Page 84 of Traitor

I closed my eyes and admitted, “Elizabeth, Jimmy and I were never going to work out. We went out a couple of times, but it was never serious. I should’ve corrected you, but I thought with everything you had going on, it was better if you assumed I was happy.”

And, I was actually living with Mike during a large chunk of that time period, but there’s no reason to tell you any of that now.

She frowned, but nodded. “I’ve been kind of an absentee friend to you since Kaden was born and for that, I’m sorry. I got used to seeing you at work every day and I thought it was enough. Then you up and quit, leaving me with no choice but to do the same. Can we make an agreement to be honest from here on out? Good or bad—you’re my best friend and I want to know what’s going on with you.”

I nodded and blinked rapidly before dropping my gaze down to the carpet. My stomach was in knots and my emotions were all over the place. Walking down that aisle was going to feel like going to meet the executioner. “Let’s finish your makeup,” I offered weakly.

Elizabeth’s mother, Susan, came in carrying a bundle of fresh flowers. “Okay, I think I’ve got enough here to make a crown. Are you ready for me?”

Susan had never been particularly friendly to me, but Elizabeth had assured me that she was just uncomfortable around people she didn’t know well. I would’ve guessed she was just an evil bitch, given some of the things she’d pulled with her own daughter,but what did I know?

I swiped the lip gloss across Elizabeth’s bottom lip and stepped back to admire my work. It was nice to know that I performed well under intense pressure.

In spite of the lightheadedness and overwhelming urge to make myself vomit, I was a regular Bobbi Brown.

David’s mom, Louisa, poked her head into the dressing area. “Oh my goodness, Elizabeth, you look absolutely breathtaking!”

Now, Louisa had been a gem to me since day one; it actually made me wonder how she’d remained friends with Betsy“The Ice Queen”Sullivan for so many years. Speaking of, Elizabeth had warned me that she was in attendance. As long as I stayed away from hot wax and kept my dress on, I thought I actually stood a chance at dodging her completely.

Her son was going to be another matter entirely.

Torch had sworn to me that the club wasn’t behind what happened to Monica, regardless of how it looked.“They’re setting the club up, kid. Jus in bello—the laws of war.”

I’d replied,“Sounds like something you picked up from Mike.”

“Because it is. That guy is a fucking genius when it comes to strategy. If it weren’t for him, the club would’ve gone down months ago.”

“If it weren’t for him, my mother would still be alive. You’d do well to remember that,”I’d snapped in return, ending the discussion entirely. It nagged at me that Torch had known about the text from the beginning, yet still continued to believe his brothers had nothing to do with it.

I really wanted to run out of the event center, past the pecan trees, until I was safely back home. I tapped my heel impatiently against the Saltillo tile, trying to work my anxiety out. I wondered if Elizabeth had any Xanax on her—that’d definitely help.

I snuck out of the room and found her purse. Sure enough, the orange pill bottle greeted me from the bottom of the bag and I quickly tapped one into my hand, washing it down with a bottle of water near the bed.

I’d just stolen drugs from my friend.

Now, who was living in the gray areas?

Louisa checked her watch before letting Elizabeth know it was time. “You’re up, kid. You nervous?”

I knew she wasn’t asking me, but I answered anyway. “I’m a little nervous, to be honest. Lou—you got anything in that mom purse of yours to take the edge off?”

Susan handed me a flask from her handbag with a big grin. “What? So, I drink. How else do you think I’ve gotten through all these years of quilting club at the church?”

Elizabeth took my hand in hers and gave me a reassuring smile. “It’s going to be okay.”

I nodded. It sure was, just as soon as the alcohol and drugs kicked in. It wasn’t a permanent solution, but it was going to get me through today. And that was enough for now.

We helped Elizabeth into her heels and began the trek from the event center out to the orchard. We passed a small chalkboard sign on the way that said,“I Do: Take Two.”I knew that Elizabeth had made it herself, along with most of the other decorations. I was beginning to think that there wasn’t anything she couldn’t do.

The coordinator met us with a manic grin and began going over the timeline for everything. She reminded me of a terrier with as fast as she was talking.

Her nervous energy only reinforced my anxiety, sending dread coursing throughout my body.

“Five minutes,” she trilled into her headset.

I was going to puke. I turned around and met Susan’s stare. She shook her head slightly and slipped me the flask. “Drink.”

I complied, even though I had no idea what it was that I was drinking. It burned the entire way down, that was all that I could make out. I hoped that meant that I’d be oblivious within minutes.

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