Chapter 2
2
Cecely
Everyone is asleep by the time I slip through the front door. The apartment is cloaked in silence, save for the occasional creak of the floorboards beneath my feet. I move carefully, avoiding the spots I know will groan under my weight, and push my bedroom door shut behind me with a quiet click.
With a tired sigh, I drop my work bag onto the bed and upend it, letting the crumpled bills spill out like fallen leaves. Slowly, I smooth each one out, stacking them into neat piles before counting. Holy shit. Over six hundred dollars. A good chunk of that comes from regulars who were just happy to see me again, but still, it's a start. A tangible step toward Harvey’s medical treatment.
I cross the room to my bookshelf, fingers skimming over worn spines until I land on The Art of War . Fitting. Tugging it free, I flip it open to the center, revealing the hollowed-out space inside. Carefully, I tuck the cash into its hidden compartment, pressing the pages closed as if sealing away a secret.
The tension eases from my shoulders as I head to the bathroom for a quick shower. The hot water washes away the night’s exhaustion, and by the time I sink into bed, sleep pulls me under almost instantly.
Morning comes too fast, and a presence looms over me.
I blink, groggy, only to find Harvey standing there, watching me.
My heart slams against my ribs. A scream claws its way up my throat, raw and desperate, as I lash out, swinging at him with pure instinct. Sheets twist around my legs as I try to scramble away, my pulse a wild drumbeat in my ears.
“What in the hell, Harvey!”
“Where were you last night?”
I put a hand over my pounding chest. “Jesus. Give a girl a chance to wake up before you scare her.”
“Where were you last night?” he repeats. “And don’t try to make me feel bad for waiting for you to wake up. I know you, Cecely. You’ll try to come up with a lie unless I catch you right when you wake up.”
Well, shit. I mean, he’s not wrong. Because at this very moment, I’m frantically trying to come up with a location.
I settle on, “What do you mean?”
“Stop playing dumb. You didn’t get home until nearly three in the morning, which means you were at a club.” His gaze narrows. “Was it the strip club?”
“You caught me. I was at Bangers.”
Bangers is an all-male dance revue in Dallas, ironically near Purple Panther Hideaway. I dated one guy there a long time ago and occasionally pop in to hang out with some of my friends.
“Bull crap.”
I frown. “Well, that’s rude.”
“Want to know how I know you weren’t there?” He pauses. “I was there, Cecely.”
“Why were you there?”
His shoulder lifts in a shrug. “Tad wanted me to stop by for a drink.”
“Tad? You’re talking to Tad again?”
“Don’t you dare turn this on me. Yes, I’m talking to my ex. And you’re stripping again. There. We’re both dirty liars.” He holds up his hand. “And before you insult me again, just know that I swung by Purple Panther Hideaway and saw your car out back.”
“If you knew where I was, then why did you scare the shit out of me?”
He sighs, sitting on my bed. “I don’t want to fight.”
“Then don’t.”
“But I also don’t want you to do this, Cecely.” His gaze searches mine. “Why can’t you accept that?”
“Why can’t you accept that I can’t just sit by and watch you die?”
The words leave my lips in a rush, and leaves both of us in silence.
“Cecely—”
“No. It’s my turn to speak. You and Lili are my family, and no one fucks with my family. You’re going to let me do this and you’re going to take the money. Understand?”
He’s silent for a moment before standing. “I’m late for class.”
“Harvey—”
He walks away, saying nothing. My throat is tight with unshed emotion. I don’t want to fight with him. So I’m not going to. I’m going to do this and save him. And when this is over, we’ll both hug and make up.
We always do.
The next few days blur together in a relentless cycle. School. Work. The club. Rinse and repeat. By the time I crawl into bed each night, exhaustion clings to me like a second skin. But I love it.
I love the constant movement, the rush of always having somewhere to be. I love the thick stacks of cash piling up in my hidden stash, proof that my hard work is paying off. And, if I’m being honest, I love the attention I get at the club. The way eyes linger on me, the way I command a room, the way I matter in a way that I don’t anywhere else.
But what I don’t love?
Harvey is avoiding me.
It’s not subtle, either. It’s not just missed conversations or conveniently timed errands. It’s deliberate. It’s calculated. Most of all, it’s hurtful.
Like tonight.
The second I step through the apartment door, bag slung over my shoulder, Harvey bolts. No words. No eye contact. Just the sharp turn of his back and the resounding slam of his bedroom door. The sound echoes through the apartment, rattling through my chest like an accusation.
I stand frozen in the entryway, fingers tightening around my bag strap, my pulse flickering with frustration.
Ouch .
I know Lili is here because I saw her old car parked out front, so I go to her room, tapping on the door. She’s standing at the crib looking down at Raquel.
“Everything okay?”
She turns. “No. Are you free, or do you have to go to work?”
My sweet friend has been so busy with her own shit that she hasn’t noticed that I’ve been working weird hours.
I say, “I’ve got some time. Let’s sit and talk.”
She follows me to the living room, sitting next to me on the couch. This couch has been through it all. Tears. Deaths. Babies. New jobs. New boyfriends. Ex-boyfriends. Life, really. Which is why I’m worried about her. She mentioned last night that her ex wanted to meet up for lunch. I never liked him much and I sure as hell don’t like his father, aka Raquel’s father.
“Well, what did the ex want?”
I purposely don’t say his name. Fuck him and fuck his father.
“He told me his dad needs a live-in nanny for the summer.”
“Did you tell him to get fucked?”
Her cheeks are bright pink. “No.”
“Lili, please tell me you didn’t call that prick?” When she says nothing, I sigh. “Okay, so you called. What did Dimitri-the-dick have to say?”
“Not much. Just that he needs a nanny and that he wants to meet at seven tonight to discuss the position.”
I’m still silent as I process what she’s saying. If she goes to work for him, she won’t be able to take Raquel with her. With Harvey not able to work, he can watch Raquel. Of course, I’ll help when I’m off. And since my school term is almost over, I can drop the summer classes I planned to take so I can watch Raquel during the day.
Finally, I say, “I can watch Raquel while you go.”
“What?”
“Well, I’m sure you don’t want to take her. Right?”
“So you think I should go?”
I don’t want to tell her no, so I say, “You know how I feel. I think you ought to let him know about her and then sue his ass for child support. But I also know how you feel about him. So, yeah, I think you should go to the interview. Let him pay you to take care of his kids and I can keep an eye on this one.”
“That’s asking too much. I can’t.”
“You can. I have some money saved up from dancing. We’ll make this work.” I point toward the wall that connects to Harvey’s room. “Besides, you know Harvey will help.”
Her eyes water, and she leans over, hugging me.
“You’re the best.”
“No, you are. Just promise me you won’t sleep with him.”
She laughs as if it’s the most ridiculous idea in the world. As if it hasn’t happened once. As if she wasn’t devastated after.
“I won’t.”
I hum under my breath but decide to change the subject.
“Are you ready for the test on Monday?”
“I think so.”
“Girl don’t lie. I know you’re stressed.”
Raquel had a cold last week, and Lili had to miss class a few times. Even though I don’t have a kid, I know the Professor for that class, and he’s a hard ass. Missing one day is bad. Missing two is devastating. Lili missed three.
Lili sighs. “Fine. I’m stressed.”
“That’s what I thought. Which is why I’m going to watch my favorite baby while you study before the interview.”
“Cec—”
“Oh, this isn’t for free, because I’m totally going to raid your closet while you’re gone.”
Because I know for a fact my bestie has some shoes that will look hot with the costume I bought for work.
She finally smiles. “Deal.”
I grab the baby monitor and head back to my room, giving Lili space to change for her interview.
A little while later, her voice rings out from the hallway. “I’m heading out!”
“Good luck!” I call back, but I’m already shifting gears, my mind drifting to my own priorities.
One test stands between me and freedom. An entire summer without lectures, deadlines, or cramming equations into my brain at ungodly hours. Just a little more focus, and I’m home free.
I settle onto my bed, flipping open my notes, highlighter poised. Time slips away as I drill facts into my brain, the silence broken only by the occasional crackle of the baby monitor.
Then, my stomach protests. Loudly.
I sigh, rubbing my forehead. Food first, then back to work.
Scooping up the monitor, I head for the kitchen, the cool floor soothing against my bare feet. But the moment I step inside, I stop short.
Harvey stands in front of the open fridge, unmoving, staring into its depths like it holds the answers to life itself. For a second, I just watch him, the glow from the fridge light casting sharp shadows across his face. He looks lost in thought, or maybe just lost.
“Lose something,” I joke as I bump my hip into his.
“I’m still not talking to you.”
“And yet, you are.”
He glares at me, so I stick out my tongue.
“Very mature.”
“I’m being as mature as you, but that’s fine. That’s what we do, Harv.”
He makes a face. “You know I hate being called that.”
“You know I hate fighting with you.”
He closes the door to the fridge and spins so he’s facing me.
“If you’d stop stripping, then we’d be fine.”
“Would we?” I wait a beat. “Does Tad know you’re sick?”
“No, and I’m not going to tell him. Want to know why? Because it’s my business. Not his. Not yours.”
“Wrong. You are family, Harvey, which means your problems are my problems.”
“You’re blowing this out of proportion. We don’t even know how bad this is.”
“Because you don’t want to go to the doctor to find out!” I shake my head. “I get it. You don’t have insurance and I’m sure you’re freaking out over how much this has already cost you.”
His eyes widen. “Did you go through my stuff?”
“No, but you just proved my point. Remember, I know you better than anyone.”
He says nothing, which pisses me off.
“Harvey—”
“I’ve got to go.”
“Where are you going?”
He continues to ignore me and walks away. A moment later, the front door slams.
“Ugh,” I mutter.
Since there’s nothing I can do about the Harvey dilemma, I focus on what I can control. Feeding myself. I throw together a sandwich, not bothering to make it fancy, and head back to my room, determination settling in as I dive back into my notes. I’m so close to finishing my degree in cybersecurity, but right now it feels like a lifetime away.
Time drifts by in a steady rhythm of reading, highlighting, and memorizing, until a soft whimper crackles through the baby monitor. Raquel’s awake.
Pushing my books aside, I head to her room, where she blinks up at me, sleepy and warm, her tiny fists rubbing at her eyes.
“Hey, baby girl,” I murmur, scooping her up with practiced ease.
Her weight in my arms is grounding, a gentle contrast to the chaos of everything else. I change her diaper, humming softly, then settle back into my chair with her nestled against my chest, a bottle in hand. She drinks quietly, her little fingers curling around mine. The exhaustion of the past few days melts away in moments like this—simple, calm, real.
I’m still snuggling with her when the front door swings open. Footsteps, then Lili’s voice cuts through the apartment. “I’m home!”
“We’re in my room.”
She comes to a stop in the doorway, and I glance up, smiling.
“How’d it go?”
The moment our eyes meet, she makes a face. It’s a subtle scrunch of her nose and a downturn of her lips, as if she’s worried she’s made a mistake.
Yeah. I already know the answer.
“When do you start?” I ask, though part of me already dreads what she’s going to say.
“Tomorrow.” Lili’s gaze locks onto mine, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. “Am I crazy for doing this?”
I don’t answer right away. Instead, I shift forward, reading between the lines. “Talk me through it.”
We move to the living room, settling onto the couch. As she recounts the details of her interview with Dimitri Santos, I listen—really listen—but the deeper she goes, the harder it is to keep my expression neutral.
I try not to judge, I really do. But come on.
Every word, every detail, every too-good-to-be-true promise is setting off alarms in my head. This has red flags all over it.
She finishes and says, “So, that’s where I’m at.”
I think for a moment, trying to figure out what to say without offending her.
“I think it could be a good thing.”
“Do you really think that, or are you just saying it to make me feel better?”
My friend knows me too well, but before I can reply, she says, “I just don’t know if I can leave Raquel for that long. Like, what kind of mother does that make me?”
“It makes you the kind of mother who does what it takes to make sure her kid has a better life.” I pause. “The kind of mother I wish I had.”
Her gaze softens. “Cec…”
“What? We know it’s true on both accounts. You’re a great mother. My mom isn’t.”
“Have you heard from her?”
I should have never told my best friend that my mother emailed me to say she wanted to chat. Yeah. That’s the kind of relationship we have. We email each other. We don’t even text. To add insult to emotional injury, she stood me up. She said something more important came up.
“It’s okay. I know better, right? And I really do think you’re making the right choice by going to work for him. Just don’t fall in love with him.” I stand. “I need to go.”
“Picking up another shift at the coffee shop?”
“Yup,” I answer as I hurry to my room, hating that I feel like the biggest asshole in the world.
I hate lying as much as I hate fighting with my friends.
But, I’m going to do what needs to be done.
The next morning, I wake up to Lili crying. She’s trying to be quiet, but our walls are paper thin. Finally, I get up to comfort her. Harvey is already in there, awkwardly patting her shoulder.
“I can’t do this,” she says, kissing the top of Raquel’s dark head.
Harvey and I share a look. Even though we’re kind-of-fighting, we’re still on the same wavelength. Lili might not want to do this, but she needs to do it. She needs closure.
She says, “What was I thinking? I can’t leave her for three months!”
Harvey says, “Hun, it’s not three months. You even said you can see her on your days off.”
“It’s not enough,” she says as tears stream down her cheeks.
I say, “Triple your salary.”
“What?”
“He said he was going to triple your salary for three months of work. Lili, you have to do this. It will give you the nest egg you’ve been working so hard for. You’ll be able to spend more time with Raquel.”
Harvey nods and adds, “Didn’t you say you quit your jobs?”
I move closer, taking Raquel from Lili’s arms.
“Girl, we’ll be fine here. You go and make that money.”
It takes about an hour more of comforting and pointing out all the reasons Lili needs the job before she finally kisses Raquel one last time and heads out.
When she’s gone, I turn to Harvey.
“Looks like we get to play house for the summer.”
“Will you even be around?”
His tone is hard, and I flinch.
“Yes, I’ll be around. In the mornings, afternoons, and some of the evening. Can you handle the rest?”
He sighs. “I suppose I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“We all have choices.”
“Ha!” He barks out a bitter laugh. “That’s debatable. Just ask Tad.”
Since we’re finally talking without fighting too much, I ask, “How’s Tad?”
“The same.”
“Meaning he’s still a self-absorbed asshole?”
“You know it. I don’t know why I thought it would be a good idea to hook up with him. I’m blaming it on the brain tumor.”
I flinch. “Too soon, my dude. Too soon.”
Harvey looks somewhere past my shoulder.
“That’s the first time I’ve said the words out loud.” His gaze finds mine. “I have a brain tumor, Cecely.”
I pull him close, hugging him. “And we’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure you beat it.”
Even though all the odds are stacked against him.