"Damn," I said. "I had no idea. I wish I'd known. We made this stupid agreement … "
"I heard about that too," Karen said.
"Anything she didn't confess while drunk?"
"Not much," Karen said. "But I know she can't go any longer without seeing you. Whatever happened between then and when you met up again … you two need to talk it out. She's acting brokenhearted."
"I went to take a shower, and when I got out, she was gone," I said.
"I've known Lacey long enough to know that she has a deep fear of being let down," Karen said. "I blame her parents for that. And maybe you, River."
That one stung a little, but it was well-deserved by me.
"I understand," I said. "She's terrified. I get that. Maybe I'm terrified too."
Karen stood up from the table. "I don't plan on playing matchmaker or anything like that. I'm not going to be in the middle of whatever this is. I'm just helping a friend right now because she needs it. She has no idea you're here."
"Nothing like a surprise after a night of drinking."
"Better than waking up next to a stranger," Karen said.
I thought about Ana in my bed. She was probably waking up about now. She'd read my note. Then what? Would she flip her shit and break something? Or would she just pack up and leave?
The regret washed through me like a fast-moving sickness.
I looked down into my coffee and hated myself.
Whatever happened, good or bad, I needed to get to the bottom of everything with Lacey. No matter how much it hurt me.
I was still staring down at my coffee when Karen spoke words that forever changed my life.
"Well, there she is … good morning, sunshine."
Lacey
PRESENT DAY
I opened my eyes and felt like there was an anvil on my head. I looked around and felt relieved that I was in Karen's apartment. The night started to get fuzzy after that guy bought me a drink. What was his name? Mike? Mitch?
It didn't matter.
I sat up in the bed and groaned. To my right, there was a tall glass of water, a tall glass of orange juice, and two pills for the headache. I vaguely remembered Karen giving me medicine before I fell asleep.
Before I'd opened the waterworks and started to talk about River.
"Oh, damn," I whispered.
I rubbed my forehead.
River.
This morning's headache was brought to you by River.
"Thanks," I said as I threw the pills into my mouth.
I washed it down with orange juice. Then I switched to water.
I gave myself a few minutes and finally emerged from the bed. I stood up and was surprised to find the room not spinning. And my stomach didn't bother me at all, either.
I gave two thumbs up to the mess in the reflection of the mirror.
And that's exactly what I had become. A mess.
I stumbled from the bedroom and went across the hall to the bathroom.
The second I heard voices, everything in my body stopped. My head snapped to the right.
"She's terrified. I get that. Maybe I'm terrified too."
That voice.
I shook my head.
There was no way.
I went into the bathroom to splash some water on my face and wake up a little bit more. Then I decided that coffee was going to be only savior for this morning.
As I maneuvered from the hallway through the living room, Karen said, "Well, there she is … good morning, sunshine."
I looked up to grin and reply, but I froze again.
River slowly stood up from the table in her kitchen.
I gasped.
"Morning, darlin'," River said.
"What are you … " I looked at Karen. "What did you do?"
Karen poured me a cup of coffee. She then put the empty pot into the sink.
"I'm going to grab more coffee," Karen said. "Somewhere else. I'll be back later."
Karen conveniently had her purse and keys ready to go.
She left the apartment, and I was alone with River.
River walked to the counter and grabbed the coffee mug. "One cream, three sugars."
He looked at me and grinned.
"Two," I whispered.
"You used to take three."
"I changed my diet a little," I said with a smirk.
River walked the coffee to me, and I took the mug. I needed it. Either that or a stiff drink. But the thought of a drink made my stomach growl in protest.
River leaned against the counter. "I think we fucked this all up, Lacey."
"Oh?"
"Ten years ago, we were so damn young. And maybe in our hearts, it seemed so simple to just meet up and pick up where we left off. It didn't work that way, did it?"