Mona Confesses
The walk home from the restaurant is exactly what I need to cool down. The more I think about the conversation, the angrier I get.
By the time I’m halfway to the apartment, I’m furious. Fuming. How can someone who claims to want a future with me be so wrapped up in himself? He never once asked me what I really wanted out of life.
I never really knew Ken. I knew the version he wanted me to see. The version I probably would have kept seeing with only small cracks showing if I’d just chosen him from the very beginning. By then, it might’ve been too late to really leave with a clean break like now.
I can only imagine the shock that would have come after we got married.
“Honey, it’s time to quit your job now.”
“Honey, there’s not enough starch in my clothes when you launder them. Do it again.”
Puke.
I’m just thankful I didn’t make a hasty decision that would ruin my life. Sure, there are girls out there who want what he offers, but not me. That’s not my desire. I don’t want to be kept.
When I let myself into the apartment, I stop in the hallway and just watch.
Decker sits on the floor playing tug-of-war with Rhys.
This tatted bad boy who used to have women traipsing in and out of his bed now sits cross-legged on the carpet, grinning at a puppy he bought because I mentioned I wanted one when we were still kids.
“Hey,” he says, tugging on the rope. “Didn’t hear you come in. How was your date?”
His voice holds genuine curiosity—no jealousy, no edge. I open my mouth to tell him I’ve made my decision when my phone lights up with Mona’s name.
“Need to get that?”
“She’s been dodging my calls for days,” I say, silencing it. “I can dodge hers for five minutes.”
“You sure? You two are normally glued together. Haven’t seen or heard from her lately. Are you fighting?”
He really does pay attention. How did I miss all of this? It was under my nose this entire time.
Right now, I just want to talk to Decker. I need to see if what I want lines up with what he’s ready for.
“I’m sure,” I say.
The phone rings again. And again. And again.
“She’s persistent,” Decker says with an arched brow.
And that smirk. God, I love that smirk.
Then someone pounds on the door, and I glance at him. He just shrugs. “I didn’t order anything.”
Praying it’s not Ken, I check the peephole.
Mona.
Her face is blotchy, streaked with tears. I yank open the door, immediately concerned. Something terrible must’ve happened, and I feel guilty for ignoring her calls.
“What’s wrong? What happened? Did someone die?”
“I’m sorry, Holly!”
She barrels inside, and my mind scrambles to connect what she could possibly be apologizing for. Especially to this level of drama.
“Avoiding me hardly warrants puffy eyes, Mona.”
Hiccup. “Not that.”
“For what?”
“Wait—you don’t know?”
“No,” I say, slowly.
Her lip trembles. “I thought you’ve been ignoring me today because you were mad. I’ve been freaking out all day!”
“About what?”
She twists her hands. “I broke girl code.”
I blink. “Which one?”
“The big one. Never hook up with your best friend’s ex.”
“You hooked up with Ben?”
Her head tilts. “Ben? Oh, your college boyfriend?”
“Yeah, my college boyfriend,” I say, frowning. “So, not Ben. Then who?”
Mona hesitates. “Tyler.”
I stare, my chin jutted out as I process this.
“Who’s Tyler?” Decker calls from the living room.
Suppressing a laugh, I lean sideways so he can see me. “Our boss.”
“Oh, one of the contenders,” Decker says like this is just some fantasy football draft.
“I ended things with him because I didn’t want work to get awkward.”
“Which I immediately turned around and did,” Mona says with a guilty wince.
I turn and cross my arms. “Tyler is who you left to meet that night I met BDSM guy?”
Her lip quivers as she nods. “Yes. I don’t really know how it happened. Well, I kind of do.”
“Explain.”
“I had to go back into work to get my wallet after your Fated Mates date, and Tyler was still at work. We started talking, and no one else was there. I mentioned that I knew about you two, and that he’s a sexual guy. I hadn’t gotten laid in weeks, and then it just… happened.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “In his office?”
“Yeah. And it was amazing. Honestly, I thought I could just hit it and quit it. You know how I am. It’s what I do. But I actually like him. And he likes me, too.”
“I did notice he started calling you Mona instead of Zimmerman,” I say.
“But if it’ll ruin our friendship, I’ll stop. Tell him to fuck off. You mean more to me than anything, and I can’t believe I did anything to risk that. Holly, I’m so sorry.”
Even though she scheduled those stupid dates for me, she’s in too vulnerable of a place for me to pretend I’m angry. “If you hadn’t been avoiding me, I could have told you that I called things off with Tyler the night of that Fated Mates date. Because I didn’t see a future with him.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. He can date whoever he wants. Even you.”
“Really?”
I squeeze her shoulders. “Yes. I’m more annoyed that we’re either going to be split onto different teams or have a brand-new boss, but I’m not mad. If you two are happy, then I’m happy for you.”
Her shoulders drop. “Oh my God, I’ve been freaking out for nothing?”
“Pretty much.”
She groans and looks up at the ceiling. “I feel so stupid.”
“Well, you are, but that why I love you,” I tease.
“Shut up.” Turning, Mona points at Decker and Rhys. “Hey, is that a dog?”
“Mona, meet Rhys,” I say.
She walks into the living room and bends down to scoop him up. He wriggles with excitement. “He’s adorable!”
“Decker bought him for me,” I say.
“You did always say you wanted a dog one day.” She keeps her mouth mostly closed while Rhys licks her face.
“Apparently, my friends pay attention to things I say.”
Setting Rhys on the ground, she straightens up. “Okay, I need to go explain to Tyler why I ran out like he was about to lock me in the basement. But… you obviously didn’t choose Tyler. Does that mean you’ve made a choice?”
“Yes.”
“Who’d you choose?”
“Bye, Mona.”
She pouts as I push her towards the front door. “Call me later?”
“Will you actually answer?”
“Ouch. Yes.”
“Of course.”
When the door shuts, I find Decker putting Rhys in his kennel before standing. He crosses his arms and sits on the arm of the couch.
“Guess you wanna talk?”
“Yeah. How’d you know?”
“Besides hearing you’ve made a choice? You have that look.”
I narrow my eyes. “What look?”
He smirks, and I want to reach out and kiss him. “The one that says you’ve made a decision.”
Well, here goes nothing.