Chapter 49
forty-nine
Lizzy’s and Rowan’s house is gorgeous. Located on the outskirts of town, its style is more California mid-century modern than Oregon countryside. Its one-story facade is mostly floor to ceiling windows and clean lines that blend into the landscape almost as if it was always meant to be there.
I pull my truck into the long, winding driveway and park behind Sasha’s Mazda. The sun is just starting to dip below the tree line, painting the sky in cotton candy pinks and blues with a hint of orange stretching across the horizon.
Grabbing my overnight bag from the passenger seat, I make my way up the stone path. When I knock on the front door, a barefoot Lizzy answers wearing a pair of ripped jeans, tank top and an oversized flannel, black hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun.
“About time,” she says, grabbing my bag and pulling me inside. “Sasha’s already two glasses deep and Noia’s been talking my ear off for the last twenty minutes.”
“Sorry,” I laugh, kicking off my shoes at the door. “Got stuck behind a tractor-trailer.”
Lizzy rolls her eyes. “You’d think with it being a tourist town shit like that wouldn’t happen. But since we’re far enough out…”
Her voice fades into the background as I take a wide-eyed look around. The interior of the house is just as stunning as the outside. Open concept, with high ceilings and exposed beams, the living room flows into a chef’s kitchen.
But what really catches my eye is the wall of sliding glass doors that open onto a patio overlooking a sparkling pool. Beyond it, the lake stretches as far as the eye can see. Flanked by dense forest, the last rays of sunlight are turning everything to gold.
“Lizzy, this place is insane,” I breathe, spinning in a slow circle to take it all in. “When you said you and Rowan bought a house, I was picturing something cute and cozy. Not... this.”
She grins, dimples popping. “Rowan’s money finally came in handy for something other than adding to his crazy car collection back in Cali.”
“Where is everyone?”
“Media room.” She hooks a thumb over her shoulder toward a hallway off the kitchen. “Follow me.”
We pass by a library that makes me stop dead in my tracks. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves line every wall, with a rolling ladder attached to a brass rail. Two leather armchairs flank a stone fireplace, with massive bay windows looking out over the pool.
“Okay, now you’re just showing off,” I mutter.
Lizzy snorts. “There’s plenty more where that came from.”
She leads me down another hallway and pushes open a heavy wooden door. The room that greets me is... well, it’s something else entirely.
Movie posters in sleek black frames line walls painted dark charcoal gray. Deep-seated couches and oversized armchairs are arranged in a loose semicircle around a massive TV, all of them piled high with throw pillows and soft blankets.
There’s even a mini concession stand built into the far wall.
The smell of buttered popcorn coming from the vintage popcorn machine instantly perks me up.
Glass jars line the shelves above the counter, filled with a variety of salty and sweet snacks.
There’s even a mini-fridge stocked with soda. And, last but not least, a minibar.
“Holy shit,” I gasp. “You have a bar in your media room?”
“Rowan went a little overboard,” Lizzy chuckles. “But, come on. Would you expect anything less from People’s Sexiest Man Alive?”
“Good point,” I laugh, shaking my head.
Sasha’s head pops up from behind one of the couches, a glass of red wine dangling from her fingers. “There she is! Come sit next to me.”
Noia is curled up in one of the armchairs, dressed in soft gray shorts and a tank top with some kind of book quote printed across the front. Instead of a glass of wine, there is a can of Coke sitting on the small round table next to her chair.
A tingle runs over my arms. Noia always has a glass of wine in hand on girls’ night…
“Hey, Rey! We were just about to pick a movie to watch later, but we want to hear how things are going with you first.”
“Reyna?” Noia’s voice is soft, canting her head as she studies me. “You okay? You look a little pale.”
I open my mouth to say I’m fine—the word is right there, ready to roll off my tongue like it always does—but suddenly Madame Solis’s words of caution echo in my head. You need to let the people who love you in. All the way. Otherwise, you will never fully heal.
My throat tightens.
“Actually...” I sink onto the couch. My hands are shaking, so I tuck them tightly between my knees. “There is something I need to tell you.”
The room goes quiet as they all give me their full attention. Sasha sets her wine glass aside. Lizzy takes a seat in the empty chair next to Noia. All of them giving me their full attention.
“I had a twin sister,” I say, and the words feel foreign in my mouth. I haven’t said them out loud to anyone other than Logan or Brex in years. Not to anyone. Not since I left Colorado and buried that part of myself so deep I almost convinced myself it didn’t exist. “Her name was Becca.”
Sasha grabs her wine and takes a big gulp before slumping back against the couch. “Twin? Were you identical?”
“Yes,” I nod. My voice sounds like it’s coming from somewhere far away as I continue. “We looked exactly alike. Same hair, same eyes. People used to get us confused all the time, even our parents.”
“But that’s not the worst part.” My voice cracks as I pull my trembling hands from between my knees and twist my fingers together. “She drowned when we were ten.”
The silence that follows is so thick I can almost feel it pressing against my skin.
Sasha’s wine glass hovers, frozen halfway to her lips. Noia, always quick with a joke or a sarcastic comment, stares at me with her mouth slightly open. Lizzy’s face has gone stoic, eyes glassy. It’s in that moment I can see her resemblance to Logan, and it makes my heart squeeze in my chest.
Pushing thoughts of my broody boss aside, I tell them the rest of my story. When I’m finished, I feel so much lighter. Lighter than I have in years. To be able to tell my friends, these women I trust the most, my story? It means the world to me.
“Oh my God, Rey.” Sasha scoots over, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. “I’m so sorry.”
“That’s horrible,” Lizzy murmurs, shaking her head slowly as she gets up and comes over to sit next to me, resting her head against mine.
“That’s why you became an EMT, isn’t it?” Noia asks.
“Yes.” I think about telling them about Logan and Brex. About how they want to come over tomorrow, but I’m done talking about myself.
“Enough about me. What about you?” I wave a hand at her can of Coke. “Are you sick or something? Since when does the ‘Queen of Steam’ not have a glass of wine in her hand?”
Noia and Sasha exchange secret smiles.
“Actually, it’s not just me…”
“You first,” Sasha says.
Noia takes a deep breath, eyes sparkling as she flattens a hand over her stomach. “I’m pregnant,” she announces, voice shaking slightly. “Ryder and I are going to have a baby.”
The room erupts with gasps from me and Lizzy. Sasha just grins. She’s been Noia’s best friend since middle school, so it makes sense she would already know.
“Holy, shit!” I laugh, joining the hug pile forming around Noia. “That’s amazing!”
“I know!” Noia laughs, tears glistening in her eyes. “We just found out last week.”
“Wait,” Lizzy says, holding up her hands. “This is what Madame Solis predicted!”
My mind flashes back to our psychic reading a few weeks ago. Madame Solis had said, “A tiny, unexpected joy is coming—much sooner than originally planned.” At the time, Noia said she had a feeling, but wasn’t sure.
“Well, crap,” Lizzy says.
Noia nods, a grin spreading across her face. “I know! I almost peed myself when I saw the positive test. Ryder was so excited he almost passed out.”
“How far along are you?” I ask, settling back on the couch.
“Just over six weeks. He’s telling the guys tonight.” She pats her stomach gently. “I wanted to tell you guys first.”
She looks at Sasha. “Show them.”
Sasha holds up her left hand. A massive emerald sparkles on her ring finger.
“No way!” I shriek, grabbing her hand to get a better look. The stone is enormous, set in a delicate platinum band with smaller diamonds surrounding it.
“Jax proposed!”
“How did he do it?” Lizzy demands, reaching for her hand to examine the ring.
Face flushed with happiness, Sasha perches on the edge of the couch. “We were at the shop after hours. He had the whole place lit up with candles. He sat me in his tattoo chair and said he wanted to show me something and to close my eyes. And when I opened them, he was down on one knee.”
“That’s so romantic,” I sigh, feeling a pang in my chest.
“I won’t get into details about how we celebrated, just that we recreated a pivotal moment in our relationship.”
Lizzy laughs. “I just bet you did, dirty girl.”