Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93270 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“You don’t need to apologize, Laila. I deserve it. Honestly, I’m the one who should grovel. What I did back in high school was horrible of me. I’m sorry for hurting you and ruining our friendship.”
Laila reached her hand across the bar. Devy took it. The two smiled at each other, both on the verge of tears. “Water under the bridge. Besides, you’re here, and oh”—Laila waved her free hand in front of her face—“I saw you with Hayden, and all these memories came flooding back. I used to say that if I ever saw you again, I’d give you a piece of my mind, and well, there you were, and I just couldn’t think of anything to say except for what I did. Anyway, how long are you here for? We have time to hang out, right?” Laila asked after they’d released hands.
Devy inhaled and lifted her shoulder. “I don’t know. Life is pretty messy right now, and I can’t stomach the thought of going back to Chicago. Lately, OB has started feeling like home, and I’ve really missed living here. I used to think this place was horrible, and some of it still is, but you coming in and sitting down to talk shows me not all is bad. And I need all the good I can get.”
“I know. Again, I’m so sorry about the other night. Seeing you caught me off guard. I can’t tell you how many times I drove by Crow’s to see if you were outside. I thought about stopping and knocking on the door, but then I chickened out, each and every time. We have a lot of making up to do.” Laila reached for Devy’s hand and squeezed it. “I can’t wait to meet your daughter.”
“Maren.” Devorah said her name with a smile. “She’s the best thing to ever happen to me.” An image of Maren popped into Dev’s mind, taking her away from the here and now. A door slammed, shaking her reverie. “Hey, can I get you something to drink?” she asked Laila.
“A Diet Coke?”
Dev nodded and went to the soda machine. She added ice to the cup, pushed it against the lever, and waited for it to fill. She carried it back to Laila and handed her a straw.
Laila played with the straw in her drink and looked at Dev. “So . . .”
Dev knew what was coming without even asking, and somehow, she was okay to talk about it. Was it possible to fall in step so easily with someone you’d once loved like a sister?
“Devorah the viral sensation!”
Dev rolled her eyes. She hated that the video had made its way to Oyster Bay.
Laila reached across the bar again and set her hand on Devy’s arm. “What she did was wrong, and she seriously needs her ass kicked. Who does this shit?”
“She does, apparently.”
“What happened to girl code?”
Devorah thought for a minute of Chad and how he’d manipulated her into distancing herself from her friends and family. Something she deeply regretted.
“Chad has a way of making it seem like he’s the only one who should matter.”
Laila’s eyes widened. “Did he pursue her?”
Devy shrugged. “I don’t know. We didn’t have that sit-down, what-the-hell-happened conversation.”
“Are you going to?” Laila waited a beat before adding, “It might give you some closure. I can be there with you when it happens. You know, in case he gets out of line.”
“Thanks. It’s probably something I need to do—otherwise, I’ll probably wonder what I did wrong.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Laila told her. “Men like him . . .” She paused and shook her head. “Don’t let him convince you it was you.”
“I know.”
Another customer came in and sat at the bar. Devorah served him and busied herself for a minute before going back to Laila. The last thing she needed was one of the other staff members saying something to Colt, or her brother seeing her standing around gabbing while on the clock.
After more small talk and some back-and-forth with other customers, Devorah refilled Laila’s glass and asked her if she wanted to order something to eat.
“Honestly, I heard you were working here and wanted to come in and apologize for my behavior.”
“Heard? This is literally my first day.” Devorah tossed her hands in the air. “Which Cathy told you?”
“No Cathy; it was Link.”
“Link Blackburn?” It took Devorah a minute to remember where she’d seen Link’s name earlier. “He’s building Hayden’s house. I saw him earlier when I took lunch over.”
Laila nodded and smiled happily. “Link’s my husband. We married a year after graduation.”
“I’m sorry I missed it.”
“Ah, don’t be. We divorced five years later and didn’t speak to each other for two years, and then got remarried. He’s a pain in my ass, but he’s my pain and I love him. No kids. We never really wanted any. So, tell me . . .” Laila leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Hayden McKenna. Are you guys together because . . .” She leaned back and fanned her face. “You go, girl! There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting yours, especially with a fine-ass man like Hayden.”