Chapter 3
THREE
LUCY
I’m at the front desk sorting through a stack of patient forms when the door to the back hallway opens.
Scarlett walks out with a clipboard in one hand and a large iced coffee in the other.
She heads straight for me and sets both down on the counter like she plans to stay for a while.
“Hey,” she says, leaning her hip against the desk.
“You look like you got about two hours of sleep. Rough night?”
I glance up and give her a small smile. “Just studying late. I’ve got a test coming up.”
Scarlett raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. “Uh-huh. And how’s the studying going when you’re this tired?”
“Terrible,” I admit with a quiet laugh.
She grins and nudges the large iced coffee toward me. “Figured. That’s why I brought you this. Extra shot of espresso. Don’t argue, just drink it.”
My chest warms at the gesture. Scarlett always notices things like that. I take the cup and sip it gratefully, the cold sweetness cutting through the fog in my head.
She watches me for a second, then her voice drops a little. “You’ve been quiet the last couple days. The heavy kind of quiet. Everything okay at home?”
I hesitate, glancing around to make sure no one’s close enough to hear. “It’s fine. Just… the usual.”
Scarlett studies me for a second, then her voice drops even softer. “You know you can talk to me, right? Not as your boss. As your friend. If something’s going on and you need to vent or you need help with anything… I’m here.”
My chest tightens at how sincere she sounds. Before I can answer, she suddenly switches gears, a mischievous little smile tugging at her mouth.
“Or,” she says, “you could stop hiding in your house every weekend and actually come hang out with me one Friday night.”
I blink. “What?” I shake my head immediately, my stomach flipping at the thought. “No… no, I can’t.”
Scarlett frowns. “Why not?”
“Because I’m not old enough,” I say, keeping my voice low. “I’m only nineteen.”
She stares at me for a second… then bursts out laughing.
I feel my face heat up. “What’s so funny?”
“You,” she says, still laughing. “You’re acting like you’re twelve. You’re nineteen, Lucy. That’s old enough to go to a bar.”
“I still can’t drink,” I point out.
Scarlett waves a hand like that’s the least important detail in the world.
“You don’t have to drink. You can have a soda.
Or water. Or whatever boring thing you want.
” She leans in a little, eyes sparkling with trouble.
“But if you did want a drink… I could probably slip you one. No one would care.”
My eyes widen. “Scarlett!”
She laughs again, clearly enjoying how scandalized I sound. “What? I’m just saying. One drink isn’t gonna turn you into a criminal.”
“I’m not—” I lower my voice even more, glancing around again. “I’m not like that. I don’t break the rules or anything. You know that.”
“Oh, I know,” she says, grinning. “You’re the most responsible nineteen-year-old I’ve ever met. It’s actually kind of impressive. And a little sad.”
I roll my eyes, but I can’t help smiling. “Thanks.”
Scarlett softens a little, but the teasing doesn’t completely leave her voice. “I’m serious though. You should come out one night. Even if you don’t drink. Even if you just sit there and watch everyone else make bad decisions. It might be good for you to get out of that house for a few hours.”
I look down at the forms in front of me, my fingers tightening around the pen. “I don’t know,” I say quietly. “My dad would lose it if he found out I was at a bar.”
Scarlett watches me for a moment, then gently bumps her shoulder against mine. “Well,” she says, “he doesn’t have to know everything. And even if he did… you’re allowed to have a life, Lucy. You’re allowed to do normal nineteen-year-old things every once in a while.”
Before I can answer, the phone rings and a patient walks through the front door. Scarlett straightens up and picks up her clipboard again. “Just think about it,” she says, giving me a small smile. “No pressure. But the offer’s there.”
She starts to walk away, then glances back over her shoulder with that same mischievous look. “And if you ever decide you want that drink,” she adds with a wink, “you know who to ask.”
I watch her disappear down the hallway, my heart beating faster than it should. I know I should say no. I should be the good girl who stays home and studies and follows the rules. But I catch myself wondering what it would feel like to say yes.
The rest of my shift passes in a blur. By the time I clock out, I’ve made up my mind.
When I step into the parking lot, Scarlett is already leaning against her Jeep like she knew I’d say yes. “You coming?” she asks.
I take a deep breath and nod. “Yeah. I’m coming.”
Twenty minutes later we’re walking into Perdition.
The music is loud, the air smells like beer and leather, and I immediately feel out of place in my scrubs and oversized cardigan.
Scarlett doesn’t give me time to overthink it.
She grabs my hand and pulls me straight to a corner table where three women are already waiting.
The loudest one spots us first and lets out a dramatic gasp.
“Scarlett! You actually brought her!” She jumps up and pulls me into a tight hug before I can react.
“I’m Tessa and you are even cuter than Scarlett said.
Oh my god, look at this cardigan. It’s giving ‘secretly hot librarian who could ruin my life.’ I’m obsessed. ”
“Tessa,” the woman beside her says calmly. “Let her sit down first.” She offers me a small, genuine smile. “I’m Erica. It’s nice to meet you. Scarlett’s been talking about you for weeks.”
The third woman stands with easy confidence. “Hadley,” she says, shaking my hand. “We’re really glad you came out. You want a soda? My treat.”
They scoot over and make room for me between Hadley and Scarlett.
Tessa immediately waves down a prospect and orders me a soda “with extra cherries because she’s clearly a good girl who deserves nice things.
” Erica slides a bowl of pretzels toward me without saying anything.
Hadley turns toward me with a warm, steady smile.
“So,” Hadley says, “Scarlett told us you’re in nursing school. How’s that going? The clinic must be intense with school on top of it.”
I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, still a little nervous. “It’s… a lot. But I like it. I like helping people. And the clinic is busy, but Scarlett’s been really good about letting me study when it’s slow.”
Erica nods. “That’s smart.”
Tessa leans forward, eyes wide and dramatic.
“Wait, wait, wait. You’re nineteen, working at a clinic, going to nursing school, and you still live at home with your dad who sounds like a total control freak?
How are you not crawling out of your skin?
I would’ve set the house on fire by now. Metaphorically. Probably.”
“Tessa,” Hadley says, but she’s smiling.
“What? I’m just saying!” Tessa throws her hands up. “She’s too responsible. It’s suspicious. I bet she color-codes her notes and everything.”
I can’t help it, I laugh. “I do color-code my notes.”
Tessa gasps like I just confessed to a crime. “I knew it. You’re one of those terrifyingly organized people. I respect it, but also, I’m scared of you.”
Erica takes a sip of her drink and says calmly, “There’s nothing wrong with being organized. Especially if you’re the one taking care of everyone else.” She looks at me. “Who takes care of you, though?”
I don’t know how to answer, so I just shrug and take a sip of my soda.
Hadley bumps my shoulder gently. “Well, you’ve got us now. No one here is going to judge you for wanting a break from whatever’s waiting at home.”
Tessa nods so hard her hair bounces. “Exactly. And if your dad ever gives you shit for coming out, you just tell him you were with me. I’ll take the blame. I live for that kind of drama.”
After a few minutes of them talking around me, I start to relax. They don’t treat me like I’m nineteen and sheltered. They treat me like I belong here.
Hadley leans back in the booth, swirling her drink.
“I get wanting something that’s just yours.
I transferred from my old university because of a controlling ex.
It was bad for a while. When I started working at Perdition, everything changed.
That’s where I met the twins, Wyatt and Weston.
Total chaos from day one, but the good kind.
They made it impossible to stay away.” She smiles.
“Now this place feels more like home than anywhere else ever did.”
Erica nods, quiet but steady. “I know what it’s like to need to get away from your dad.
Mine was the president of a rival club. When everything went down and Hadley got taken, I went with them when she was rescued.
It was the only way I could finally breathe.
Steele gave me that chance and I’ve never looked back. ”
Tessa grins, unapologetically dramatic. “Cole and I were best friends since high school. Like, ride-or-die, know-every-embarrassing-story-about-each-other best friends. We only just got together recently. Everyone kept telling us we were obvious except us. Turns out they were right.” She points at me with a cherry from her drink.
“The point is, sometimes the best things happen when you stop doing what you’re supposed to do and start doing what you actually want. ”
I listen to all of it while sipping my soda. These women are so different from anyone I’ve ever known, loud and quiet, chaotic and steady, but they all have this same easy closeness. Like they chose each other and built something real.
I take another sip of my soda while Tessa argues with Hadley about something completely ridiculous. The clubhouse feels less intimidating than it did when I walked in. People laugh across the room, a game of pool breaks out near the back, and the knot in my stomach starts to loosen.
Then Tessa glances over my shoulder. "There's our lonely giant."