Page 28 of Power Play

“Ava, please,” I warn her, just as a waitress brings me my latte. I thank the girl and then peer at my friend again. “There are a lot of things you don’t know, and I’d prefer it to stay that way.” I hurt Clay so many times, breaking his heart over and over again, giving him false hope and then disappearing as if nothing happened, always letting my insecurities win. I’m the worst kind of person, and I deserve his silent treatment. Sighing, I hang my head low. “But after everything I’ve put him through, I understand why it’s like this.”

The heaviness of my past mistakes weighs a ton. My soul is filled with guilt and bad decisions, with lies and omissions. Everything bad that has happened to me since college is my karma for how I treated Clay Rodgers.

He’s worthy of someone a thousand times better than me, and I’m getting exactly what I deserve.

“Did you and Clay keep seeing each other after your breakup?”

I shoot Ava a quick look and divert my attention to my coffee cup. Keeping my big mouth shut is an art I need to master as soon as possible. Why do I keep making things worse for myself?

“Layla?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“But it does?—”

“It doesn’t matter,” I grind out, setting my cup on the table. “I wish him nothing but happiness. He’s incredible with kids, from what I saw at your party, so I hope he finds a girl he wants to marry soon.”

Even though that would destroy me because I still love him.

Silence falls between us, sticky and leaden. It’s so unpleasant that it makes my coffee taste bitter. I cover my right hand withmy left one, my fingertips brushing the Tinker Bell ring on my ring finger. Another gift from him I shouldn’t have kept. Too many memories, too many promises made…until the final one.

The one that destroyed the possibility of us ever getting back together.

If Clay Rodgers ever decides to talk to me, I’m sure it would be the only question he’d ask.

Why couldn’t I keep my promise?

“Layla,” Ava says softly, placing her warm hand on mine, “if you ever need to talk about it, I’m here. I will never judge you for your past, and I’ll always be on your side. You are my best friend.”

A sob bolts out of my lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She reaches over the table and sweeps away a lonely tear from the corner of my eye. “Everything’s going to be all right. I know it.”

We sit, silently smiling at each other. Ava’s company quiets the hurricane in my chest, helping me find my inner strength. She’s been my ride-or-die since we were little kids, and I know I can always count on her. Some people come into our lives, fulfill their purpose, and leave, but some stay for a lifetime. And Ava is that for me.

She’s my kind of person.

Ava stands up and takes Meghan into her arms, holding her close as she sits down again and lets her drink from her bottle. “Any fun plans for the rest of the week?” she asks me.

“Not sure it would be considered fun, but I’m taking Maya to the doctor on Friday. Her eyes are bothering her, and I want Dr. Hernandez to take a look. Maybe it’s just me being paranoid, but I need to be sure. She blinks too much sometimes, rubs her eyes a lot. And a few times I noticed the pupil on her right eye being a bit different than her left one. It makes me anxious.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, it’s fine. I can handle it.” I smile at her.

“Mommy!”

Whipping my head around, I see Maya running toward me with a cupcake in each hand. Angie follows her, grinning from ear to ear.

“Look what Angie gave me!”

Maya climbs onto the chair beside me, the brightest smile pulling at her lips. Angie joins us too, sitting next to Ava.

“I hope it’s okay I gave her two,” Angie says, meeting my gaze.

I nod. “That’s fine.” Then I turn to Maya. “But you can only eat one right now, sweetie. You know the rules.”

Maya frowns, her features going cloudy like the sky on a rainy day. We stare at each other, not saying a word. With a sigh, she sets one of the cupcakes on the table and starts eating the other one.

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