Page 19 of Sweet Redemption

My sisters said they’d help with Bodhi until I find a nanny, which, after spending the night with their feral fucking kids, needs to be moved to the top of my to-do list before Bodhi’s already terrible twos get even fucking worse.

I get him buckled into his car seat and pull out my phone. Thoughts of Serena have plagued me for a long damn time. But seeing her tonight made them all too real.

Hendrix

Hey, princess. Are you okay?

Serena

The message might as well be blinking up at me in brightly lit neon lights as I stare at my phone. His name hasn’t been on it in three years. Not from him reaching out to me, at least. I tried to call him after Brittany died but chickened out and texted instead.

It went unanswered.

I trace his name with the tip of my finger, then flip the phone over.

No. I will not open his text.

Absolutely not.

No matter how strong the draw to look is, and the bitch is hella strong.

“Hey.” Liv looks up from her computer as we fly somewhere over the middle of the country on our way to Las Vegas. “You sure you’re okay?” Her eyes trace a line from my hand to my overturned phone and back. “Do you want to talk about it?”

I lean my head back against the soft leather chair and look out the window at the starless sky. “No.”

“No, you’re not okay, or no you don’t want to talk about it?”

My chest rises with the deep breath it takes to fill my lungs, just to make sure I can. “Either . . .” Exhaling, I look at her. “Both.”

“Will you let me know when you’re ready?” Liv and I are good at this. We know when to push each other, and we know when to back off. And right now, pushing would be the worst possible thing.

I stare at the phone again, growing weaker by the second.

Fuck. This.

“Can you take this for now?” I slide it her way and almost laugh at the comically confused expression on her face.

“You going to tell me why?”

I shake my head and go back to staring at the beautiful black sky.

“You’re aware I know your passcode, right?”

“I’m aware . . .” I don’t bother saying anything else.

I don’t need to.

Instead, I tug my cashmere throw tighter around my arms and say a silent prayer that I won’t dream tonight.

I’m not sure my heart can handle it.

SERENA

Sometimes, I wrestle with my demons.

Other times, we snuggle up and cuddle.

Today, I plan to drown them with champagne.