Page 62 of Spreading Her Wings

“Don’t you trust me?” He chuckled and winked, clearing his throat when the line picked up. “Yes, I’d like to order a pizza for delivery.”

Twenty minutes later, the sweet and spicy smell of the pepperoni and the tart olives filled my senses and my bedroom. We rested with Auston’s back against the headboard and mine against his chest. With every bite he took, I could feel him chew and swallow. I hummed and curled against him.

There was the world out there, where my aunt was dead and my best friend was infuriated with me. Then there was this one, where the smells of warm amber and marinara sauce were comforting, and Auston’s arms stayed closed around me. At the moment, this was the only world I could think of. It was the only world that needed to exist.

For the first time since Aunt June’s funeral a week ago, Auston’s car pulled out of my driveway, and my stomach sank. He hadn’t left my side, insisting he stay with me. He said Logan and Ash were happy to cover the bar, but a wave of guilt still settled over me yesterday when he’d told them he needed one more day. Another wave this morning when I told Auston I didn’t want him to go.

He tried to convince me to come with him, but I wasn’t prepared for the questions or stares from Auston’s friends.Our friends.Instead, I turned off the timer on the oven and pulled out the second batch of brownies I’d baked.

My house smelled like chocolate from the baked goods and sweat from the interruptions on the kitchen counter. I was sure my cheeks were still flushed, and they grew warm again when I thought about the way he’d held my legs against the cold surface. A warmth grew in my center, and I leaned on the island.

Behind me, the front door opened and shut. I rolled my eyes. Did he think I couldn’t go one afternoon without him?

“Are you really back already? I told you I’d befine.” Sweet annoyance dripped from my voice, but I was too excited to seehim again to really be upset. My smile dropped with my stomach when the hazel eyes that stared at me weren’t his.

“We need to talk.”

I swallowed, suddenly nervous for the first time to have my best friend in my home. I felt torn between wanting to cower and hide in shame and wanting to rush across the room and wrap my arms around her. Instead, I nodded. “Of course. Come in.”

Andy made her way into my living room and sat comfortably in her spot on the couch. Even with the look of disdain painted on her face, she sat in the same seat on the left side of the sofa. Her spot. No matter whose house we were at. She tucked her legs under her, sighing as she settled against the cushion.

“What the hell, Katie?” Her voice was nearly shrill, tainted with pent-up emotions threatening to spill over. “Mybrother?How could you?”

The mention of Auston made my chest flutter, followed quickly by a wave of guilt. “I didn’t mean to. It was all an accident.”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure it was a big accident. You tripped and landed on my brother’s dick? Of all the people, you chose Auston?MyAuston?”

When she said it, I wanted to fight back. He wasmyAuston. I twisted the ring on my finger, the feel of the metal comforting under my fingertips. Andy’s eyes were drawn to the movement, and when she saw the small diamond, she gripped my hand, yanking it roughly towards her.

“Is that a fucking engagement ring?” She glared at me as if she were questioning over a decade of friendship.

I shook my head. It wasn’t the time to continue any lies, and I wrapped my arms around myself, wishing they were Auston’s. The deep breath I took was painful when it filled my lungs, and when I released it, it shook. “No.”

Her hazel eyes darkened with malice. “What do you mean,no?”

“I mean it’s not an engagement ring.” I hesitated. Should I wait for Auston to tell her the full story? As Andy stared at me expectantly from my couch, I knew I couldn’t hold off any longer. “You’re right that we need to talk.”

“Katie, I swear… what the hell is going on between you two?” Her voice was nearly panicked, full of assumed betrayal. We’d hurt her. Would she have minded if we’d told her earlier?

“We’re married.” When I spoke, it wasn’t more than a whisper, contrasted heavily by the sharp gasp from Andy.

She laughed with disbelief hinged on irritation, and my skin crawled. “Married?! Did you just saymarried?” Andy’s shrill voice echoed around the room. I nodded. “When? For how long?”

“It happened in Vegas.”

Andy was silent, darting her eyes around the room to avoid looking at me as she put it together in her mind. “When you and Auston happened to be going the same weekend, it’s because you went together?” Another nod. “We talked on the phone. You lied to me about who you were with? How dare you!”

I couldn’t take the guilt already racking my body, and it burst from me. “Real fucking rich, Andy. You want to talk aboutlying? How about the lies you told me for ten years, hmm?”

She reared back, widening her eyes that were brimming with tears. I sighed, resting my elbows on my thighs and dropping forward to rest my head against my hands. Her breathing shook, likely a mix of anger and betrayal building into the burst of rage she held back behind her clenched fingers. I put my finger up to stop her when she opened her mouth, sighing at the same time.

“I shouldn’t have said that.” I dropped against the back of the couch, defeat settling over me. I raked my fingers through my hair, pausing to tug at the roots. “Okay, look. We shouldn’t havehidden it from you, but it wasn’t ever supposed to be athing. I was doing him a favor, and we were just having a lot of fun.” Summers of Andy begging us to get along came flooding back to my mind, and I chuckled internally at the irony.

She sighed. “Two questions… What kind of favor? And do you have wine?” When she giggled, it was laced with disbelief and desperation. “I have a feeling I’m going to need a lot of it for this conversation.”

Without another word, I stood up and grabbed the bottle of wine from the fridge that I had planned to drink in the bathtub tonight and made my way back to the couch. The cork popping broke the silence, and as I poured two large glasses, the tension almost rolled off Andy’s shoulders.Maybe there was hope after all.

I took a large gulp of liquid courage, swirling it around the glass and staring at my fingers on the stem. “I don’t know where to start.” I laughed, remembering the disappointment I had felt when Auston showed up to fix my dryer. My chest fluttered.

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