Page 73 of So Bad It Must Be Good

Chapter Eighteen

“You didn’t have to come home with me.”

“Of course I did,” Dinah said cheerfully. “Carter all but shoved me out the door.”

Kayla eyed Dinah as they walked up the stairway to her apartment door. “Yeah, that was . . . weird.”

But Dinah only grinned. “So weird.”

“Why are you happy about that?”

“Because I’m pretty sure he’s planning some elaborate engagement thing.”

Kayla stopped in her tracks. “What?” she screeched.

Dinah giggled. “Yup. He thinks he’s so subtle too. It’s adorable. I mean, it’s also driving me crazy because I have no idea when he’s actually going to do it so I’m always halfway on edge, but it’s mostly adorable.”

“Dinah.” Kayla didn’t know why she felt so teary. It was just . . . God, they were getting old. Jobs and heartaches and marriage. “You’re getting married.”

Dinah, cool as a cucumber Dinah, looked a little teary herself. “Well, if he ever actually asks me anyway.” She sniffled a little.

“And I know I’m totally jumping the gun, but you’ll be my maid of honor, right?”

Then they both started crying in earnest, and it was such a better cry than last night or this morning. This wasn’t about being sad or vaguely dissatisfied. This was all about being so happy for someone she loved.

She pulled away from Dinah, realized they were standing in the middle of the stairwell hugging and crying. “Come on. We can cry inside.”

“And drink, right?” Dinah asked in a squeaky voice.

“Damn straight.”

Kayla walked with Dinah up the stairs, but nearly ran into her when Dinah stopped short at the top of the stairwell.

“Oh,” Dinah said, an odd tone to her voice.

Kayla sniffled looking over at the door where Dinah had stopped midstep. “Oh,” Kayla repeated herself.

Liam got to his feet, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Um, hi. I need to talk to you.”

Part of her wanted that too. A very big part. But he couldn’t just stomp on her heart one night and then show up the next expecting to get whatever he wanted.

“We’re busy.”

“This is important.”

Kayla lifted her chin, pointing between her and Dinah. “So is this.”

Dinah reached out and squeezed her hand. “Why don’t I go home?”

“But—”

Dinah shook her head. “Get your shit straightened out, Kay. We’ll celebrate after it actually happens, okay? I want your head in the game for it.” Then she pulled Kayla into a hug and squeezed. “Just work it out, or cut it off for good,” she whispered. “Don’t let it keep dragging out, okay?”

Kayla sniffled again and nodded as Dinah released her. After one last arm squeeze, Dinah disappeared down the stairs and Kayla stood in the breezeway with Liam.

Her heart hurt. A sharp, painful ache in her chest. She hadn’t had time to build up any kind of defense against him. Everything with them had all happened so fast, and she needed time to sort it out.

She could live without him—she knew that—but she needed a little bit more time to feel like that was the best alternative. Right now living without him just sucked.

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