speaking of… “Where’s Captain?” Thea asked, not trying to change the subject but wanting to know. Usually, the beautiful golden met her at the door with kisses and love, but today, that had been suspiciously absent. Thea knew that Dimitri came over often to be with his dog and to get him to eat or go on walks, so she just hoped that Captain was okay.

  Molly waved her off. “He’s at the groomer’s. Just a wash and a good brushing since Dimitri says you don’t shave goldens. But the hair, Thea. So much hair.”

  Thea tried to imagine a shaved golden retriever and held back a wince. It wouldn’t be a good look. Thea hadn’t known Captain ever went to the groomer’s, but then again, she didn’t know everything about what went on with Captain, it wasn’t any of her business.

  “What is it you wanted to tell me, dear?”

  Thea took a deep breath. “Something happened at game night, Molly.”

  Her friend didn’t say anything, but a small frown marred her otherwise perfect face.

  “Dimitri came over, and I guess we had a little too much to drink.” Though that hadn’t been the reason she’d let herself fall, but she couldn’t tell Molly that. It wouldn’t make sense to either of them if she did. “One thing led to another, and…Molly, I’m so sorry, but Dimitri and I slept together. It was a one-time thing, and it’ll never happen again. While Dimitri and I are friends, so are you and me. And I value what you and I have, Molly. You’re my friend.” Thea didn’t say best friend. Adrienne’s words were still ringing in her ears, but she ignored that. After all, if Thea were a true best friend, she wouldn’t have slept with Dimitri in the first place.

  “I’m so sorry, Molly. I never wanted to hurt you, but I’m afraid my careless actions might have done the worst. I’ll never be able to forgive myself for what happened, for how I’ve broken the trust between us by stepping over that line. Dimitri has always been my friend, nothing more, and in doing what we did, we crossed a line. I broke your trust, and I’m so sorry.”

  Molly didn’t say anything for so long that Thea was afraid the tears she was holding back would finally fall, and she’d end up sobbing on the floor, begging Molly to forgive her. But she wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t debase any of them by
ruining what little pride she had left by demanding acceptance from a woman who didn’t have any to offer. It didn’t matter that Molly and Dimitri didn’t love each other anymore. They once had, and that was all that mattered.

  They had belonged to one another, and it had nothing to do with Thea.

  It should have nothing to do with Thea.

  And she would make sure that was the truth.

  Finally, Molly smiled brightly, startling Thea, and said, “Did you do anything before the divorce?”

  “No. Of course, not.” Thea’s eyes went wide. “I never even thought about him in that way. He was always yours.”

  “Then, no harm, no foul.” Molly shrugged.

  Thea blinked. Had she heard right?

  “We just didn't work out, dear. We’re not that kind of couple, you know?”

  Thea didn’t know. In fact, she had no idea how to possibly comprehend how well Molly was taking this.

  “And I can't begrudge my best friend for finding happiness. Any form of happiness. And by best friend, I mean you both.”

  Molly smiled again, and Thea’s heart clutched. Both. Her best friends were Dimitri and Thea. How complicated and tangled and yet utterly monstrous for Thea to even be here in this room asking for forgiveness.

  “I love you both so much. Just not in the way I should have when it came to Dimitri. He and I are over. And oddly, it seems like fate that it's a new beginning for the two people I cherish most in my life.”

  Thea was confused, so damn confused. “What? There’s no new beginning, Molly. It was…it wasn’t what you think.”

  Molly continued on as if Thea hadn’t said anything. Not that it was unusual when it came to Molly, but Thea felt as if she were behind in this conversation.