Page 17 of Dirty Deceit

"I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What?" I am curious about John’s expression.

"Will you be my best man?"

"It's happening then?” I clap him on the shoulder. “When?"

"Next month. Hopefully, you can bring Gemma along."

"You've got it. And I sure hope so."

We talk for a few hours about plans for the future, but my thoughts never stray far from Gemma and her well-being. I wish I could do more to show her I've changed, but her silent treatment is effective in keeping me at arm's length.

I head up to the apartment above John's bar. He's letting me stay there while I get back on my feet.

I strip down to my boxers and lie down on the bed. No fancy thread count, just plain cotton. It takes me a while to get to sleep, and I know I'll be up in just four hours, but I'll take what I can get. My mind is so preoccupied it's difficult to get to sleep—nothing like when Gemma was in my arms. With her, I could sleep the night away.

Gemma is the one for me, and I won't give up. It's a promise I made to myself, and I'll keep it.

Gemma

Murphy keeps contacting me, but I need to be strong. I can't believe he paid my mother's bills in one fell swoop. I thought for sure his funds were all seized once he was being investigated. Leave it to Murphy to have an ace up his sleeve. I definitely can't underestimate that man. My biggest problem is I'm softening with time and, lately, am more and more tempted to answer his messages.

I know I'm being an idiot. He stole from me. He used me. But when I remember the look in his eyes, I know he didn't want to hurt me. No, I have to stay strong. It's difficult with all the love in the air. Hailey's just gotten married, and Alice decided to stay married to her one-night stand in Vegas. Amber is giving Jason a run for his money. The other girls haven't confided in me, but I will see if that changes tonight. I really need a girls' night out, so I message them. Thankfully, they all agree to meet.

We meet at a restaurant instead of a bar because Alice is pregnant. No one put up a fight, so I'm wondering if there are any more secret babies going around the group. I make it a point to hug each of them tight when they arrive. I've missed them, and I need them for moral support.

"Hailey, how's married life treating you?" I ask.

"Oh no, missy. You need to tell us about this whole con man thing, and are you staying away from him?" Hailey responds.

"Wh-why wouldn't I stay away from him?"

"Gemma, we've known you for so many years. We know what a soft heart you have." Alice grabs my hand and squeezes it.

"Oh, God.” I crumble. “He keeps messaging me, and I'm starting to weaken. That's why I wanted to meet with you all. I don't know what to do."

"I think you know exactly what you want to do but are too afraid to come clean to us." Amber points out.

"Amber!" Everyone calls out her name for being so horribly direct.

"I…" I can't get out the words.

"Let's toss out some hypothesis for fun’s sake. What if you let him into your life again? Do you trust him to… say, not con one of us? Do you believe he'll stay clean and not pursue more criminal activities? What if he does? Would you leave him? Stay with him through thick and thin, even if he's hurting others?"

"I don't know if I can answer any of those things, Amber."

"Those are the exact questions you should be asking yourself, Gemma," Alice adds, a concerned look in her eyes.

"I haven't really talked things through with him. I know he helped the FBI quite a bit and they're hiring him as a consultant, so now he has a job that's legit. I think that's a good starting point." Everyone just stares at me. So many open mouths. "I know you won't understand my reasoning, or maybe they're crazy reasons, but I've never felt like this for any other man in my life, ever."

"I don't know that we can back you up on that, Gemma." Meghan, the quiet one of us, says truthfully.

"But that's what I need from you, for you guys to have my back. No matter what happens. This is a chance I have to take."

"When are you going to tell him?"

"I need to do some lingerie shopping first," I answer with a twinkle in my eye, but everyone else just groans.

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