"Start at the beginning."
Amanda told Leah about setting off Jacob's alarm and spending Friday night and Saturday morning alone with him.
"That morning, he told me he loved me," Amanda said, the ache in her chest so sharp, her heart struggled to beat.
Leah pulled into Amanda's drive, put the car in park, and turned to study her. "I'd say that's fantastic, but I'm assuming this story doesn't end well."
Amanda shook her head miserably.
"Why don't you go wash your face while I make you a chocolate milkshake? We'll talk all night if you need to."
Amanda smiled at Leah. She was already feeling more rational. Leah was a soothing constant in her life. She wasn't sure what she'd do without her. "Thanks for rescuing me."
"You've rescued me plenty," Leah said, opening the door and climbing out into the balmy night air.
Cicadas cried repetitively to the summer sky. Crickets filled in the chorus with higher-pitched chirrups. The scent of freshly cut grass drifted over from a neighbor's yard, and a dog up the street barked a sharp warning. Nothing unusual about any of those things-Amanda must have experienced them hundreds of times-but she'd never taken note of how comforting the mundane could be. Amanda was glad Leah had brought her home. She wrapped the familiar around her like a protective cocoon.
"We're going to have to find a new hangout," Amanda said as the motion-sensing porch light switched on and she fit her key into the front door lock. "I'll never be able to show my face at Jack's again."
"No huge loss," Leah said glumly. "Only losers go there anyway."
Amanda glanced over her shoulder. "Something wrong?"
"Remember that guy Colton from Friday night?"
"Yeah."
"He never called me after . . ." Leah lowered her gaze.
"Did you sleep with him?"
"Maybe." Leah shrugged. "Okay, yeah, I did. We had lunch on Saturday, and I didn't mean to get so intimate so soon. It just sort of happened."
Which is why he didn't call you, Amanda thought, but Leah didn't need to hear that when she was hurt.
Amanda reached out and stroked Leah's silky jet-black hair. "I'm sorry he didn't call you. He seemed nice. Maybe he just needs a couple days to figure out how awesome you are."
"Men! They're such assholes." Leah scowled at the ground.
"Not all of them," Amanda said, her thoughts on the wonderful time she'd had with Jacob that weekend before she'd pulverized his heart and his pride.
"Okay, correction," Leah said as she followed Amanda into the house. "All the men I've ever been with are assholes."
"You'll find someone great," Amanda said. "My theory is that if you strike out enough times, eventually you'll get lucky and hit one out of the park." And when you finally do, you probably shouldn't make him hate your fucking guts, she added silently.
Setting her purse on her console table, she gave Tinkerbell a scratch behind the ears as she passed her lounging on the back of the sofa. The calico stretched out her paws and produced a mighty yawn, but obviously didn't give two shits that the human who fed her and cleaned her litter box had returned home. Amanda had always been more of a dog person, but when Tinkerbell had shredded one of Tina's curtains and Tina had threatened to take the stray Julie had found hiding in their drainpipe to the pound, Amanda had agreed to adopt the tiny kitten. She didn't regret the decision-Julie adored the standoffish cat-but was it asking too much for a tail wag of greeting when she came home after a hard day? Tinkerbell leaped off the couch and padded toward her food bowl in the kitchen. Apparently unmitigated affection was too much to ask from the furball.
Amanda entered the only bathroom in her small cottage and washed her face with cool water. She made the mistake of looking at her reflection in the mirror above the sink. She looked like she'd been to Hell and back, but she felt like she hadn't actually made it back.
The blender whirred to life in the kitchen as Leah started making the promised chocolate shake. Moments later, Amanda was slurping the cold creamy concoction while she continued to tell Leah about her weekend. Soon they were both sighing over the sexy, sensitive, and virile hunk that was Jacob Silverton. He really was amazing. Their sighs turned to mutual outrage when Amanda's story ended with Tina's attack and her demands that they break up.
"That's blackmail!" Leah said.
"It's worse than blackmail," Amanda said.
"I've always hated your sister, but now . . ." Leah snarled. "What she did . . ." Her entire body was shaking. "This is just too much."