Come Hot (Club Silken #2) - Jerrie Alexander Page 0,1
to her apartment. “She wants us both in her wedding. You have to call her.”
“When is the wedding?”
“Rehearsal is this Friday and the wedding is Monday.”
“Then the wedding is planned and arrangements made. I can’t call her tomorrow and expect her to find a place for me. Maybe I should wait until after the wedding.”
“Stop. That would break her heart.”
“Will Zack’s friend, Nick, be there?” Maybe if I pretend I don’t remember much about him I can hide my embarrassment. He took me on a tour of Zack’s members-only club the night I disappeared. Nick’s hands were large and warm resting on my lower back. The connection was immediate—well, it was for me, but a caning scene triggered memories of being lashed across my back to the point of having welts. I freaked and ran to the restroom. The night just got worse when my brother called, and I raced from the building. “I don’t know if I’m ready to see him.”
“He probably doesn’t remember it. So what if he does?”
Tears build in the back of my eyes. I’m so grateful she’s so open-hearted. Here, I feel more like I’m returning to my family than I did at home. I’ll share my past or at least part of it with her.
She opens the door and waves me inside. A sense of warmth surrounds me as I enter. Her boho style hasn’t changed. The multi-colored couch is still against the wall next to the hanging bamboo chair. Colorful paintings decorate the walls. Green plants of different varieties line her breakfast counter. The bookcase houses a ton of romance novels and a few of her favorite souvenirs from beach vacations.
“I love it here. Your apartment is so warm and inviting. I was always glad when it was your Wednesday for our girls’ night in.”
“Good. Now that you’re back maybe we can begin again.”
“Begin again?”
“After you left and Morgan moved out, Wednesday night died of natural causes.” Chels fishes her cell from her purse. “You want the usual?”
“Chinese sounds perfect.” I wander over to the bookcase and pick up a picture of the three of us at an office party. Morgan, Chels, and I work for the same company. Well, we did until I left. Chels notified my boss a family emergency resulted in me going to Arkansas. It’s been six months and I’m sure my position in payroll has been filled.
Chels ends the call and puts her cell on the breakfast bar. Smiling broadly, she gets two wine glasses from the cabinet, walks to the fridge, and retrieves a bottle of Pink Moscato. When both wine glasses are full, she waves me to the couch. I kick off my shoes and pull my legs under me. Chels hands me a glass and takes the same position on the other end. She leans forward and toasts me. “To good friends reunited.”
“Absolutely.” I blink back the dampness in my eyes, touch my glass to hers, and take a long drink. “I haven’t had this since the last time we three were together.”
“I have questions. Lots of questions.”
“I’ll do my best to answer them.” My nerves tighten. Dr. Meeks drove home the fact I’ve done nothing to be ashamed of, but I’m not ready to share all of my past.
“There’s a few we can get out of the way before dinner arrives. Where in the hell have you been? Why haven’t I heard from you? And, most importantly, are you okay?”
I take a deep breath. These questions are easy to answer. “I went home to Arkansas for a month, since I returned, I’ve spent the last five months in therapy. At the time, I couldn’t answer the questions you would’ve asked. I believe, scratch that, I know, I’m okay.”
I can see Chels’s mind working as she pairs up each answer with the right question. She knows there’s more to it than what I’ve told her. She stands, goes to the kitchen, bringing back a couple of plates and napkins, placing them on the coffee table.
The knock on the door startles me but not her. “Let me get money out of my purse,” I say.
“It’s already paid for.” She opens the door and takes the sacks of food, then thanks him. I hear the snick of the deadbolt before she turns, grinning, back to me. “You can have your turn next Wednesday.”
“That’s a deal.” Relief that she hasn’t changed one bit washes over me.
“I don’t understand why you’ve been in the city for five months and