by Mia Faye
“Whoa, whoa,” he protested, setting me back down. “I’m not used to this much affection from you. Calm down.”
I punched him on the arm instead.
“Much better,” he said, dropping into the seat across from me.
“What took you so long?” I asked him, frowning slightly.
“Mad traffic just outside town. No idea why. Anyway. You ready for this road trip?”
“Oh, I thought you’d never ask.”
“Let’s go then. You can tell me what happened with your boyfriend on the way.”
Chapter 29
Yvette
As soon as we got to the club, I knew this had been a bad idea.
Right at the door, the energy of it hit me in the face. The noise was oppressive. It seemed like I was standing next to a speaker wherever I stood. The very floor was vibrating, and the walls bounced along with the deep bass of the music. I wanted to turn to Tyler and tell him this was a bad idea, but I would have had to shout, and even then, I knew he wouldn’t have heard me.
Then there was the lighting, which was problematic on a different scale. The club was dimly lit but not dark. There were strobe lights everywhere you looked, thin strips of multicolored beams that crisscrossed the whole room and flashing LEDs on the walls and ceilings. It felt like being in a dungeon one second, and the next, the inside of a kaleidoscope.
All of which combined to make stepping into that club a near-hellish experience. Even before Tyler dragged me to an open booth and nudged me into a seat, I felt sick. There wasn’t a chance I was going to enjoy myself, but I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by telling him I wanted to leave.
“What do you think?” he asked as he slid into the seat next to me.
Tyler was happier than I had seen him in a long time. I knew a lot of that had to do with the fact that I was back. I could sense his anxiety, though; he still wasn’t sure if I was all the way back, so he seemed to be keeping one eye out for the moment I would repack my bags. I had only told him about the confrontation with Vicki; that it turned out Cam had been using me, and it wasn’t at all what I had assumed it was. I left out the pregnancy. I couldn’t figure out how to tell him that part. I had also omitted the job offer from Cavill.
Still, Tyler correctly deduced that I was restless. He was my best friend after all, and even with the time spent apart, he could still read me pretty well. His conclusion wasn’t wrong; I did need to get away from it all, forget everything for a while. But he mistook the reason for me being in a funk; he assumed it was all about Cam.
And so, he had insisted on taking me out. He blew past my protests, shook his head when I suggested a nice night indoors. No, we had been doing that since I got back, he said. Four days in a row of staying in. I needed a change of scene, he pressed. He practically marched me into the shower and laid out an outfit.
“It’s… interesting,” I told him, forcing myself to smile, even though it felt stiff and dishonest. I had to lean into him and speak right into his ear. My eyes were finally getting used to the flashing lights, but the blaring sound remained a challenge.
“It’s new,” Tyler said. “I know you don’t remember, but there used to be a dance studio here. The company that owned it folded, and the next thing we knew, this cool new club was opening up. I’ve always wanted to come here.”
“Oh, you haven’t been to before?”
“No, I was waiting for a special occasion.”
“Like catching up with your best friend?”
Tyler grinned. “Exactly like that. I’ll be right back.”He gave me a customary punch on the leg, then got to his feet and walked off. I wrapped my arms around myself and checked the place out properly for the first time.
All around, people were drifting around in groups, swaying to the music, or even outright dancing. Everyone seemed at home, comfortable, having fun. I stuck out like a sore thumb, and that was just on the outside. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been that carefree, that unbothered. It may have been just before I left this town, actually. Before I dove boldly into what was supposed to be my dream job.
But if that were true, then I would be happy to be home, right? Content, and not fidgety?
Tyler came back moments later, balancing two tall drinks in his hands. He slid back into the booth and set one of the drinks down in front of me. It was bright pink, with a single lemon wedge, and a long straw hanging out from the side.
“Uh, I don’t know who you are, but my best friend is a man,” I said. “A man who drinks manly drinks.”
Tyler laughed. “Uh, wait till you’re passed out under the table from just two of these, then we can talk about manly drinks.”
I brought the drink all the way to my lips before it hit me. I gave myself a mental kick and brought the glass back down. Tyler was watching me, and his confusion was evident.
There it was, another reason why this night out was a bad idea. It was the one thing you did when you went out; drink. My mind had been in such a tangle I didn’t even think about that part.
I looked at Tyler, and I knew I would have to tell him. I couldn’t keep it from him anymore.
I realized, too, that it was the first conscious decision I had made about the pregnancy. I wasn’t even sure how deliberate it was. Up until that point, I had managed not to think of it as an actual baby. It was just easier that way because saying ‘baby’ would make it a bit too real. But it couldn’t get much more real than remembering I wasn’t supposed to be drinking and then realizing it meant I was starting to think about what was best for the pregnancy. And the baby.
“What’s going on, Vee?” Tyler asked me. It was subtle, but I noticed the shift in his expression, from playful and jocular to serious.
I shrugged if only to buy time. This was the worst possible time for this. I wished we were back at Tyler’s, where I could figure out how to broach the topic. I wished I had already. I wished none of this had happened, that I hadn’t met Cam in the first place.
Unwelcome tears stung my eyes, completely out of the blue. It was one of the more annoying symptoms that reared their heads early in the pregnancy; my hormones were all over the place. I was increasingly emotional, and it was erratic. I looked down quickly. Any longer and the tears would have spilled out, and I would just start weeping.
In a flash, Tyler had sidled up closer to me and put his arms around me. It was a simple gesture, one he intended to be comforting, and it undid me completely. The first sob burst from my lips, and I buried my head in the crook of his neck as the emotion welled up.
I don’t know how long I cried. Silently, my body rocking slightly as Tyler held me. He didn’t say a word; he didn’t move. He just embraced me and let me cry it out. I was so grateful to him for his presence alone, for being there, and I was nearly overwhelmed by the wave of nostalgia I felt for simpler times.
Gradually, slowly, my shoulders stopped heaving, and my body grew still. I was so ashamed I didn’t think I could look at Tyler after that. I felt him tap me gently on the arm, and when I peeked, I saw a white handkerchief being waved close to my face.
It took me some time to regain my composure. It helped that Tyler didn’t rush me. I knew I looked like a complete mess, but I was past caring.
“I’m sorry I didn’t listen,” Tyler said, his lips close enough to my ear that he almost seemed to be whispering. His fingers were tangling in my hair, stroking, soothing. “You didn’t want to come out, and I didn’t listen.”
“It’s okay,” I said, and I was surprised at how steady my voice was. “You were just trying to cheer me up.”
I felt him shake his head. I lifted my head from the embrace and looked him in the eye.
“I was,” he said. “But it was more than that. Come on, let’s get out of here.”
He didn’t need to tell me twice.
I was surprised my little breakdown hadn’t attracted more attention. People were still milling about in their packs, balancing frilly drinks as they navigated the floor
, swaying and dancing to the music. Tyler led the way, using his long, bulkier frame to chart a path through the crowd. I clung to his hand, and we made our way out of the club.
An immense feeling of relief swept me up as soon as we got to his car.
“Home?” he asked, and I nodded, managing to even crack a smile.
“I think I know something that will actually cheer you up,” he added, putting the car in gear, and driving out of the lot.
“What did you mean,” I asked him. “Back there, when you said it was about more than just cheering me up.”
Tyler shrugged. “I don’t know, Vee. It hasn’t felt like we’re best friends at some time. I know it sounds silly, probably because it is. But ever since you went to the big city, I feel like you outgrew this place a bit. And me.” He glanced at me as if to see whether I understood what he was saying. I wasn’t sure, but I suspected the look on my face was incredulous.
“I mean, you’ve been here one week, Vee. We used to have all these hangouts, these places we would go, things we would do. We haven’t done any of them. I thought, maybe this isn’t what she’s into anymore. So, this night out was supposed to be a chance for us to reconnect. I thought, you know, hip new club. Maybe we can check it out together, give you a taste of the city once more.”
He shrugged again, and I knew he was embarrassed at the admission.
“You were right. It’s silly. It’s more than silly, man. It’s dumb.”
Tyler laughed. “Right. But forget all that. Are you going to tell me what’s going on or what?”
“Can’t a girl randomly burst into tears anymore?”
“Not you. You’re a warrior. Come on, Vee. Talk to me. I’m worried about you.”
I sighed.“This isn’t exactly how I imagined myself breaking this news, but okay. Here goes. I kinda lied to you about the reason I left.”
“Okay…”
“Well, not completely. Let’s just say I was a bit liberal with the details. Cam’s ex-girlfriend did corner me at a funeral and basically tell me what he was doing with me was just his MO. That definitely happened. And I walked in on them half an hour later, alone in a locked room. Also happened. But all of that isn’t why I left. God, this is nerve-wracking.”
Tyler was staring so intently at me I was worried he would run us off the road. At the last second, he glanced at the road and then turned back to me.
“I’m pregnant,” I said on an exhale.
It was the first time I was saying it out loud, and it felt strangely therapeutic, like a weight lifting off my shoulders.
“Cam’s?” Tyler asked.
“Yeah.”
“Have you told him?”
“Um, I don’t know if you noticed, Tyler, but I ran away.”
“Oh, so that’s what this is about?”
“More or less.”
“You didn’t speak to him before you left?”
“Not even to deliver my leave notice. I sent it in via email, called you to come to get me and wrapped up my last meeting. I didn’t want to see him; I didn’t think I could handle it. I’m still not sure I can.”
Tyler pulled into a small convenience store off the highway. He smiled back when I raised my eyebrows in question.“As I said, I know just the thing to cheer you up.”
It was a simple store, clearly meant to serve as an emergency stop. Tyler made straight for the refrigerator, with me in tow. He scanned the shelves, squinting, then his eyes lit up, and he punched the air.“Yes!”
He reached for a large tub of ice cream and presented it to me like a trophy.
“Oh, you beautiful son of a bitch,” I told him, grabbing the ice cream and hugging it. “You do know me better than anyone.”
Rather than risk crashing the car and, as Tyler pointed out, risking all three lives, we sat outside the store on the parking lot.
I opened the ice cream tub and dug in right away. As the first spoonful melted on my tongue, I threw my head back and let out a content sigh that was almost sexual. Catharsis. Why hadn’t I thought of this before?
“Do you know what you’re going to do?” Tyler asked me. “About the baby? I think I know what you’re going to do to the tub of ice cream.”
“I haven’t even had time to think about it, to be honest. I also forgot to tell you I got another job offer.”
“Uh, what?”
“The guy at the restaurant? Stoic, scholarly type? He wants me to work for him at a publishing company he’s starting up.”
“That’s huge, Vee. Right?” I loved that he wasn’t sure.
“I think so. It’s an opportunity to get away from Cam, so there’s that.”
“Is that what you want? To get away from him?”
I shrugged. “I’m not sure what I want.”And that was an honest response. The whole point of this trip had been to give me some time and space to think, figure things out. Instead, it had succeeded only in helping me overthink things, and therefore, not figure anything out.
“Do you love him?”
I looked over at Tyler, my mouth full of ice cream.“What are you, a shrink?” I mouthed.
“If I were I’d tell you to stop dodging the question.”
“You’d be a terrible shrink. You’re supposed to be gentle and reassuring, not callous and aggressive.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I’m just your friend, then.”
“Just a friend? You break my heart, Tyler.”
Tyler reached out and held my arm, which had been scooping yet another helping of ice cream.“Do you love him?” he asked me again, his eyes like lasers, boring right through me.
“I don’t think it matters,” I said with a small shrug. I couldn’t bear to look into Tyler’s eyes, so I dropped my gaze into the ice cream tub. “I’m kinda busy worrying about this pregnancy and what I’m going to do about it. I don’t know if I also have time to think about the asshole responsible for it.”
“Some would say the two are intricately linked.”
“Some would be wrong. Look, Tyler. I appreciate all this. I love you for trying to cheer me up, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about what really happened with Cam. But I’m not ready to deal with all this. Not just yet. It’s still a bit raw. I’m getting there, but I’ll need some time. So, you know, can we talk about something else?”
He looked at me for a long time as if he was trying to read my mind. Eventually, he nodded, as if he was accepting that he wouldn’t be getting anything more out of me.
“Restaurant’s done,” he said. I thought it was an excellent choice of topic. “We should be ready to open in a few days.”
“No way, really?”
“Yup. All thanks to you, of course.”
“Oh, it was nothing. Can I come and see?”
“Sure. You can come with me tomorrow to make some final checks.”
“Sweet. It’s a date. But on one condition.”
Tyler rolled his eyes. He already knew where I was going.
“Promise you won’t badger me with Cam questions.”
“I will make no such promises,” he declared. But he gave me a playful shove with his shoulder. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
Chapter 30
Cameron
I had always known I would go after her. It was never in doubt. The only question was when.
I knew she had gone back home, so that was a good starting point. I had made a point of trying her phone every morning but had long given up hope that she would answer any of my calls. So, the only way I was going to see her, speak to her, was in person. But when? How?
It was the absolute worst time to leave; the company was in rebuilding mode, everyone was still adjusting to the news of Wyatt’s death, and things hadn’t returned to normal yet. As Meredith repeatedly told me, it was leadership time.
And I would have been all for that role if I wasn’t met the morning after by that email from Yvette, requesting a few days off. It was very smartly done on her part; I couldn’t exactly say no, becau
se she said she needed time to refocus after the recent events, which I initially understood to be a reference to Wyatt’s funeral, but later realized might just as well have meant the stuff with us. She timed it a day after leaving, too, so that even if I said no, I would still have to give her some time to plan a return trip. Very smart, efficient thinking. But that was Yvette for you.
After that, I couldn’t focus on anything at work. I was effectively a zombie, dragging myself from one meeting to another, nodding mindlessly at the charts and documents put in front of me, and responding with “What?” whenever someone nudged me or asked me something more than once.
It was Gabriel who snapped me out of it. Gabriel, of all people.
He showed up unannounced to my office, where he found me staring absently out the window and informed me that he had been calling my name for the last five minutes.
“You are out of it, man,” he commented, sitting down and sliding a thick folder across the desk to me.
“What’s this?” I asked him.
“Good news,” he said. “But I’m guessing it’s not the good news you’re hoping for.”
“Just tell me, jeez!”
“Shared custody agreement. Vicki’s lawyers sent this to me this morning. Something about a verbal agreement you two had, that this was just to formalize things?”
“Oh, yeah.”
I had forgotten about my little moment with Vicki back at the funeral.
“This is good news, right?” Gabriel asked. He was studying me closely with his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“Yeah, of course.”
“I have to say, buddy. It doesn’t look like it. Unless you didn’t actually want this whole thing to be over?”
“This back and forth with Vicki. You want it to be done, right? You’re not using it as some twisted scheme to keep her close, are you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Gabriel. This is about Emma. This was always about Emma.”
“Okay, then we should celebrate, right? Go out for a drink after work?”
“I don’t know… It’s kinda crazy here at the moment.”
