Page 58 of My Promise To Keep

‘Leo, I…’

‘When you’re ready, not before.’ He winks and offers me a small smile before turning and walking away. Again.

I catch my breath, steady my legs, and try to ignore the thrum of arousal between them before rushing to the living room to grab my phone and open up the group chat:The Coven.

Me:Girls, I need you. like… I really need you. Can we get together tomorrow?

Bree:Yes. Of course. My place?

Cara:Come to mine. Doug and Bo are having a night at his place.

Missy:If I can bring Jonah, I can be there.

Cara:Doug’s here. He says Jonah can have a sleepover with Bo. We’re on, girls!

Me:I love you all. I’ll bring wine. Lots and lots of wine.

And just like that, I accept that my secret can’t stay a secret anymore. If I’m ever going to figure this out, I need my girls to be in the loop.

What’s Holding You Back?

Zoe

‘Oh my god, thiscouch is so comfy.’

I lean back, happily sinking into the sofa that wants to eat me alive.

‘You do realize your brother has probably had sex exactly where you’re sitting, right?’

‘Oh my god, Missy.’ I jump up as she laughs, and I look at the sofa as though it betrayed me. ‘You’re disgusting.’

‘But I’m right. They’ve banged on every surface of this place, I guarantee it.’

I look around, unsure where to sit, when Bree and Cara walk back into the room carrying trays of snacks and drinks.

‘Why are you standing in the middle of the room?’ Cara asks, confusion etched on her features.

‘She’s trying to find a spot that’s not likely to have yours and Doug’s bodily fluids on it.’

Bree cackles right along with Missy, while Cara goes a guilty shade of pink.

‘Maybe I should get some blankets.’

The witches of Forest Falls laugh harder as Cara leaves the room, and I grimace.

‘So, Zoe Addison Campbell,you called this meeting of our little coven here. What’s on your mind?’ Bree leans back against the couch from her spot on the floor, and I don’t correct her, but she keepsCampbell-ing me.

‘Does it have anything to do with tall, tattooed, and handsome?’ Missy asks over the top of her wine glass. ‘The tension between y’all makes my panties wet.’

I take a deep breath and blow it out.

‘I really need to talk about this, and I never had a group of girlfriends before. I’ve only ever had Bree, so I’m not used to keeping secrets. Bree knows I farted before I do.’ They laugh, but I have too much on my mind. ‘Cara, what I need to discuss cannot, under any circumstances, leave this room, and I don’t want to make things weird for you, so before I say anything,I need you to decide if you are comfortable keeping something from Doug. I wouldn’t put you in that position without asking.’

Cara’s brow furrows and she swallows. She never had friends at all before us, so I know she’ll feel weird about this.

‘Is it something that will hurt him?’

‘Potentially.’

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