Page 66 of Golden Rule

Her fiancé and his ex, battling some serious chemistry.

The moment becomes incredibly uncomfortable, and I feel for all three of them in different ways. Sterling willdefinitelybe getting an earful when he gets home.

“Sorry, I… didn’t mean to interrupt,” Tiffany says, nervously moving a hand through her hair. “Everyone’s packing up to leave. Just thought we might get a move on, too.” She forces a smile, and this is by far the most uncomfortable moment of the evening.

Sterling doesn’t seem rattled as he holds his water bottle in the air. “Just grabbing a drink. Ready when you are.”

Tiffany’s eyes flit toward Lexi, and then back to Sterling. I’m so glad I stayed. This situation would’ve looked ten times worse if I hadn’t.

I put on a smile when Sterling walks over to me, pulling me into a light hug. “Dinner was great. We’ll host next time,” he offers, and I’m wearing a smile when he pulls away.

“Sounds good,” I say back, but I’m hyper aware of how close he’s standing to Lexi. Too close to simply ignore her.

“Drive safe,” he says to her. “Tell Jax I love him, and I’ll see him in a few days.”

Lexi nods, and her smile is so tense she would’ve been better off not even trying. “Will do.”

Sterling takes a breath before walking away, and I can’t help but think there’s more he wishes he could say, but… he doesn’t. Instead, he turns, walks toward the doorway, then laces his fingers with Tiffany’s without looking back.

Then, they’re gone.

The room is completely silent, and I feel like I should do something—strike up conversation to take Lexi’s mind off having to see her ex with his new girlfriend, hug her so she knows she doesn’t have to hide her feelings around me. But I just let her lead, let her show me what she needs right now. So, when she turns toward the sink again, I can assume she’d just like to pretend none of that happened.

We finish cleaning up without saying another word. She likes to attribute her progress and growth to a lot of hours spent on her therapist’s couch, but I say it’s all her. She’s chosen to take the steps to be the best version of herself she can be, and I, for one, and damn proud of her.

We get the kitchen spotless, then I head back out to say my goodbyes to the rest of our guests, but I hug Lexi a little longer than the others as she heads out. I saw her struggling tonight, and if I didn’t know it already, I know it now—her feelings for Sterling are alive and well. Even if she’s buried them deep, under layers of anger and pain.

They’re there.

Hunter’s the last to leave, and I breathe a sigh of relief knowing we made it to the end of one hell of an emotionally-charged evening. There was a time when being together as a group was our safe space, our refuge.

But present day, as our lives shift, and the dynamics of our relationships evolve, it sometimes feels like something else. Like we’re all seated at a table, playing Russian roulette, waiting for the one gathering where someone loses their shit, and it all falls apart.

However, since I can neither predict the future, nor control anyone else’s behavior, I’m choosing to just… be grateful.

Because tonight wasn’t that night.

@QweenPandora:

The entire Golden Crew just concluded a gathering held at the castle of their beloved king and queen. They stayed locked behind those gates for hours, and that we know of, no homicides were reported this evening.

But what was the special occasion, you ask?

Why, the return of the prodigal son, of course.

That’s right. Hunter Riley, is officially back in Cypress Pointe, although no one can say for how long. But while he’s graced our beautiful city with his presence, he will henceforth be dubbed #PrisonBae.

And for good damn reason, y’all!

Get a load of these pics! They started flooding my inbox this afternoon when the most elusive Riley of them all was spotted exiting a bus at approximately two P.M. I believe it’s safe to say those prison yard workouts did his body good, did they not?

So, like, after all that hard work… it’d be kind of rude not to acknowledge his progress, right?

Right.

He’s almost completely inked, but I find myself wondering if there’s just a small space left on that beautiful body of his to etch my name somewhere.

You know, as a shout out, of course.

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