Page 187 of The Sidekick

“Have a great day, angel.” He blows me a kiss and leaves.

I organize the letters as best I can and start reading.

Chapter Fifty-Five

Tera

I get clued in on everything that’s happened since I left. So much stuff. I can’t even catch up with it all until I set the last letter down.

Andi bought the bar. My one safe space. She flipped it, so it’s now thriving and keeping everyone employed.

What do I do with that?

She never told me. No one did. It makes me break down in tears, knowing that I’ve been allowing her back into my life with a careful distance so I won’t get hurt. I’ve turned down every invitation she’s given me to go somewhere with her. She just shows up unannounced and takes over. I only go to their family dinners because Shade asks me to.

Andi has been secretly saying she’s sorry, and so has Trevor. Long before I even thought of coming back.

I’m confused, sad, and angry over it. It’s an avalanche of feelings I wasn’t ready for.

It brings a lot of things into question, too.

He says he loves me. Is it a ploy to manipulate me? He knows me. He is totally aware that I’m gullible.

He’s so embarrassed by his emotions that he’s hiding them. Do I believe that?

Oddly, yes, I do. He wears a mask daily to pretend to be friendly and hide the angry person underneath. After reading these, I understand why.

He’s abrasive and demanding.

Glancing at the clock tells me that Asher is in class by now. I can’t call him yet.

My phone rings, and I glance over to see Dr. Robinson’s name pop up.

Perfect timing.

I get a lot of disappointed looks and real talk. She has a lot of advice that I plan on following. Tips on how to speak with someone who has anger issues. And a twenty-minute lecture about independence and when to say no.

The conversation with Asher comes during my lunch break. He spends the time asking serious questions that make me think. It’s a little mind-numbing, but it serves a purpose. By the end, we have a plan set, and he’s promised to bring me dinner at the bar.

The plan is to get him alone, talk to him, and find out if he’s telling the truth. Asher thinks he is. Either way, if he’s approved by me, Asher gets to punish them both tonight. I’m really nervous about it, too.

This is going to be a day of bravery.

Maybe he’ll take it all back when I get there. He might look at the blatant hickeys on my neck and say no thanks. If he does, I have to find a way to live with that. I’m not giving up Asher any more than Max is giving up Trevor.

I’m sitting in my car stewing over it as I watch people go into the bar.

It’s now or never. If I choose never, Asher will show up later with dinner and a need to punch people.

I pull my hair into a bun at the back of my head, as Asher asked, and look at the marks he left on me. Remembering how they got there makes my breath hitch. I take a quick selfie with the marks proudly displayed and a grin. I send it to Asher as I giggle and then hurry out of the car so I don’t get too caught up in my daydreams.

The bar isn’t as busy tonight, and I’m grateful. Who knows what kind of toxic behavior is going on in there? The less people who see it happen to me, the better.

I smooth my hands down the skirt of the sunny yellow dress Asher picked out. It’s weird, but the fact that he picked this and people have been complimenting me today has done my ego some good. He wants to show people what he sees in me.

Here’s hoping that Max and Trevor approve.

Going inside the bar later in the day is both easier and more complicated. I have support in the form of Asher, but I’m alone as I step through the doors.

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