Page 84 of The Second Dance

“What’s with the boxes?” I ask, hoping to avoid her question.

She follows my gaze, staring at the stack of folded cardboard. “I’m moving.”

“Really? Where?”

“Colorado.”

I nod. “My brother lives out there.”

She tips her head. “I know. And so does my cousin. She’s been asking me to move in with her for years.”

“Why now? Isn’t it kind of sudden?”

“Yes and no. This has been years in the making. I should have moved a long time ago. You all got out. Skyler. You. Andy. You went away to college and got a chance to figure out who you wanted to be. I didn’t get to do that. I lived with my parents. Sometimes, I feel like I’m still stuck in high school.”

“Does Andy know?”

She shrugs, not quite hiding the pain in her eyes. “We’re not… talking right now.”

“Join the club.”

She fiddles with her mug. “I did love her, despite what you must think.”

I raise an eyebrow.

“Not romantically or anything. But she’s my best friend. Was my best friend.”

“You have a hell of a way of showing it.”

“I was jealous. Yeah. I can admit that. But Andy was always stealing the spotlight.”

“She doesn’t steal the light; she’s made of it.”

Whitney presses her eyes closed. When she meets my gaze again, her eyes or bloodshot. “Do you have any idea what that’s like? Trying to stack up next to someone who stands out like that? No. Of course you wouldn’t. You were one of the shiny people, too. I was always waiting for her to realize she fit in more with you preppies than she did with me.”

“Is that why you sabotaged her left and right?”

She winces. “I never intentionally sabotaged her.”

“Intentional or not, that’s what you did.”

“Yeah. Maybe. I didn’t want to lose my best friend. I’m a complete drag. Is that what you want to hear?”

“Why’d you invite me in, Whit? Is this what you wanted to say?”

She sighs. “I don’t think Andy’s going to want to talk to me. Not after the last conversation we had. I figured if I explained myself to you, maybe you could pass it along.”

“Pass what along?”

“That I’m sorry. And even though I was sometimes a shitty friend, I always loved her. The friendship… it was always real.”

“What makes you think she’ll want to talk to me?”

Whitney laughs, putting her mug in the sink. “That’s cute. Acting like you two aren’t meant to be.” She rests her hands on the counter. “Did you know the guys have made another bet about Andy?”

I feel my hackles rise. “What now?”

“They’ve got a pool on how long it takes for you two to tie the knot.” A smile cracks her features. “I’ve got a good little chunk of cash riding on it, Bo. Don’t let me down.”

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