Page 65 of Finally Forever
“You used to talk about Kensie when you got really drunk. You showed me pictures of her on your phone once. She had the brown hair that she has now, not the red.”
“How’d you see the red? Were you stalking my Instagram?” He jokes.
“Do you have an Instagram?” I joke back. Xavier showed me all his social media accounts. I was happy there was nothing of me on them. I’d always been careful about being on social media, though.
“What about Riley? Can you believe he’s engaged to Nova Allen?”
“I remember him mentioning his dad married her grandma once. His dad has had about as many wives as my father. No wonder the two get along. Got along.”
“I remember that, too. I thought the grandma was hot.”
I laugh.
“Nova’s mom is hot, too. A black beauty. But then, Nova’s just as unique.”
I cross my arms and think for a moment. “You and Riley are both engaged to women you knew from childhood.”
Nathan rubs his chin. “Yeah. Huh.” He stares me in the eyes. “It must be weird being able to remember some things so clearly and not other parts of your life.”
“It is… I can remember your and Riley’s lives so easily. Like we were all living together yesterday. In my mind, we were. Ainsley didn’t exist to me. My father ruled my every thought and controlled every aspect of life. I had to be careful with everything I did, every place I went, every person I met, always looking over my shoulder.” I grind my molars so tight I’m surprised my teeth aren’t cracking from the pressure.
“I remember.” Nathan nods. “Poor Riley was living with that fear up until recently. He thought Marina’s family was still after him. I guess they were, until she defected or whatever you would call what she did.”
I welcome the subject change from my tyrant father. “Xavier said she joined Protective Custody.”
“And Riley was on her radar until she did. I suspect Ainsley was too. You know better than I do how long Marina can hold a grudge.”
I nod.
“Riley said she turned herself in and ratted out her father after he killed the man she loved. A foot soldier or something. She turned that sinister side of hers on her dad. The feds are taking out his businesses one by one and recently detained Mr. Morello for embezzlement, fraud, and murder.”
I knew some of this, but not to the extent that Nathan just explained. “I bet the man didn’t see that coming.” Her father was as arrogant and egotistical as mine. How ironic, the person to bring him down ends up being his own daughter. “She had the balls to do what I couldn’t,” I think aloud.
“What?” Nathan asks.
“Nothing.” I stand, frustrated with myself for letting that slip. “Should we see what’s for dinner?”
“Sure.” He rises from the couch and walks with me to the kitchen.
The girls stand around the island talking in that same familiar way, as if they’ve known each other for years. Is it because they get along naturally or because Ainsley is desperate for a friend? The name Lowell pops into my head, and I haven’t the faintest idea why. I don’t know any Lowell. Never have.
They look up.
“Hey!” Kensie snuggles against Nathan and kisses him. “We ordered Chick-fil-A.”
Ainsley’s eyes widen at me. “Is that okay?”
“I can’t remember the last time I had Chick-fil-A.”
“The first night you and Riley moved in,” Nathan blurts. “We had beer, a thirty pack of nuggets, and sandwiches. Riley had ordered six sandwiches. They messed up and gave him a tray full of nuggets, too.”
“Yeah.” I rest my hands on the counter, the memory returning with ease. “Before that night, I hadn’t had Chick-fil-A in years. My father despised fast food of any kind.”
“I haven’t had it in forever either,” Ainsley says. “But then, we’ve lived in Europe for the last year, so…” Her green eyes find mine, expecting me to reciprocate until she remembers I can’t. Her shoulders drop, and her gaze falls to the counter.
Kensie frowns and separates from Nathan. To Ainsley, she says, “Can you show me where the beers are? Tonight calls for a repeat celebration of the guys’ Chick-fil-A night.”
Ainsley smiles, thankful for Kensie’s kindness, and I can’t deny I feel the same for this woman who I don’t even know. Maybe when I leave, Ainsley can go off with Nathan and Kensie. She’d have a friend. It sounds like she lost all of those when she went into hiding for me.
