Page 66 of One Last Run

Pete rubbed at the back of her neck. “I overheard her say to Kiera that she didn’t want a future with me,” Pete said, dropping her voice to a near-whisper as hurt strangled her words.

Izzy grimaced. “And what did she say about that when you asked her?” Pete must have made another face because shewatched Izzy’s eyes grow larger with realization. “You didn’t say anything?”

“What am I supposed to do? Pour my heart out?” Pete asked.

Izzy’s brows rose and she blinked slowly as if she was talking to a small child. “Yes,” she over-enunciated.

Pete slouched. “I tried that before. Then we didn’t talk for fifteen years.”

Izzy put a hand on Pete’s arm. “What I’m about to say comes from a place of love…”

Pete didn’t like the sound of that intro.

“Stop being a fucking idiot. Just go talk to her. You probably misheard what she said, or heard something out of context,” Izzy said, slowly and clearly again.

Pete batted away Izzy’s hand. “You don’t know that."

Izzy leveled her with a long look.

"Okay, okay. I'll talk to her. I can't promise it will go well, though. It might just be graduation night 2.0." Pete relented, but she wasn't happy about the idea. Trying to have a serious talk with Danica about their future had gone so poorly before. The agonizing embarrassment of incorrectly assuming that Danica wanted a future after all... now that would haunt her.

Izzy squeezed Pete's arm again. "Why do you look like you're about to throw up?"

“I haven’t heard enough crocodile facts.” Pete let her head fall back against the couch cushions.

Just then, Maggie stomped back into the foyer and Pete glanced toward her to find that she was alone. Apparently, she hadn't been successful in her efforts to get Kiera to stay, if that was what she had been trying to do.

"Where'd Kiera go?" Izzy asked, glancing over her shoulder.

Maggie shrugged, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of red wine. All three women were silent as she uncorked the bottle and brought it into the living room.

"Don't you need a gl— oh, wow, you're really just drinking that straight from the bottle," Izzy said, watching as Maggie slumped into the chair near the couch.

"What a fucking mess," Maggie groaned, taking another long swig from the bottle before pointing it toward Izzy and Pete in offering.

Pete took the bottle, holding the cool glass against her cheek after taking a large drink. "What a fucking mess, indeed," Pete echoed.

"Did Kiera say where she was going?" Izzy took the bottle from Pete.

Maggie shook her head. "I think she was going to stay in a hotel nearby tonight. Not the same one where Eddie is going. That man is even more helpless than I remember. No wonder Danica loved him at first."

Pete's whipped her head sideways to look at Maggie. "What does that mean?"

"She loves being the competent one. She's the one with the spreadsheets and the plans and the control," Maggie said. "We love her for it, don't get me wrong."

Pete furrowed her brow. She didn't see Danica that way at all. She thought Danica liked being needed, more than anything. It was as though she was continually trying to prove her place, to prove that she was a good friend who deserved to be invited. Around just her, though, Danica was far more relaxed. Playful, even. Fun.

"Glad I never suggested those matching tattoos." Izzy grimaced.

"I should go talk to her," Pete said.

"Obviously," Izzy agreed.

But at the same time, Maggie shook her head. "Not yet."

Pete glanced between the two women. "But you heard her, Mags. She said she didn't see a future with me. Don't you think I need to go talk to her before I lose her forever?"

"Kiera just blew up their friendship. Give Danica some time to process that before she has to consider your feelings, too," Maggie said, taking the wine bottle back from Izzy. "She needs friends right now, not..." Maggie gestured toward Pete, "whatever you two are."

---