Page 10 of The Red-Hot Stakes

“Hey, I saw Derek and I missed a couple calls from you. You okay?”

Sudden tears pricked me, then Liam was squeezing my left hand. I stared at his wrist as I answered her in a wobbly voice, “Not really.”

* * * *

“A guy, too? Wow, I never would’ve pegged Josh for being so adventurous.” Avery handed me another tissue, as she tossed her long strawberry blonde ponytail over her shoulder.

I glared from where I lay on the bed in the spare room of her and Derek’s apartment. “Really? That’s what you’re going to say about all this?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. You were excited when he wanted you to move in with him, and it was definitely an upgrade from our apartment.”

We shared a knowing look, remembering that death trap. One good stomp would have put a person through the floor. Josh had begged me to move in with him for weeks, but I couldn’t leave Avery. I was all she had. Then Derek had come along, with his fake dating proposal and gorgeous apartment.

It was a win-win for both of us, or so I’d thought. At least I hadn’t signed any papers with Josh. He’d already been in the middle of his lease, so I’d moved in, made myself at home. A pang stabbed at me as I realized I had no place to call my own. Not anymore.

“But there was always something…meh about him. I never really understood why you fell for him in the first place.”

The Oreos beckoned, and I shoved one in my mouth, taking a minute to chew it before responding. “Why am I just now hearing about this?”

“Because you’re a stubborn, pig-headed person who never listens to me.” Her green eyes twinkled as she sassed.

I flopped onto my back to stare at the ceiling, huffing as my arm bounced on the mattress. “Right. Remind me to start listening.”

She sighed, lying down beside me and resting her head on my good shoulder. “I really am sorry, G. That was a despicable, shitty thing for him to do.”

Her kind words had the tears welling up again, and I sniffed. “Dammit, Avery. I like it better when you insult me.”

“No, you don’t, but it’s easier that way.”

She slid her arms around me, and I snuggled into her soft embrace. “You’re right.”

“As usual.”

* * * *

A weight settled on my chest as I trudged up the stairs to my—

I cut my thought off since it was no longer my apartment. A sharp pain hit me, but I pushed it aside, recalling my anger and betrayal. I needed to be strong and ferocious in case Josh hadn’t heeded my warning.

Avery and Derek were close behind me, empty boxes in hand. Despite walking ahead of them on the stairs, they were both over five inches taller than me and I felt slightly caged in.

I slid my key into the lock, holding my breath as I pushed open the door. “Hello?”

No one answered.

Some of the tension eased out of me as I surveyed the place I’d called home for almost a year. Next month would have been our one-year anniversary of living together. October eighteenth, Avery came down with food poisoning and, on the nineteenth, I’d convinced her to move in with Derek. Now she was happily engaged, about to be married in November.

And I was moving out.

I swallowed against the lump in my throat, grateful when Avery gently asked where they could start. “My closet is probably the most cut and dry thing. I’ll show you where my suitcases are.” I pointed her and Derek in the right direction.

A knock on the door had me frowning. I warily opened it a crack, startled to see Liam. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t know if you had anything big to move, so I brought my truck. Plus I figured you could use the extra hands, what with your arm and all.” He glanced at my bandage.

I stared at him so long he shifted uncomfortably, and I caught myself. “Sorry, you just surprised me. Um, come in.” I stepped back, and he followed me inside.

It was all so overwhelming, having to sort out of my life that had been nicely meshed with someone else’s. There was the coffee pot we’d bought together. And the movies. All the evidence of a shared existence. How am I supposed to split it all up? I sank onto a barstool, tears leaking down my cheeks.

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