Page 93 of The Engagement Party

Alex saw their expressions. Mitch and Sierra looked cautious but ready to fight. Ruthie edged away from them as if she wasn’t sure who she could trust in this verbal battle.

“Everything...” The words punched their way out of Alex. “Everything we’ve done has been to protect you. So drop the act, say thank you, and let’s figure out how to get through this with as little damage as possible.”

“Say the words.” Mitch held his hands palms up, as if inviting what was to come. “Say it.”

“Fine!” Alex stared at Sierra. “Mitch killed Emily.”

Chapter Sixty-Five

Sierra

Sierra hated roller coasters. She despised that sensation when her stomach turned weightless and life moved in slow motion as a steel contraption flipped her sideways and upside down.

Control. She thrived on it. Demanded it. Searched for it.

With Alex’s words something inside her splintered. Competing shouts ofnot possibleandhow could hefilled her head. She’d invested so much of her life in Mitch. They worked together, ate together, went to the movies, generally hung out with each other. People who knew them joked they were inseparable.

He owed her the truth. Not the save-your-ass kind of truth this group excelled at. Rough, knuckle-bleeding honesty, even if it hurt.

“Explain.” She didn’t break eye contact with Alex. “Right now.”

“Sierra, you can’t—”

She held up her hand to Mitch, silencing him. “Alex clearly wants to tell us a tale. You’ve got our attention. Speak.”

Ruthie moved closer to Sierra. “I’m with her.”

It killed her to do it, but Sierra blocked out the distress pulsing off Mitch. She pretended not to see Cassie or Ruthie. As faras Sierra was concerned, Alex needed to tell her his story without interruptions. No verbal gymnastics. Whisper it, if that made him feel better, but get it out.

Alex’s red-faced anger gave way to a sheepishness that didn’t fit with his usual big lawyer energy. He glanced at Mitch as if waiting for him to jump in, but he didn’t.

“It was an accident.” Alex gulped in a deep breath. “We’d all been drinking.”

Another accident?Sierra forced herself not to push back. To let Alex continue.

“We were out there by the water for hours that day. The alcohol flowed. We brought some. Friends dropped by with more.” Alex exhaled. “We made a run back to campus at one point. Maybe for beer? Earlier when Mitch talked about dropping everyone off he was telling the truth. That did happen but it was a temporary thing. We met up again at the labyrinth, this place in the woods near hiking trails and a community garden. It’s not far from campus. I was out of it, so I’m not sure who decided we should go there. Too much alcohol. No common sense.”

“You were drunk. I get it.” Sierra couldn’t figure out if he focused on the booze to paint a picture or to set up an excuse for the inexcusable. “Get to what happened to Emily.”

Alex closed his eyes. When he opened them again the stress was right there. He looked haunted, and aching for a way to back out of the conversation he’d slammed down between them.

Cassie put an arm around Alex. “We need to stop. Nothing good can come from more information.”

“Cassie? For once in your life don’t try to manipulate the situation. Let Alex finish.” Mitch’s voice didn’t reveal an ounce of emotion.

Sierra didn’t know what to make of that comment but for some reason it eased the tension pressing in on her from all sides. If Cassie was determined to save Mitch, he was equally as determined that she didn’t.

A secret this big demanded a joint effort to wrestle it into submission and lock it down. Alex had kicked the door open, and Sierra dreaded what would crawl out, but Mitch didn’t even appear rattled.

“Emily had flirted with Mitch on and off for years. He never noticed, but the rest of us did. She had a thing for him but never acted on it because of their friendship and not wanting to unbalance the group’s harmony.” Alex looked at Cassie. “Right?”

She stared at a spot on the ground. “I don’t want anything to do with this conversation.”

Sierra’s patience expired. “Get there, Alex.”

“We were dancing and... honestly, I blacked out at some point.” He rubbed his forehead. “I remember the laughter then some yelling. Then quiet. Hell, Mitch knows. Let him tell you.”

Mitch didn’t move. “This is your big moment. Say whatever you’ve been holding in for all these years.”

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