Page 12 of Ice Block

Shit.My stomach drops as my breath catches. I can’t tell her.

I slam my fists down on the couch cushions over and over again.Fuck, fuck, fucking fuck.

I have no one to talk to about this. I certainly can’t talk to my Judgy McJudgerton mother about my one-night stand. My brothers want zero details about my sex life. I mean…same. And Vladi specifically told me not to tell theoneperson I need to talk to about this.

I’m pulled from my frustration as I hear a voice and some banging in the hallway.Wait, is Vladi outside my door?I race to open it and peek my head out.

Not him.

Instead, I see a tall, blonde woman with her bags on the floor, trying to kick in an apartment door.Well, Ithoughtthis was a safe neighborhood.

Sniffing back my tears, I take a step outside, propping my door open behind me with my welcome mat. “Do you need some help?”

She glances back, a horrified look in her eyes, and I suddenly remember I’m a hot mess with my crying corpse face.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” she whisper-yells down the hallway. “Did I wake you? I just moved in, and I can’t get this damn keycard to open the door to my apartment. I thought kicking it would help, but it’s really just ruining my shoe.”

I snort as I walk down the hall toward her. “No worries. You didn’t wake me. I was already up dealing with…” I flick the air away from my face, biting the inside of my cheek. “Never mind. I would have done the same thing. These keycards are so damn sensitive. You have to hit it just right on the sensor or it doesn’t work. Here, let me show you.” I grab the card from her and hold it on the sensor as the lock clicks. “Voila! You’ll get used to it over time. They are a bitch to figure out. If you need help again, I’m down the hall in 1010. I’m Maggie, by the way.”

“Thank you so much, Maggie! It’s nice to meet you. I’m Kennedy,” she says, reaching out to shake my hand, her other holding open her door. She pauses, giving me another once over, probably wondering how an ugly troll got into this building. “I know we just met, but…are you okay?”

Shit.No, I am not okay. I am so far from okay.

I force a watery smile. “I’m good. Just had a little too much to drink last night is all.”

She raises a brow, calling my bullshit from a mile away. “And that makes you cry?”

I let out a little chuckle. “No.” I twist my fingers together. “Have you ever had a one-night stand you didn’t want to be a one-night stand?” I whisper, not knowing what possessed me to tell this complete stranger all my business. But, I can’t talk to my bestie about it, so why the hell not?

“Ah. Yeah, I’ve been there and can confirm the suckiness that comes with it. I’m a pilot, so one-night stands are sadly the majority of my sex life. And believe me, I’ve had a couple of times where I really didn’t want to leave someone in another city. The wondering if it could have turned into something more is always there.”

“Okay, first of all, that’s badass you’re a pilot! I need to hear more about that sometime. And my situation is...a little different. This guy is my best friend’s boyfriend’s best friend.”

She blinks, tilting her head to the side. “I’m going to need youto say that one more time,” she says with a very serious look on her face.

“His bestie and my bestie are canoodling. So, sadly, we both live in the same town and run in the same circles. I don’t even know what’s going to happen.” I awkwardly scratch my head, my fingers getting caught in one of the snarls in my hair. “This just happened last night, and I feel like it’s going to be…complicated.”

“I’m really sorry to hear that,” she says with a warm smile. “If you need to talk, my door’s always open. If I can get this goddamn keycard to work that is.”

“I appreciate it. Maybe we can grab coffee or brunch sometime.”

“That would be great! I’m gone a lot with work, but I’ll check my schedule once I get settled and we’ll find a time. Thanks so much for helping me get in here,” she says as she wedges her door open with her foot and leans forward to give me a hug. “I hope your day gets better.”

Me too, Kennedy. Me fucking too.

10

maggie

Seven months later

“Do you think I need a balloon arch for the reception?” Olivia asks the group during our semi-weekly brunch. “I always pictured having one at my wedding, but now that we’ve booked an outdoor pavilion, is that weird? Hayes said I should get it if I want it, but I feel so bad spending more money.”

“Olivia, if you want it, get it. This day should be exactly what you and Hayes want it to be. If he’s on board, I say go for it!” Kennedy says with a smile." Since our unconventional meeting, we’ve hung out quite a bit, and she even joins us for brunch when she’s home. Kennedy fit into our group immediately, and I could tell she appreciated some consistency after her flights. “After all, you only get married once. Well, wait…I guess you are kind of getting married twice.”

We all laugh, watching Olivia’s cheeks heat with embarrassment. After Hayes and Olivia raced to the altar just months after meeting each other, their destination wedding in Punta Cana istechnicallytheir second wedding.

“Besides, what’s a wedding without a bunch of latex filled withhelium? To balloon arches!” I shout, raising my mimosa to the gals who’ve become like family these past few months, and they all clink their glasses with mine.

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