Page 79 of An Unfinished Memory

“He doesn’t make me feel like that when we’re doing whatever it is we’re doing. But if we marry again?”

“You’re back to being that forgotten little girl.”

I nodded and drew my thumb over a condensation droplet on the table left by one of the drinks.

“Aggie would understand, you know.”

I gave her a regretful smile. “Aggie doesn’t need me in her life. My own sister barely talks to me.”

“Fuck your sister. This is Aggie.”

“I’m scared, Vienne. I thought I was risking your friendship if I told you, he-ey, now we’re back on again!” I finished in a falsely chipper tone.

“Sutton, I thrive on the love lives of you and Aggie and Tova. Give me all the juicy details, on again, off again, I don’t care.” She leaned forward. “I’m not shallow, but it sounds like your family is.”

The back of my eyes prickled. “You’re a true friend.”

“I think that of all of you. I haven’t had any until I met Aggie at this very bar one night.”

Surprised, I did a double take but her expression was serious. She hadn’t had much for friends before us. “I didn’t either until I met Aggie. Now I have you and Tova too.”

She peeked toward the bathroom. No sign of Tova or Aggie yet. “As for Wilder, you won’t know how you two can work if you don’t try. And personally, I think it’s okay to keep what you’re doing under wraps while you figure it out. Just like it’d be okay if you told Aggie.”

I took her words to heart. “Eliot figured it out, and he hasn’t told the others.” Yet. He was probably waiting for the situation to blow up, and then he’d sit back and tell Wilder he told him so. “I think I’m at the point where the longer I wait, the harder it is to tell her. Then I don’t know what to say.”

Sympathy filled her eyes. “They’re not going to cut you off because you and Wilder have a hard time being apart. I don’t think they’ll blame either one of you for trying to figure out a way to make it work.” Her gaze lifted over my shoulder. “I’m going to change the subject. I knew Jake was a bad decision in the making, but I went out with him anyway.” She said the last part louder.

“You didn’t.” Surprise mingled with appreciation. She was putting the spotlight on herself so Aggie and Tova didn’t know we were talking about me and Wilder. But also—Jake?

“No, Vienne,” Aggie said as she got back in her seat. “Say it ain’t so.”

“He’s temporary, and that’s all I want.” Vienne lifted her bottle of cider. “And orgasms.”

Tova heaved back into her seat. “Did he deliver?”

“One.” Vienne pushed up her dark glasses. “Which is more than I got with Theo. So I’m going to make thesame mistake twice next weekend because a girl gets tired of batteries.”

Aggie chortled. “Some mistakes last longer than others.”

“Well, he doesn’t, but he can get the O, and that’s all I care about. Did you guys hear about the new bakery opening in town?” She slid a glance my way and smiled.

These friends were the real thing. I’d never had women like them in my life. I was grateful every day to have them. I was glad I had all the Knights in my life. I just wasn’t sure I could keep the one I wanted.

Wilder

I turned down the highway that’d take me to Aggie’s. The sun was sinking low, and it’d be dark in a little over an hour.

Three weeks without Sutton was too long. I was supposed to be on call, but Kaplan had asked me to work next weekend, and I stuck firm on insisting he take call for me this weekend.

Ray was on me about various sheriff’s office subjects. He’d wanted to meet this weekend and go over the staffing of the jail. He thought different policies and procedures should change and would help my future election, but all that could fucking wait. I was back to phone sex with Sutton, and it wasn’t enough. When Aggie sent me a text inviting me to her get-together with Cody and his family and Vienne and Catherine, I had to use that as an excuse to go to Crocus Valley. I’d be in on family timeand meet up with Sutton afterward. I wasn’t fucking missing it.

I pulled in behind Eliot’s pickup in Aggie’s driveway. Cody’s truck was there, and Sutton’s pickup was parked on the grass. A knot inside my chest released just being this close to her vehicle.

Eliot was by Aggie’s front porch, talking to Cody. Ivy clung to his back like a baby monkey. She was in leggings and a long shirt that was probably a dress since that was all she wore.

“Uncle Wilder!” She waved, grinning and looking like a more animated version of her dad.

“What’s up, peanut?”

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