19. Oakley
19
OAKLEY
T he sun streams through the windows of the quaint brunch place, casting a warm glow on the table where Iris, Avery, and I sit. My heart races as I recount the recent events that have turned my life upside down. Iris and Avery’s jaws practically touch the floor as they listen in disbelief.
“Wait, so let me get this straight,” Iris says, her hazel eyes wide with shock. “Your ex-fiancé cheated on you with your stepsister, they’re getting married, and then you lied about having three dates?”
“Yep,” I sigh, running a hand through my wavy brown hair. “That pretty much sums it up.”
“Wow,” Avery breathes, shaking her head. “Your life could be a soap opera, Oakley.”
“Tell me about it,” I mutter, feeling the weight of everything crashing down around me.
Iris reaches for a mimosa, the orange liquid vibrant. She holds it out to me, her red curls bouncing with enthusiasm. “You deserve this more than anyone right now.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” I say, waving away the glass. “I’m trying to stay focused and responsible. I’ve got enough drama without adding alcohol into the mix.” And even though I know Iris means well, I’m not much of a drinker as is.
“Fair enough,” Iris concedes, taking a sip from her own glass. “That’s one hell of a story. I guess I get it…why you slept with Gray.”
“You slept with Gray!?” Avery exclaims.
This is my first time ever meeting Avery, and what I’ve learned about her is that she’s basically just like Iris, but maybe a tad less frilly.
“Yep.” I swallow.
“And I won’t hold it against you.” Iris takes another sip of her mimosa.
I can feel the weight of Avery’s curious gaze on me, and I can tell she’s dying to ask about my encounter with Gray. Little do either of them know that it wasn’t just Gray I slept with…but Reid as well.
“Okay, Oakley,” Avery says after a moment, her voice laced with determination. “Enough about your ex-fiancé and his ridiculous antics. I want to know what happened between you and Gray. He’s so utterly delicious.”
I feel a blush creeping up my neck, and suddenly the warmth of the sun feels suffocating. How do I even begin to describe the complex emotions and electric tension that have been building between us? I shift in my seat, trying to find the right words.
“Um, well…” I stammer, rubbing the back of my neck. “It’s complicated, to say the least. It was…intense, and things just sort of…happened.”
“Ugh, you’re being so vague!” Avery groans, rolling her eyes playfully. “Come on, girl, give us the juicy details!”
“Absolutely not!” Iris exclaims before I can even consider divulging anything more. She plugs her ears with her fingers, playfully humming loudly to drown out any potential conversation about her brother’s love life. “I don’t need to hear about my brother’s romantic escapades, thank you very much!”
Avery and I exchange amused glances before bursting into laughter at Iris’s dramatics.
“Fine, fine,” Avery concedes, still chuckling. “We’ll spare your delicate sensibilities, Iris.”
“Thank you,” Iris huffs, though her sparkling hazel eyes betray her amusement.
As the laughter dies down, I can’t help but think about how much I’ve missed moments like these—just sitting with friends, laughing together, and feeling like everything might actually be okay.
“To be honest, I’ve always had a crush on a certain Archer,” Avery admits.
“I’m flattered, Avery, but I don’t swing that way.” Iris rolls her eyes.
“As if I’d be talking about you.” Avery swats at her. “It’s…Theo, actually.”
“Theo?” I ask, blinking at her in surprise, my mouth falling open slightly. Of all the things I thought she might say, that wasn’t one of them. Suddenly, the intensity of Theo’s gaze flickers back to my mind.
“You look shocked.” Avery raises an eyebrow at me.
“I am,” I admit. “Trust me when I say this—don’t waste your time. Theo is…closed off. He’s got walls around his heart higher than the Great Wall of China.”
Avery pouts, crossing her arms over her chest. “But, Oakley, you’ve managed to crack him a little, haven’t you? I mean, you’re obviously close with him now. Maybe if you helped me…”
“You couldn’t be more wrong.” I shake my head firmly, cutting her off. “Theo isn’t someone you can just crack open , Avery. It took years—years of friendship and shared experiences—for him to let me in even a little bit. And that was years ago. Now, he won’t even look at me.”
Avery’s blue eyes flash with determination, and I can tell she’s not giving up that easily. “But maybe you could just…talk to him for me? See if there’s any chance he could be interested?”
“Look, Avery…” I sigh, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “I really don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Just help me,” Avery begs. “Please!”
I can see she won’t take no for an answer, so I purse my lips and nod politely. “Sure.”
“Oh, you’re such a doll!” Avery grins at me. “Mrs. Avery Archer, I can see it now.”
“Okay, Mrs. Archer.” Iris rolls her eyes, leaning forward, her hazel eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, Oakley, what’s going on with you and Gray?”
I feel my cheeks heat up, and I try to play it off with a casual shrug. “Oh, you know. Just hanging out, getting to know each other again. Nothing serious.”
Iris frowns at me, clearly unsatisfied with my vague response. “Come on, Oakley. I know how Gray feels about you. If you’re not looking for anything serious, that’s fine, but you don’t need to string him along, do you hear me? He doesn’t deserve that. If you don’t feel that way toward him, leave it as just a one-night stand.”
She’s right. I know she is.
My mind drifts back to the morning conversation with Gray and Reid, their earnest expressions as they voiced their desire to share me. The intensity in their eyes, the heat of their touch…it all felt so right, yet terrifyingly wrong. My heart races as I remember the way Gray’s strong arms encircled me, how Reid’s warm breath had brushed against my cheek.
How they told me they wanted to share me.
“Oakley?” Iris calls my name, snapping me back to reality.
“You’re right, Iris. After this wedding date thing, I’ll let him down slowly and definitely not sleep with him again.”
It’s a lie, one that I feel incredibly guilty about. She trusts me, and here I am, keeping secrets from her. If there’s one thing I value more than anything, it’s honesty. I’d never lied to her before, and hadn’t planned on starting now, but I can’t shake the fear that if Iris knew the truth about my relationship with Gray and Reid, she’d walk away from me forever.
I just got her back, and she forgave me…I can’t lose her again.