Page 54 of Mine For The Winter

“Sorry I’m late. Had to go do something for a friend.”

“No problem. Want a beer?” Kris asked.

“Yeah, that’d be good.” Lyle leaned down to kiss Kelly’s cheek. “Hey, Kel. You’re looking terrible as usual.”

“Shut up.” She rolled her eyes at Lyle and he grabbed her in a headlock, holding her until she squealed for him to stop. As soon as Lyle released his hold on her she started giving him hell for being late.

Leaving them to bicker, Kris walked back to North’s cabin and grabbed a bottle from the cooler, turning to watch as his two friends teased each other.

And he sighed.

He was leaving tomorrow. And Lyle had been right all along, now wasn’t the time to start something with Kelly and then walk away.

Friendship mattered more. So did the promise he and Lyle had made to each other. Friends didn’t hurt friends. He knew that much.

“Who else wants a beer?” he yelled. And when everybody shouted ‘me’, it made him smile.

Life was good. His friends were happy. Why would he spoil that?

15

“There’s only one thing left to do,” Kelly said to Amber on the phone the next day. “I’m gonna have to set up that OnlyFans account.”

“Shut up.” Amber laughed softly. “How the hell would you fit that in anyway?”

“I’ve no idea.” Kelly sighed. “All I know is that I now need double the amount I needed before.”

“You know I could help…”

“No you can’t.” Kelly shook her head even though Amber couldn’t see her. “I already have your car. I don’t need your money, too.”

“You know I’d do anything for you and Cole.”

Kelly’s throat felt tight. “I know you would. And I’d do the same for you and Willow. And the little baby kicking around inside of you.” She paused. “And North, too. Though I know he wouldn’t let me.”

Amber laughed. “He’s the only person I know who’s more stubborn than you are.”

“Hmph.”

“So how are you going to repay Kris?” Amber asked, because that was the whole point of the conversation. She needed a plan. A way to figure it out. “And don’t say OnlyFans again, because where would you find the time for that? You’re already at the tavern twenty-four-seven.”

The truth was, Kelly had no idea. The amount they owed him was massive. Life changing. She’d never seen a sum as big as a hundred thousand dollars in her life.

“He wants to talk to me,” she said quickly, then regretted it because she was opening up a whole line of questioning she wasn’t sure she was ready for.

“Who does?” Amber asked. “Kris?”

“Yeah.”

“What about?”

Kelly took a deep breath. “We were friends back in the day and it all went to shit.”

“Yeah, I know that.” Amber chuckled. “From the way you were angry when he came back into town.”

“He wants to talk about what happened.” And she wasn’t sure she was ready for it. All those memories she’d pushed down into a little box at the very bottom of her heart. If she opened it up it might overwhelm her.

That was the thing she was scared of the most. She was supposed to be a strong, independent single mom. And she was, most of the time.

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