Page 74 of Illicit Illustration

“No, there isn’t anything you can say right now to dismiss that you never know if any relationship is going to work out. Just because a relationship lasts a long time doesn’t mean it’s a good one. Can you honestly say that your relationship with Viv was more important than the one you have with my best friend—who fucking adores you—”

“Stop cursing, Haz,” Hudson muttered, but I growled at him and a surprise laugh echoed from the kitchen.

“No. I won’t quitfuckingcursing. Because you’re going to fucking listen to me. I may have been afraid to say something—hell, I was afraid to admit it to myself to begin with—but I love your bestfriend, and he has done nothing to show me he doesn’t deserve it, so I’m going to get through this stupid reveal tonight, let down the guy who would probably be the safe option, and then I’m going to find your best friend and I’m going to tell him he is worth being brave for.”

Hudson’s expression had shifted from anger to something else, understanding maybe, I wasn’t sure, but whatever it was had him nodding a moment later and reaching forward to hug me. “He’s never going to deserve you, Haz. But I really want him to prove me wrong.”

“Me too,” I whispered, squeezing him tighter before I broke from his hold. “And you will not be an asshole about it.”

“I make no promises,” he laughed, leaning back into Charley as she snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“Don’t worry, Haz. I’ll keep this one in line.” He tried to look grumpy about it, but when she kissed him on the cheek, a smile broke loose. He was a total softie even when he pretended he wasn’t. “You sure you want to wait until tonight to talk to Reid?”

“Yeah, I should probably tell Seven in person.”

She bit her lip, then leaned forward to whisper something in Hudson’s ear. He got up from the stool and she sat back down, reaching forward to grasp both of my hands once he was gone. “You know I love you, right?”

“What did you do?”

“It’s not my place to tell you, and honestly I don’t know the entire story, but maybe go into tonight with an open mind.”

“Not your place to tell me what?”

She shook her head, but I couldn’t prod her for more answers because a shouted curse from the kitchen drew our attention.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!?"

Then asking her was off the table when Hudson started swearing up a storm that the compressor in the freezer had seized and everything had thawed overnight.

The afternoon was spent in a flurry of activity as we tried to salvage what we could from the freezer, and I got to work hanging the decorations for the party while the two of them scoured every store in town for replacements since we couldn’t exactly open the bar on a holiday without things to feed people. And if we tried to close the kitchen for the night, we wouldn’t be able to serve alcohol because it violated the liquor license if we didn’t serve food after 8 pm.

But as we tried to avert the logistical crisis threatening to close down the bar, a lingering sense of unease grew within me. Because I had a feeling everything was about to change.

And I was afraid it wouldn't be for the better.

Reid

“Do you think it’dbe okay if you stayed longer?” Colette asked, throwing the bar towel she’d been using over her shoulder and taking a deep breath as we finally got a slight break from the crowd filling the tasting room at the distillery.

In his hurry to leave town, Jay hadn’t exactly told me he’d arranged with the event planner at the ski resort to host a special tour and tasting with the guests who were staying there over Valentine’s Day. So, when I’d come over to cover for the morning tours, I’d expected to have the rest of the day to track down Hazel before tonight and beg her to forgive me for not saying something about Seven—about me—sooner.

I knew she’d be hurt, and while I’d asked her to be brave with me, maybe I should have followed my own damn advice and not waited until the last fucking minute to come clean.

Jay had called me in a panic, completely apologetic for not giving me the details, but the damage was done, and I couldn’t exactly leave his best friend Colette alone to deal with a few dozen tourists by herself. Of course, I’d forgiven him because that’s what family does, and after asking for an update on Tristan, who was still stable but being treated for third-degree burns and smoke inhalation, I’d agreed to stay until late afternoon to help.

“I’ve got something going on at five, so I have to be out of here at four-thirty or I’ll never get back on time.”

“Oh! Are you helping Hudson out with that dating event that Charley planned? I heard about it from the Wests. They’re super excited that she’s going to be working for them in time for weddingseason.” The fact she knew about it showed exactly how interconnected small-town life could be, even from the next town over.

Hudson and Hazel’s cousin Colette was a ski instructor during the winter, but she was a trail guide for the outdoor adventure business that Charley’s aunt and uncle ran during the summer and fall. We’d all grown up together, and I’d spent the afternoon doing a double take every time Colette walked by because Hazel was like her several years younger twin with nearly identical long wavy red hair.

“No, not exactly. I kind of, um…was part of the event? Sort of.”

Colette laughed, clearly getting a kick out of the thought of me agreeing to do something like that. While we’d run in similar circles in high school, she was too busy focusing on her budding professional ski career to pay any attention to boys. Much less ones like Jay, Hudson and I had been.

Looking back, we’d been absolute dumbasses, thinking we were God’s gift to the women of the mountain, and I was honestly surprised we’d all turned out as halfway decent, responsible adults who ran our own businesses.

“I’m assuming Charley had something to do with it. I can’t exactly see you signing up for that without some outside influence.”

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