Page 4 of Fierce-Hyde

“The same as most of us did, but it still happened,” Raina said.

She shrugged and picked up her empty container of food to toss in the garbage.

“I’m so happy for you,” she said, hugging Raina. “I know I tell you often, but I really am. If anyone deserves it, it’s you.”

“Thank you,” Raina said, returning the hug. “Are you sure you’re okay? I feel like you’ve been off for a while now.”

“I’m fine,” she said. “Really, I am.”

“I know you, Tori. There is more going on. It has to be more than work. I thought you loved your job even if you don’t get to actually meet with clients or kids as much now.”

“I do love it,” she said. “And if I can’t fill this position before the school year starts, then I’ll gladly go into the school and teach the curriculum until then.”

Raina smiled. “Which always brings you joy to be with the kids.”

“It does,” she said.

“So if it’s not your job then it must be your mother,” Raina said.

“Right on the second guess,” she said.

“What’s going on there now?” Raina asked.

“Trust me, we don’t have nearly enough time to get into it. But it’s nothing more than it always is.”

“I’m sorry,” Raina said, rubbing her hand on Tori’s arm. “Does she want you to move back to Florida?”

“That ship has sailed and got stuck in the Bermuda Triangle never to be heard of again,” she said, laughing.

“Good for you,” she said. “But it doesn’t make it any easier to get the calls, I know.”

“Nope,” she said. “But my mother is a grown woman and she needs to figure it out on her own.”

Tori shouldn’t be taking care of her mother at this point in her life. She had been doing it mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially for years. Even when she was in high school she was doing a combination of those things.

It was hard to sever ties, even if they started to strangle you and cut off your supply of oxygen.

“Maybe it will happen one day,” Raina said. “And I’ll walk out with you. I’ve got to meet with Drake and it’s on my way.”

“I like having a personal escort,” she said, bumping her shoulder into Raina’s.

“You’ve always been there for me,” Raina said. “And I’ll always be there for you.”

When her eyes filled a bit, she battled back the tears before Raina could see them and get worried.

She had no clue why she was so emotional lately and needed to get her act together.

“That’s what best friends are for,” she said.

2

KICK IN THE ASS

“How can you eat that?” Ryder Fierce asked his college best friend, Hyde Person.

“What?” Hyde asked. “It’s just a burger.”

“It’s a burger with so much sauce and other sides on it, that every bite drops more onto the wrapper than ends up in your mouth.”

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