Page 61 of One Last Run

Danica’s skisand Pete’s snowboard were propped against the potted plants that Danica had desecrated just one week before. Pete’s breath was warm on the back of Danica’s neck, distracting her as she tried to type in the ridiculous key code for the door. Kiera was a woman of multitudes, using a code like ‘boobies’ for the door, but then judging her for having a casual fling with an old flame. Maybe tonight she and Kiera could have a glass of wine and clear the air. She loved Kiera, and she wanted them to get back to their normal familiarity. Though the fun with Pete was temporary — or so she kept telling herself — long-term friendships were sacred.

Pete’s lips were on her neck, making goosebumps rise along her spine. How did Pete remember that would make her knees buckle? She took a moment to close her eyes, letting Pete’s mouth glide over her skin, Pete’s arms pulling her closer. The sweet coconut and apricot scent of Pete enveloped her.

“You’d better open that door faster or I’m going to have to fuck you up against the front porch wall for all the neighbors to watch,” Pete murmured into her ear.

Danica turned her head slightly, raising a brow at Pete. “Like I said, shameless.”

“Only when it comes to you,” Pete said, her fingers light on Danica’s chin to angle her face up for a kiss.

Danica began to turn in Pete’s arms, strongly considering whether or not she might enjoy a touch of exhibitionism, as the front door opened. She turned, expecting to find one of her friends at the door, but she stilled, her brain taking a moment to catch up with what she was seeing.

It was Eddie. Eddie was here, in Telluride, in Aunt Jade’s condo.

Danica’s skis clattered to the ground and Pete tensed behind her.

His Banana Republic quarter-zip was undone at the neck, and the stubble on his chin was a change from his usual clean-cut appearance. Judging by his chinos and loafers, he hadn’t come here to ski.

“What are you doing here?” Danica asked, her voice hard.

The door opened wider, and then Kiera was standing beside Eddie, her expression completely unreadable. Her discomfort showed only in the droop of her shoulders. “I invited him.”

“Why?” Danica asked.

Pete moved to stand beside Danica as she folded her arms over her chest. “What the fuck, Kiera?”

“I was hoping that we could talk,” Eddie said, taking a step back to allow them in.

“Are you… okay? Do you need anything? Do you want me to come with you?” Pete asked Danica in a low voice.

Danica glanced from Eddie to Pete, where the two were sizing each other up. She rolled her eyes. “No, I’ll be fine.” She turned to look at Kiera, narrowing her eyes as she stepped in from out of the cold and removed ski jacket. The urge to scream, to run, to explode with rage, or to bury herself in her room until it was all over, overwhelmed her.

She led Eddie to her room so they could speak privately, shutting the door before leaning back against it, her arms crossed over her chest. “Alright, say what you need to say. I know it was a long drive, so I’ll let you get it out before you have to go back on the road.”

“Actually, I flew,” Eddie said, rubbing at the back of his neck awkwardly.

Danica sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Just the thought of the car ride back to Denver made her stomach churn, especially since she would be alone in a car with Kiera for six hours.

Eddie took a step toward her, but she put out her hands to keep him from touching her. His blinding smile flashed as he raised his own hands in surrender. “I know you didn’t expect to see me this week, but Kiera reached out, and so I came.”

Utter betrayal made Danica’s insides clench as she considered her best friend and her ex-fiancé plotting to surprise her in this way. Kiera’s claim that she was ‘Team Danica’ was absolute bullshit. “Why?” she asked flatly.

“I love you, Danica. I want to make things right and be with you. We can act like this never happened. It could just be a bump in the road,” Eddie said. Had his eyes always been so bloodshot?

“No, why did Kiera reach out? What did she say?” Danica clarified.

Eddie sputtered. “She said that she wasn’t sure exactly what happened between us, but that it might be worth coming here to try to salvage it. She said that she was worried that you were falling into old patterns, and that?—”

“How did she have your number?” Danica asked.

Eddie angled his head in confusion. “What?”

“How did Kiera even have your number to contact you?”

“She reached out on Instagram,” Eddie clarified.

Danica let out a forceful breath. “Show me the message she sent.” Her words were steady and clipped and she was nearly boiling with anger.

Eddie’s eyes darted toward his phone. “Why?”

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