Chapter 18
Cienna
Countless daydreams had filled my head this summer. Reed showing up at my doorstep after being abducted by aliens and fighting his way back to Earth to be with me.
He bumped his head getting off the cruise ship and had amnesia, and the only thing that pulled him out of his haze was his need to find me.
He didn’t meet up with me because he was delivering a baby and lost his phone, then had to hire a detective to hunt me down.
But never did I ever imagine him reentering my life accidentally, a grieving brother, single father, and off-limits.
When I pulled up to my house, Darcy was already there, parked on the curb.
She responded to my lunch break SOS text with a “Meet you at your place after work. I’ll come prepared for any and all crises.
” Before I could even step out of my car, she was striding toward me.
She had a Trader Joe’s bag flung on her arm, along with something in her hand that I couldn’t make out.
As she got closer, I identified the object and shook my head. “A box cutter?” I rolled my eyes. “Really, Darce?”
She shrugged and stopped in front of me. “It was the sharpest thing I had.” A light breeze rustled through the trees as we walked up the driveway together. “How bad was it? You’re not carrying all your belongings, so I assume you’re not fired?”
Heaving a sigh, I fumbled with my keys and rested my head on the door. “It’s worse.”
Darcy rubbed my arm, coaxing me inside. “It’s worse? Like, reported? How’s that even possible?”
My purse thumped against the entryway floor where I dropped it, not even bothering to hang it on the rack, before I plopped on the couch. “He’s not married. She’s not his daughter. She’s his niece. Who he has custody of. Because his sister passed. On June 17th.” The day our cruise disembarked.
“Oh.” She sat down next to me in silence for a moment. Probably taking it all in as much as I was, having finally said the words out loud.
“I guess I won’t be needing this.” She set the box cutter on my coffee table, then reached in her bag. “Or this.” Out came a ring of at least thirty keys, reminding me an awful lot of what a prison guard might have. “Or this.” She pulled out a spray paint can. “Or this.”
I reeled back as she set brass knuckles on the coffee table next to the rest of the vandalism starter kit.
“Jesus, Darce.”
Her face was wholesome and casual, as if she’d just set bake sale items out. “Just being a good friend.” She shrugged and tilted her head at me in assessment.
“You are a good friend.” I leaned my weight on her and rested my head on her shoulder.
She patted and smoothed my hair down a few times, and I snuggled into the comfort. Darcy might come at people hard when seeking revenge for her friends, but she was a sweet cuddle monster and was always there for me. Always.
“So he’s a good guy?” She continued to rub my hair while I nearly curled up in her lap.
“Yeah, really good.” I sighed. “He even tried to apologize.”
“Oof.”
“And I admitted I wanted to key his car.”
“You did what?” Her body jolted, and then a giggle rolled through her.
I sat up with a shrug.
The couch dipped and jostled as she scooted over and crossed her legs. “Did you get to, like. Talk, talk?”
“About what?” The tension in my shoulders released, and I let them slump over. “No need.”
“Hmm.”
I crisscrossed my legs and pulled a blanket over my lap. “I’m her teacher now. I did what I would do with any parent. Assured him we’d support him and Abigail however we can.” With a deep breath, I added, “He was so lost, Darcy.” Hanging my head, I stared down at the blanket’s floral pattern.
Darcy’s mouth pinched as she tapped her chin. “I can imagine parenthood isn’t in the scope of practice for a heartthrob-y traveling-photographer guy.”
Tracing the floral pattern with my finger, I lost myself in that movement until I heard a clang.
Out from the bag rattled two wine coolers. Darcy used one of the keys on her prison key ring to pop the tops off with curious expertise before she handed me one.
We clinked our bottles together, and I gave her a weak smile before we both took generous sips.
“Man, I really wanted to fuck shit up tonight,” Darcy whined.
I giggled.
“Plan B, I guess.” Darcy dug in her bag again, and I gave her a skeptical look until she pulled out a pile of DVDs. Yes, DVDs. Even though I had Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus subscriptions.
Comfort watches.
I hugged her, nearly knocking her off the sofa. “You’re the bestest friend ever.”
As her chiming laugh bounced around the room, she patted my shoulder. “I know.”