Chapter 20 #2
Shay glanced at Blake, the photographer. They had their long hair pulled into a ponytail and bunched under a ballcap, revealing a high undercut and a head tattoo Shay hadn’t been able to quite make out but didn’t want to stare at. She shook her head. “They’re not my type.”
“Phew.” Rosie held the back of her hand to her forehead in an exaggerated motion. “I kind of like them, so I didn’t want to have to kill them.”
“Possessive much?”
Rosie raised her eyebrow. “I can’t be possessive over someone I don’t have.”
Shay wrapped her arms around Rosie’s waist and pulled her closer. “You’ve had me plenty.”
Rosie’s eyes half-lidded, and Shay grinned at how easy it was to turn her on.
“You’re laughing at me, aren’t you?” Rosie wriggled from her grasp. “It’s not my fault you’re so damn sexy. You should have a warning sign.”
“Should I?” Shay put her hand on Rosie’s hip. “What would it say?”
Rosie swatted her away. “Danger. One hundred percent flammable.”
Shay smiled widely. “I like that.” And she also liked the way they seemed to have slipped back into the easy nature of their situationship.
The fervor of their Mexican mini vacation had clearly receded, leaving much-needed oxygen for their friends with benefits fire to burn again.
Her concerns had clearly been unfounded, and normal service had resumed.
In some form, anyway. The connection they’d forged in those short days had drawn them closer together with an invisible linkage, one that Shay couldn’t seem to break, even if she wanted to.
Which she didn’t. Their friendship had become stronger, and they knew so much more about each other.
Just as Solo’s therapist was encouraging her to understand Janie more, Shay felt like she understood Rosie more.
And that understanding made Shay want to be a good friend.
That she was able to have that and a blazing-hot sexual bond was almost too good to be true.
Rosie waved her hand in front of Shay’s face. “Are you in there? I was trying to say thank you for doing this on a Sunday.”
“Sorry.” Shay winked. “You made me think dirty thoughts.”
“Make sure you share them with me later,” Rosie said. “Bonus points if it’s something we haven’t done already.” She gestured back to the shooting area. “You’re up again for some group shots. Go glitter and sparkle.”
Shay joined her friends on the makeshift stage, and Blake issued directions, getting them all to move this way and that in a vertical version of Twister with tools.
“Solo,” Blake said. “Could you maybe smile and not look like you’re going to commit murder with that wrench?”
Solo took a half-step forward, and Shay and Gabe caught hold of her arms before she advanced farther.
“Don’t do that,” Shay said. “You just said the triplets need their mom.”
Gabe wrapped her arm around Solo’s shoulders. “Come on, buddy. Let’s just get this done with and sell the shit out of these tools. Think of all the building blocks and teddy bears you can buy the girls with the money we’re making from this.”
Solo held up her hands and nodded. “Okay, okay. I’m all good.”
Shay gave a thumbs-up to Blake, who look dumbfounded by Solo’s reaction. “Keep talking. What do you want us to do?” She glanced across at Rosie, who pressed her palms together and mouthed thank you.
Blake continued to give directions, although they were a little more cautious with their delivery and word choice: a good move on their part. When Rosie moved behind Blake and their camera, Shay concentrated on just her, knowing she’d be giving her most genuine smile.
After another hour, Blake called for a break and headed for something Rosie had called craft services.
Shay had seen something similar on movies, but she hadn’t expected it for this.
The spread of food and all the dietary options were pretty incredible, and her stomach rumbled in response.
She checked her watch and was surprised to see it was already nearly one p.m.
“Are we nearly done?” she asked Rosie when she came up beside her.
Rosie smiled. “Do you want to be done? I haven’t even had you on the hood of a car yet.”
Shay tilted her head and grinned. “That might have to be something we do without an audience.”
Rosie gave her a playful shove. “I didn’t mean that, but it’s good to know that’s where your head’s at for a change.
” She gestured back to the set. “I booked you until six because I thought it would take all day, and it might even be that Blake still won’t get all the shots they want.
They might want to come back for another full day. ”
Shay rolled her eyes and blew out a long breath. “Please don’t let that happen. Solo is struggling to slap a smile on her face already.”
Rosie looked over at Solo piling a plate high with sliders and fries. “Things are still rough at home?”
Shay nodded. “We’re all worried she might start to spiral. She’s never been that hot at handling stressful situations—”
Rosie frowned. “And she was in the Army for how long?”
“Thirteen years. I know what you’re saying, but she didn’t see much action.
” She glanced over at Solo and thought about all the conversations she and Gabe had over the years, trying to figure out if Solo was fit for duty and protecting her from as much of the horrors as they could.
But Solo was determined to stick it out, and she was still there when Shay left.
“And her go-to numbing agent has always been alcohol.”
Rosie snapped her head back to Shay, her eyes wide. “You’re concerned that she’ll go there even though she’s got the girls now?”
“I hope not. They’re going to the therapist you recommended, but Solo seems to be having trouble getting on board with what she’s being asked to do.”
Rosie didn’t look surprised. “It’s early days.
And you have to be open to it. If she really wants to fix her marriage, Rae will be able to help her.
” She wrinkled her nose and tipped her head to the side.
“But if she’s not prepared to put the work in, with all the will in the world, Rae won’t be able to do a damn thing.
” Her gaze shifted to the floor, and she went silent for a moment.
“I had my share of clients like that, and it was so frustrating.”
Shay rubbed Rosie’s arm. “And now you’ve got a whole different set of problems with your marketing clients. Like models who won’t smile,” she said and winked.
Rosie smiled, and her expression brightened. “And models who can’t wait for the end of the shoot.”
Shay’s phone vibrated in her pocket, and she looked away from Rosie, a weird blanket of guilt falling over her like a shroud.
Rosie’s brow furrowed. “What’s up?”
Nia, probably. “Nothing. Why?”
“You look like you’ve just stolen some little kid’s lunch money.” Rosie tapped the phone in Shay’s pants. “Got a hot date and don’t want to shove it in my face?” She smiled widely. “I’m still good with our arrangement, Shay. You don’t need to hide anything from me.”
Shay thought she saw the slightest flicker of something across Rosie’s eyes that belied her sentiment, but then she dismissed it.
More likely it was her own discomfort with the situation reflecting back at her.
She had the urge to tell Rosie about Nia, and why not, since she had no intention of doing anything about the one-way attraction?
“My brother’s given his neighbor my cell.
He’s trying to do some unwanted matchmaking. ”
Rosie’s eyes lit up mischievously. “Why unwanted? Is the woman in question all butchy butch?”
Shay scoffed. “He knows my type; he wouldn’t do that. She’s nice enough, but it’s too close to home.”
“In case you break her heart?” Rosie clamped her lips together like she was trying to keep from bursting into laughter.
“I’m so glad I’m a source of amusement for you.
And actually, no. She said casual was her thing too.
” Just like it’s supposed to be my thing…
which it is. She pulled her phone from her pocket, almost tempted to agree to see Nia out of…
Out of what? Spite? That was stupid and unnecessary.
If Shay was getting everything she needed from Rosie, and vice versa, maybe they should just be exclusive friends with benefits. That would fix everything, wouldn’t it?
But it wasn’t Nia contacting her, it was Aaron. Her stomach dropped when she read the text, and a chill ran over her skin.
Dad’s had a fall in the yard and banged his head. We’re at Saint Mary’s General Hospital. Come when you can.
She conveyed the text to Rosie and leaned against one of the food tables for support. “I have to go.”
Gabe rushed over and grasped Shay’s shoulder. “What’s going on? You look sick.”
Shay held up her phone for Gabe to read the text.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Rosie asked.
Her instinct was to say no. She always handled her family problems alone. But another part of her wanted Rosie by her side.
“You should let her,” Gabe said. “Your pops will think she’s just a friend.”
There was no reason to change the way she’d been doing things for six years.
It’d been working up to now, and it’d continue to work.
And if her daddy did realize what Rosie was to her, she wouldn’t hear the end of it.
Why aren’t you seeing a pretty Black woman?
Your momma wouldn’t be happy. Shay shook her head, her mind made up.
“No, I’ll go alone. You should stay here and make sure Blake gets all the shots they need.
I don’t think anyone except RB’s enjoyed this, so we shouldn’t elongate the process. ”
Gabe huffed. “Speak for yourself. Blake says I’m a natural.” She flicked imaginary long hair over her shoulder. “Seriously though, don’t worry about this. Just get going.”
She nodded and looked at them both. “I’ll let you know what’s happening.
” Shay quashed the desire to lean into Rosie and kiss her goodbye.
Instead, she pulled Gabe and Rosie into an awkward three-way hug before jogging away to grab her keys from upstairs.
Her heart pounded against her ribs like it was trying to escape, and she tried to quell the worst-case scenarios battling for her attention.
Broken hip. Coma. Brain damage. All the things left unsaid between them.
All the misunderstanding and unresolved issues.
Rosie seemed almost relieved that her mom had died, and Shay couldn’t blame her for that, but she was nowhere near that state of mind.
Maybe this could be the wake-up call they both needed, and they’d be able to fix whatever had broken between them… if it wasn’t already too late.