Page 86 of Lush

She avoided my eyes, sighed, and pulled out the emergency cookies. Sweets soothed her stress.

“If I hadn’t done it, he would’ve gone to my parents, to your family. He would’ve exposed everything, and the whole plan would’ve fallen apart. I couldn’t risk it, Reese. Not after everything we’d done. I had to keep the act up.”

Her words felt raw and real.

“What about the argument you two had?” I pushed.

“He wanted to pretend for everybody. I didn’t.” Laurene scoffed. “And he was pissed because I slapped the shit outta him after for what he did.”

“You slapped him?”

“When I told you it was me and you,” she started, her words slow and deliberate, “I meant it, Reese. I meant it in a way I’ve never meant anything in my life.”

She stepped closer, her eyes locking on to mine.

“I never touched Conrad willingly. Not once. I never kissed him willingly. When I told you I loved you, when I said that you were the only one I wanted, I wasn’t lying. I’ve never wanted anyone the way I wanted you. Not him, not anyone else—just you.”

I felt my pulse pound at the truth in her words.

“I…I just thought?—”

“Oh, so you stuck now?” Laurene side-eyed me. “Hey, we’re a team, I didn’t mention it because I knew it’d upset you.”

I grimaced. Laurene chuckled, then got serious. She looked a bit gentler, but her eyes still blazed. “Who told you?”

I pursed my lips, and she narrowed her gaze at me.

“We’re being honest, right?”

I swallowed, the words feeling like stones in my throat. I didn’t want to bring Noelle into this—still, I couldn’t make myself say it. Noelle needed to tell Laurene. “Yeah. Honest.”

Her eyes held mine.

“Blair.”

She nodded slowly, wound up like a spring, ready to snap. She fought to hide her emotions. Then her face blanked; she walked past, cold and silent.

“Wait. Hey,hey, hey, hold up—” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them, my hand instinctively reaching for her arm. I expected her to pull away, but she didn’t. She stiffened, letting me hold her.

She didn’t look at me, even as she spoke. “Did you sleep with Blair?”

I saw the anger in her eyes, but something else was there too. Vulnerability. Pain. Betrayal.

This was the actual Laurie.

No mask. No manipulation. No games. Just the woman underneath it all. I was shocked. I never thought I’d see her like that; she’s usually so guarded, especially with her return.

I had spent so long believing the version of her that played the game. I’d convinced myself her distance and coldness were her true self. But in that instant, I saw everything I’d missed.

“Say it, Reese,” she bit out, her voice trembling, though she was trying to hide it. “Tell me if you were with her.”

“No.” The word came out like a growl, sharp and unshakable. “Never.”

I stepped closer, close enough to feel the heat of her body, close enough that she couldn’t look anywhere but at me. My heart pounded, but my voice remained steady.

“It’s always been you, Laurene.” My chest ached with it, the weight of every year, every moment, every time I’d wanted herand no one else. “Only you. My first choice. My last choice. The only one who’s ever mattered.”

I reached for her, fingers brushing her jaw, tilting her face up until I could see the doubt flickering in her eyes—the doubt I needed to destroy.

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