Page 92 of Even Ground

He shoots me some side-eye. “How did you know?”

“Because it’s the only thing he knows how to cook. Did he manage to make it without burning it?”

Reece laughs. “It was terrible, so I got on my phone and ordered pizza while he was distracted. Amelia loved it.”

Such a big part of me wishes I was there. I was with Delaney through her first pregnancy, when her mother wouldn’t stand by her. From morning sickness to holding her hand when she gave birth, I was by her side.

And Melly, even if she’s not so little anymore, holds a special place in my heart. She’s the reason I worked so hard with Delaney to get the diner up and running. That was for the two of them. It’s why I diverted from my dream to become a cook, and I loved doing that with my best friend so much.

And now I’m following another dream but hating what I’m doing and missing them more than ever.

“Pania? Are you okay?”

I look up to see Reece’s brows knitted together in concern.

“I’m fine. Just missing my girls.”

“You know, any time you want to come over here, I’ll make it happen.”

I shake my head. “No. This time belongs to Josh. He missed it with Melly, and this has to be his and Delaney’s time together.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t visit.”

Blowing out a long breath, I take a moment to compose myself. “Maybe I will at the end of the year.”

“I’ll help you if you need it. Delaney would love to see you.” His tone’s so gentle, it almost makes me tear up. Almost.

“I miss her a lot. You know, I’m not sure what I’d do if I didn’t have things like Facetime to talk to her.” I swallow hard. “And having you to talk to makes things easier. I know you’re watching out for her.”

He smiles. “Always. I try and do the same for you too. You mean a lot to me.”

“The feeling’s mutual.”

My heart pounds at the affection all over his face. I’ve seen Reece acting, and he was so annoying when we first met, but the last two years, I’ve seen a change in him. There’s nothing in particular I can put my finger on, but he seems to have softened. We joke, but the edge has been taken off as we’ve eased into a good, solid friendship.

“Anyway, I should let you get some sleep. And I need to wash all this make-up off my face. It feels weird.”

Reece laughs. “You look beautiful. That guy is an idiot for screwing you around.”

“You always make me feel better about things.”

He winks, and my heart does flips. “That’s what friends are for, sweetheart. Talk to you later.”

“Later, ‘gator.”

Reece narrows his gaze. “That’s a Delaneyism.”

“I borrow from her sometimes.” I shrug.

He laughs. “Goodnight, Pania.”

“Night, Reece.”

With the call disconnected, I head into the bathroom and scrub my face clean. My stomach grumbles for some dinner, but even cooking now feels like too much effort. Instead, I grab a bag of potato chips and head to bed to indulge. It’s usually at this time that I call Delaney to watch TV together, but that’s a no-go. And I’m not calling Reece back for him to listen to me eat potato chips while he lies in bed with those ridiculous abdominal muscles of his.

So I lie back and imagine balancing a bag of potato chips on those abs—the best of both worlds.

My eyelids grow heavy, and what’s on television doesn’t even register as I drift off.

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