Chapter 9
“Then Daria threw a glass at us on our way out and is probably plotting Tessa’s death as we speak.” Binx finishes her wrap-up of the night’s events and sits back on my couch, her feet curled beneath her, and her mug clutched to her chest. “And maybe my death, too. That woman has it out for me for some reason.” She sips her tea thoughtfully. “Maybe she’s secretly in love with me and pissed that I’m not batting for her team?”
My brows shoot up. “Really? Daria’s gay? I didn’t know that.”
Binx rolls her eyes. “I don’t know, Wes. I was just talking. But it is weird that she’s always trying to insult me by calling me gay. Like, who cares? Whether I’m gay or I’m straight, she’s a bitch, and I hate her, and we will never be friends or kissing friends or anything else.” She sits back, propping her feet up on the coffee table. “And this feud is stupid anyway. Your relationship was between you and Darcy, and it’s ancient history at this point. She needs to move the hell on.”
“Her sister’s hurting,” Tessa says softly, speaking up for the first time since she indicated that she’d like mint tea instead of passion fruit. She runs a gentle hand over Freya’s back, prompting the sleepy ferret to snuggle deeper into her lap. “And Daria’s clearly very protective of her sister. I’m guessing she won’t be moving on until she knows Darcy’s moved on.”
I clear my throat, feeling properly ashamed of myself. It’s awkward as hell, hearing my ex’s name on Tessa’s lips, but not nearly as awkward as my little sister knowing I spent a steamy night with the woman in my overstuffed armchair.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, apologizing for what feels like the hundredth time since they arrived. “This is my fault and I promise, I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right.”
“I know you will,” Binx says. “That’s why we’re here. But you’d better call Darcy soon. You know Daria. It’s only a matter of time before she escalates this in ridiculous and potentially dangerous ways. Just tell her that you and Tessa hooked up after you two broke up, beg her to talk her sister back from the edge before she does something even stupider than usual, and all will be well.”
My gaze shifts sharply to Tessa.
Tessa sighs and shakes her head, answering my unspoken question.
Binx glances between us, her brows pinching closer together. “You two did hook up after Wes and Darcy broke up, right?” She looks back and forth again, reading the guilt on our faces loud and clear. “Oh, shit. Guys! This is bad.”
“I know, I’m ashamed of myself,” Tessa whispers.
“You have nothing to be ashamed of,” I cut in. “You didn’t know I was in a relationship. This is my fault. Completely. I’ll explain that to Darcy. She hates me right now, but she’s a good person. She won’t blame you for something I did.”
Binx puffs her cheeks before exhaling a long, dubious breath.
I arch a brow her way. “You don’t think so? You know Darcy. She’s not the vengeful type.”
“Well, no, not usually,” Binx says. “But you’ve never confessed that you cheated on her before, either. She has every right to be pissed.” She glances toward Tessa. “And maybe she’ll realize that Tessa is blameless. Or, maybe she’ll join forces with her sister to make ‘the other woman’s’ life a living hell. There’s really no way of knowing. These situations make sane people crazy, let alone people who are already a little unhinged. It’s a key feature of the whole cheating thing.”
Tessa sinks lower in her chair with a groan, cuddling Freya to her stomach. “I never should have tried dating again. If I’d just stayed at home and out of the forest, this never would have happened. Wes never would have had to save me from that creep, we never would have shared a tent, and mistakes never would have been made.”
“Stop it,” Binx says before I can step in. “You’re a casualty of war, woman, not a terrorist. The only thing you possibly did wrong is tell Daria things she didn’t need to hear, but I can’t blame you. If someone had called me a fat, wrinkly old woman—multiple times, to my face—I’d probably be in jail right now. Who does that? I mean, where does she get the fucking ovaries to tear another woman down for no reason?”
“She said what?” I ask, heat rushing through my chest.
“She was just picking on me to get at Binx,” Tessa says. “She assumed we were together and was mocking Binx for dating an older woman.”
“Which is bullshit,” Binx says. “If I liked girls and we were dating, Tess, I’d be stoked. You’re a foxy snack with gorgeous curves and Disney princess hair. And who cares about age anyway? Love is love.”
“I agree,” I say.
“Well, obviously,” Binx says, rolling her eyes again. “We know you appreciate what Tessa has to offer. You appreciated it so much you acted like a dirty, cheating scoundrel. We don’t need your input on how amazing Tessa is. We need you to figure out what you’re going to say to Darcy. Personally, I’d recommend lying. I know that isn’t usually your style, but it’s the most merciful choice. That way Darcy never knows you cheated, Tessa doesn’t become more of a target, and Daria will move on to picking on someone else.”
“We could just say it happened this past October,” Tessa says. “Instead of the one before. That would be…mostly true.”
I sigh and drag a hand through my hair. “Yeah. That might be best. I don’t want to cause more damage than I have already. I’ll work on something and call Darcy in the morning.”
“This can’t wait, Wes,” Binx says. “That’s why we’re here. Daria is like a ticking time bomb. The more time you give her, the more likely she’s going to crawl in Tessa’s bedroom window and explode.”
“You can both stay here tonight,” I say. “I have extra clothes and toothbrushes and—”
“I can’t stay here,” Binx says. “I have a very important date with my bed tomorrow. I already have snacks in the pantry and a full season of Masters of Ink ready to binge. I need to wake up in my familiar, cozy place to enjoy my day of sloth.” She motions toward Tessa. “And I’m sure Tessa has a life, too. Or work or something.”
“I’m actually off for the next two weeks,” Tessa says, “but I’d rather get this settled and get home. I know I won’t sleep well with the Daria thing hanging over me.” She strokes the now sleeping Freya’s head. “And I don’t have food here for Freya.”
I’m about to insist that I have to wait until at least seven a.m. tomorrow—Darcy isn’t a night owl and it’s already after midnight—when my phone buzzes in my pocket.
I pull it out, my stomach sinking as I see the name on the screen.
“Who is it?” Binx asks.
“Darcy,” I murmur, backing toward the door to the kitchen.
“Answer it!” Binx hisses. “Answer it and lie your face off. It’s for the greater good!”
I lift a hand, signaling for her to quiet down as I move quickly through the door into the kitchen. I tap the screen to answer, already knowing I’m not going to like whatever Darcy has to say. “Hey,” I murmur, willing my heart out of my throat. This is the first time we’ve spoken since she came over to pick up her things from her drawer in the bedroom after the breakup. “What’s up?”
“Daria’s here,” Darcy says, her voice tight, though I can’t tell if she’s upset with me or her sister. Daria and Darcy are as close as most twins, but that doesn’t mean Darcy doesn’t get sick of her sister’s antics. There’s a reason she never goes out with Daria on weekends. Darcy’s as chill and conflict-avoidant and Daria is hot-headed and wild. “She told me you’re dating Tessa Martin.”
“That’s not true,” I say, my jaw clenching as I hear Daria yelling in the background.
“Daria stop, I can’t hear him,” Darcy snaps, proving she’s about as excited about this late-night drama as I am. “Yes, I’m serious. Be quiet or I’m hanging up.” Once her sister has settled, Darcy asks, “So you aren’t with Tessa? And she didn’t say I was a prude with a stick up my ass?”
“I’m not seeing anyone right now.” I chew the inside of my lip, my conscience prickling too intensely for me to leave it at that. “Tessa and I went camping together once, last October. That was it.”
“Camping, your favorite,” Darcy repeats wryly. “Well, good for you. I’m glad you’re moving on.” There’s a squawking sound from Daria in the background, but Darcy shushes her. “Truly, I am, Wes. And don’t worry about Daria. I’ve let her know that there’s no battle to fight here.”
“Thank you,” I say, hating that I hurt Darcy, but grateful tonight didn’t make things any worse. “I wish you nothing but the best, Darcy. I hope you know that.”
“I do,” she says, the sadness in her voice twisting the knife a little deeper. “Take care, Wes. And apologize to Binx and Tessa for me. Daria’s sorry she ruined their night.”
Daria squawks something else—presumably insisting that she doesn’t apologize because Daria never apologizes—but Darcy ends the call a beat later.
I take a moment, stretching my neck to one side and then the other, releasing the tension in my jaw before turning to see Binx standing in the doorway leading into the living room.
“Sorry, I was eavesdropping,” she says. “Sounds like we’re good?”
“We’re good,” I say. “Darcy’s called off the dogs and we ended the call amicably.”
Binx sags against the doorframe. “Awesome. What a relief. But seriously, someone should put a muzzle on Daria. She’s an agent of chaos. Thank God you didn’t let her move in with you and Darcy. Can you imagine?”
I shudder. “I can.”
“One of you would have been dead in a week. Probably you. No offense, but she’s way scarier than you are, even when you’re in tough guy mode.”
“No offense taken,” I assure her.
“Good, now give me the keys to your motorcycle.” She holds out her hand, wiggling her fingers. “That way I can drive myself home and you and Tessa can talk.”
“I’m sure Tessa doesn’t want to talk,” I say, pushing on in a hushed voice when Binx tries to cut in, “I tried to talk to her earlier tonight. She made it clear she isn’t interested.”
“Only because you didn’t try hard enough,” Binx whispers, glancing over her shoulder before moving deeper into the kitchen. “You need to grovel, brother. Get down on your knees and beg for a second chance. She’s worth it and you two would be perfect together. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before. I was trying to set her up with Maynard, but—”
“Maynard.” My upper lip curls. “Cousin Maynard? With the hair all over his back?”
“Yes. He’s fun. And nice.”
“He looks like something a cat coughed up on a bad day,” I shoot back, more irritated by this idea than I should be. “I’ve literally never seen a man that covered in hair. It stretches from his neck all the way down to his waist. And who knows how much farther it goes. I’ve only seen him in a swimsuit.”
“So?” Binx shrugs. “Hair can be removed. Asshole is harder to fix. And since when did you get so superficial and judgy?”
“I’m not superficial and jugdy,” I say. “I just think Tessa deserves someone better.”
“Someone like you?” She arches a brow. “I happen to agree, but you fucked things up straight out of the gate. The only way out of a fuck up this big is sustained, persistent groveling. You have to prove you’re seriously sorry and would never do anything like that again. Believe me, I know.”
I frown. “How? No offense, little sister, but you haven’t dated anyone in years.”
She crosses her arms. “Sure, I have. I just keep things quiet. I get enough shit from Mom already. If she knew I was crushing on a guy sixteen years older than I am with a kid and a history of trouble with the law, she’d ship me off to a convent against my will.”
My brows shoot up. “Woah. Yeah, she would. What kind of trouble with the law?”
She waves a hand. “Not bad trouble, just…trouble. And it was a long time ago, when he was young. He’s different now.”
I shoot her a dubious look.
“Seriously, he is,” she insists. “He’s an amazing father and a total badass in his new career. His business is about to blow up, he only goes out on Saturday nights, when his mom can babysit, and he loves working out, rock climbing, and tattoos as much as I do. He’s a total catch.” She sighs. “His only flaw is that he thinks I’m a child, when I am clearly a badass woman in control of my own destiny, who is perfectly capable of making mature decisions about who I want to date.”
My eyes narrow as I try to connect the dots. But I don’t know many single dads. I don’t run in those circles. I spend most of my time with other lawyers or hanging out with my family.
I’m about to ask her for a name, figuring a background check from a concerned older brother could be a good thing to have, when my phone buzzes on the counter. Before I can reach for it, it buzzes again and again, as texts pop through one after another.
Frowning, I swipe up, my stomach cramping as I read the string of messages from my ex—
Camping trip last October, huh? Interesting. Because according to your social media timeline, you didn’t go camping this past October.
But you did the OCTOBER BEFORE.
When you and I were still together, Wesley!
And you came back home the next morning acting all weird and saying you wanted to talk. But I never found out what you wanted to talk about because that was the morning, I told you I thought I was pregnant.
I guess that’s why you didn’t tell me that you CHEATED?
Is that why we didn’t have sex again for the rest of our relationship?
Is that why you broke up with me, even though I was trying so hard to be what you wanted and even told my sister that she had to find somewhere else to live if we moved in together? (Even though Daria and I have always lived together, and you have FOUR bedrooms in your house and one of them is over the garage and you literally never would have had to see Daria if you hated her that much. But whatever. I guess it’s not Daria you hated. I guess it was me.)
“Oh shit,” Binx mutters from near my elbow, making me flinch. “Oh shit, Wes. This is bad. This is really, really bad.”
No sooner are the words out of her mouth than a final text appears—But that’s fine. I hate you, too, now. Daria was right. You’re an asshole and a liar and you never loved me the way I deserve to be loved. I should have let her handle you a long time ago. Guess now…I will.
“Run,” Binx says, squeezing my arm. “You have to run. Now.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I mutter, my thoughts racing.
“I’m not,” she says, squeezing harder. “She’s going to kill you. And Tessa. And maybe me, just for being related to you and friends with Tessa.”
“I’m not going to run from a woman half my size,” I say. “I’ll talk to Darcy again tomorrow. Once she’s had time to cool down—”
“What part of ‘let my sister handle you’ are you missing here?” Binx screeches. “You have to get out of Dodge, bro. At least for a little while. Long enough for Daria to realize you aren’t worth going to prison over.”
“I think she’s right,” Tessa says from the doorway on the other side of the kitchen, making both Binx and I jump out of our skin, proving emotions are running ridiculously high. “You didn’t see her, Wes. I’ve read about people having ‘murder in their eyes’ before, but I’ve never seen it myself until tonight. Daria is legitimately unhinged. And yes, we could call the police for help, but the police aren’t going to take action until she does something sufficiently threatening to warrant their intervention. And by then—”
“By then it’ll be too late,” Binx cuts in.
I want to argue, but I’ve been up close and personal with too many unhinged people. I know from experience with my clients that restraining orders often don’t work and the police aren’t equipped to enforce them when dangerous people step over the line.
I also know Daria’s history. Darcy confided in me early on that she’s afraid to let her sister live alone. Daria’s been violent since they were kids. Darcy’s pulled her back from the edge of a big mistake more times than she can count. Without her sister’s intervention, Daria would likely already be behind bars.
And now Darcy’s decided to throw up her hands and let her attack dog off the leash…
“Maybe we should get out of town for a few days,” I say.
Binx exhales a relieved rush of breath. “Thank God. Yes. Make it a week. I’ll bust my ass while you’re gone to calm things down. I have some friends of friends who run with Daria’s crowd. With enough time and a delicate touch, hopefully I can negotiate a cease-fire.”
“Sounds good, thank you,” Tessa says. “I can go stay with family in Minneapolis for a while. My aunt hates ferrets and isn’t overly fond of me, either, but—”
“No, you aren’t going anywhere alone,” I say. “Especially not anywhere Daria might be able to find you. We should stick together. Watch each other’s backs.”
Tessa pulls in a breath but pauses, her brow furrowing.
“He’s right,” Binx says. “I know you guys aren’t getting along right now, but there’s safety in numbers.”
“I know,” Tessa says. “I was going to say that there’s no way Daria would go to the trouble of tracking down my relatives, but she did catch you in your lie about October in less than ten minutes.”
“She’s diabolical,” Binx agrees, brightening as she adds, “But there’s a silver lining here, you know. You both love camping and being in the great outdoors. You should road trip to a national park or something. I bet Matty would loan you his camper. He owes you one for all the times you loaned him your horses before you sold them.” She lifts her phone into the air. “Should I call him? I’m sure he’s asleep, but you know Matty, he can be awake and problem-solving in a hot second if someone’s in trouble.”
I glance Tessa’s way, arching a brow. “Any interest in Arches National Park? I hear the weather’s perfect in April. I can sleep in a tent and give you the camper bed. You don’t even have to talk to me if you don’t want to.”
Tessa glances down as Freya appears at her feet, winding her way through her ankles.
“And Freya’s invited, too,” I add. “Of course.”
Freya emits a sharp cluck that gives strong “damn straight, I’m invited” vibes. Tessa smiles, but by the time she lifts her gaze to mine, the grin is gone. “Okay. Arches it is. But once this is over, we do our best to avoid each other in the future. Clearly, this…whatever it is, is cursed. It’s best if we pretend we never met.”
“All right,” I say, but I’m not capable of that level of pretend.
I am capable of taking good advice when it’s offered, however.
Binx knows Tessa well and if she thinks groveling will work, well…I have a week to see if she’s right.
One week to convince the woman of my dreams that we can put the ugliness of the past behind us and find something beautiful together.
And I intend to make the most of it.