Page 37 of Bought For Us

“Hi.” She smiles.

“Enjoying the water?”

“It’s nice.” She nods and looks around. “You have a very nice house here.”

“You're always welcome,” he tells her and that makes me happy.

“Thanks.” She makes eye contact and looks away.

Looks like Zack is going to have to spend some time with her to get her to warm up.

We might all be adults now, heading into our thirties in a few years, but I find myself yearning for the bond we all once had. A bond that never should have ended or been taken away from us.

Life is short and I’m seeing this as a second chance. I just hope this is what she wants too. Now that we have Cora back, I don’t want to let her go again.

Chapter 13

Cora

“Lies!” I gasp before laughing. “That’s not at all how it happened.”

“Oh, but it was.” Kimmy grins. “I got you so trashed you stood there talking to a coat rack for a good five minutes before Zack asked you what you were doing.”

“And then you said. ‘Just talking to my new friend here.’” Zack’s grin makes my heart flutter. “When you asked him what his name was, you realized it wasn’t even a person. Do you know how hard it was not to laugh so you didn’t feel embarrassed?”

“Well, thank you.” I smile. “For being so kind and saving my feelings. To be fair, I wasn’tbig on drinking back then, even now, I’m still not. I do remember having fun that night though.”

“You mean when we danced together and this one here was the fun police and dragged us off the dance floor?” Kimmy says, nodding her head at Zack.

We’re having supper before Zack brings me back to the club. This weekend has gone by so fast. Too fast.

I thought I’d be having sex with some stranger the whole time, instead I got to spend an amazing weekend with old friends.

It was awkward at first, but Kimmy being Kimmy made it so easy to smile and laugh. The sad part was, the last time I smiled and laughed, like real genuine ones, was the last time I saw her before this weekend. The last ten years was nothing but pushing through and working.

For the first time in a long time, I’ve been able to relax, to breathe, to just be. And it’s thanks to Kimmy. Zack too. Although, he’s been a little distant this weekend.

I don’t think it was because he didn’t want to be around me, but more like he was enjoying watching his wife be happy and didn’t want to get in the way of that.

When she told me just how lonely her life is, it showed me that some things haven’t changed. And it’s a shame, because everyone needs a friend like her in their life.

It’s weird and it’s going to take some getting used to, but when she told me she wanted me back in her life, I felt so much joy I almost cried. I missed them both so damn much and I didn’t realize just how much until this weekend when I was faced with reality and not pushing my feelings deep down where I can’t get hurt.

“I think he was jealous of all the guys watching us dance.” I laugh. “It wasn’t until they started dancing with us that he stepped in.” I look at Zack. “I don’t think you liked someone else dancing with Kimmy.”

He stares at me, with his dark intense eyes before picking up his glass of whiskey. “And you,” he murmurs before taking a sip of his drink, all while keeping eye contact.

My heart races and I want to squirm under his watchful eyes. I can see Kimmy smirking out of the corner of my eye before she takes a bite of her food.

“You know what I miss?” I say, breaking the stare down and looking to Kimmy. “The cabin at the lake.” Zack’s grandparents owned this stunning cabin that we spent the whole summer in one year. Nothing but swimming, bonfires and late nights. “There was something about that place that always made me feel... free? I don't know.” I laugh lightly.

“We’ll go soon,” Zack says, surprising me. “All three of us.”

My eyes dart up to his. “You still have the cabin?”

He nods. “My grandparents left it to me in their will. Kimmy and I have gone a few times, but with our busy schedules, we haven’t gone in a while.”

“But,” Kimmy adds. “We’ve been taking work slow since we started trying, haven’t really gone back to work full time just yet. So we got some time.”

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