“That bad, huh?” I asked, wishing that just once Haley would find a guy whose personality didn’t take her back to the abusive childhood she’d endured beneath her psycho mother’s care.
“He got pissed when I wouldn’t fuck him. Just because I agreed to dinner, he felt that I had to put out. Like paying the bill made it his right to what’s between my thighs.”
My forehead dented in a deep scowl. “Did he? Touch you without your consent, I mean?”
“The fucker tried. I kneed him in the balls and called an Uber.”
“Go you.” We knuckle bumped.
Haley sank against me, letting out a heavy sigh. “I don’t even know why I bother anymore.”
“There are good men out there,” I stated quietly, thinking about Grey and Blaine. A swipe over my cell screen showed it’d been two hours since I’d talked to Grey. Had he done what I’d told him to? Were they still in a fuck-fest for the ages?
I shifted against Haley, aroused by the thought and fearful at the same time regardless of Grey’s assurance he wanted me in his life.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing,” I muttered. “Talk to me about you.”
Haley pulled away, eyeing me while going in for another swig of wine. Her gaze narrowed as the bottle once more rested on her lap. “You’re like an open book, Lily. Don’t bullshit me.”
A pitbull, I knew she wouldn’t let my mood go until I relented and spilled my guts.
“Fine,” I huffed. “I did what we decided I should do and all but told Grey to fuck Blaine so I could get my broken heart over with already. Now I’m wishing I hadn’t. Kind of. I think.”
“Shit.” It was Haley’s turn to pull me into her side, and I snuggled in tight.
“I’m a selfish bitch—tell me more about your date,” I begged, needing to take my mind off Grey’s bed. “Please.”
“It’s in my past, and I have zero more fucks to give about it.” Her firm tone stated truth, but I heard the hurt lingering in the back of her words.
“I didn’t mean to move the conversation toward me,” I muttered, hating myself in that moment because it’s something her mom would have done.
Make everything about her, causing Haley to feel as though she didn’t matter.
“You’re the furthest thing from a narcissist, Lily,” Haley argued. “You’re empathetic, kind, and sweet—all the things my mom wasn’t. Isn’t.” Another long pull on the bottle tipped her head back.
I knew she hadn’t spoken to her mom for years, but childhood trauma like she’d endured didn’t fade easily even with talking to a therapist once a week.
“You’re going to end up dead drunk on the floor,” I warned her.
“Good,” she snipped. “I’m in the mood.”
Silence settled over us for a little while as she continued to drink, the clock’s ticking in the kitchen behind us loud in the stillness. A horn honked outside from our narrow street, and another car rolled by with deep bass thumping hard enough a few trinkets on Haley’s bookshelf rattled.
My cell dinged, sending a shot of adrenaline through me.
“Is it Grey?” Haley asked as I sat up quickly, reaching for my phone on the cushion beside me.
“Yeah.” My grin flashed automatically—then my excitement hit a wall, my lips flatlining as my chest squeezed. “I’m scared to read it,” I whispered.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Lily.” I could hear her eye roll.
“Fine.” I huffed, held my breath, and tapped on his message.
A pic of Blaine sleeping—drooling on Grey’s chest—filled my screen. Grey must have taken it while holding this phone above his head because I could make out his other arm holding Blaine tight against his side and the navy of his silk sheets covering them from the waist down.
My throat thickened, and I couldn’t decide if it was from happiness or sadness.