Page 72 of Abyss

“Only to realize that I liked the scent of lemons and vanilla too much to stay away from it.” I bury my nose in her hair. “I guess we have that in common, too.”

Chapter Twenty-One

KAVI

From: Kavi

To: Nathan

Date: July 2 7:29 AM

Subject: Simple it’s not, I’m afraid, you’ll find . . .

I have more news you’re probably not going to like, so I’m going to keep this short because the image of your disappointed face is just not going to help things. I’m sort of disappointed in myself, too, so don’t worry, I’ve already given myself the verbal smackdown on your behalf.

Here it goes . . .

I slept with my boss. Yes, the same guy I told you I kissed last time.

It kind of came out of nowhere. Ormaybe it was always around us——the electricity, the tension, and need. Maybe it’s been there since day one, but we finally acted on it.

I’ll spare you the gritty details, but things haven’t been the same since. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: Surprise, surprise. You slept with your boss and now he wants nothing to do with you because he's a misogynist who probably does that to every woman who works for him. But I fully believe you’d be wrong to think that of him, despite his current actions of avoiding me.

How do I know? Well, you’ve always told me I had a good sense for people.

I get the feeling he’s been hurt by some of the shit he went through with his brother and his ex—a story for another time—and it’s made him guarded. Or maybe he knows there’s no future for us.

Either way, things are a little weird between us, and while that saddens me, I have no one to blame but myself. I knew exactly what he was asking and said yes, anyway.

Wish me luck in being able to survive another seven weeks of this.

xoxo

Special K

Looking at the clear skies, no one would know we’d just had weeks of relentless rain. It’s refreshing to finally see birds against the canvas of blue and sunlight blanketing everything in sight after so long.

It’s also a perfect afternoon to be sitting outside, holding the sweetest little bundle, swaddled like a human burrito in a pink blanket.

“She’s perfect, Belinda,” I say, admiring Evelyn’s little nose and soft eyebrows. It’s as if they were brushed on. “She looks just like you.”

Belinda sits back in her patio chair with her cup of tea in hand, dressed in leggings and an oversized button-down. “Except for that hair. That’s all from her dad.”

“She’s beautiful,” Madison pipes in, peeking over my shoulder at the baby in my arms, before wandering back to sit next to Brie on the outdoor loveseat. “And so quiet.”

Belinda snorts. “Yeah, that’s because she’s finally sleeping. The booger woke up five times last night, and let me tell you, she was notquietthen. She has a set of lungs that can rattle walls.”

Madison, Brie, and I giggle. We’d coordinated meeting the baby so Belinda wouldn’t be overwhelmed with multiple visits from us now that she had Evelyn’s schedule to consider.

The three of us get into an easy conversation with Belinda, telling us about how much her life has changed over the past two weeks, groaning with a laugh when she says she can’t remember the last time she properly showered.

“But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Life has been turned on its head in the most satisfying way possible.” Her eyes soften, watching her baby sleep, before flickering over to me. “Enough about me, though. How are things going at the office? Tell me you’re still working there.”

I giggle. “Still employed since the last time you checked on me a couple of days ago. Things are . . . good.”

I don’t mean to hesitate, but telling them that things are tense and charged every time Hudson and I are in a room together wouldn’t be the most prudent answer with Madison sitting right next to me.

Not to mention, my stomach has been in knots all morning with the anticipation of seeing her. It’s the first time we’ve hung out since I moved into Hudson’s condo, and not telling her feels like a breach of our friendship.

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