Page 108 of Game Over

I blushed. “What do you mean.”

“I mean, I would check on you just becuase we’re friends, but she texts me every once in a while to make sure you’re alive.”

Warmth bloomed in my chest. “Good to know.”

“I’ll catch you later though.”

“Later.”

He disappeared and I hung up. Maybe it was time to call them, at least Tara. Things felt a bit more… complex with Charlie. I thought I’d gotten over him being everything I’m not, but this brought that back in full force.

Just as I was thinking about texting Tara there was a knock at the door. It was probably more candy. I’d been getting deliveries all week, I was sure by a guilt ridden alpha, but I still ate it.

I didn’t even know they made artisanal sour watermelon candy, but I’m not going back now.

When I opened the door the air was knocked from my lungs when my favorite candy didn’t sit there, but Tara. Despite the obvious nervousness she exuded, she was radiant. Her hair was in a bun, and she had on a Streamverse tank top and purple leggings.

“Hi,” she said sheepishly. Though I understood why she was acting like this, I didn’t like it. This wasn’t the Tara who was always excited to see me, the one that exuded confidence and never waivered. This was one I didn’t know, and didn’t enjoy seeing.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” I asked. I tried not to sound accusatory, but it was hard not to.

I winced when her face didn’t change. “I wanted to check in on you. We haven’t not seen each other in this long in… ever.”

I nodded. “Do you want to come in?”

“If you want me to,” she said.

I opened the door more, inviting her forward. She stepped in and toed her shoes off. It was so strange watching her act cautious in a place she used to be so comfortable.

“I’ll make tea,” I said, before disappearing into the kitchen. I didn’t wait to hear what she said, just needing to get away.

The easy pattern of filling the kettle and prepping the loose leaf tea kept my hands busy as my mind reeled. What did she want to say? Did she come to talk? Apologize? Tell me she was done with the silent treatment and didn’t want anything to do with me anymore?

That last thought felt the least likely, but gave me the most dread so it was the one that stuck. I grabbed down two mugs, the single purple one in my house for Tara and plunked the tea strainers in them before adding the hot water. I grabbed the honey and put a small amount in mine, and a hefty helping in hers. She liked it ‘honey forward’ but I think she wanted it to just taste like honey.

I grabbed the two and brought them out to the living room. Tara was there on the couch, her knees tucked to her chest and one of my couch pillows sitting in her lap. She pressed her face to it, inhaling deeply. I couldn’t help but smile to myself, at least it seemed unlikely the last scenario was true.

“Here,” I said, putting it on the coffee table in front of her.

“Thanks,” she didn’t reach for it though, probably knowing it’s hot.

I sat next to her, forcing myself to sit further away than normal. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

“You, me, us,” she said, gesturing around. “I miss you, and I’m so, so sorry.”

I sighed, my eyes going down to my tea. “You lying really hurt me.”

“I know,” she said. “And that was never my intention.”

Then what was your intent?”

“Not hurting you. I know it wasn’t the right choice, but I planned to tell you on our way home but then… everything happened. And with us already bonded I didn’t know how to tell you. I just didn’t want you to feel even further left out by me saying ‘yeah, your best friend who I bonded with in a freak attempt to get him away from you is also Mr. Heat Hotel. Hope you’re fine with that.’”

I thought about what she said for a moment. “What do you mean to get him away from me?”

She groaned. “It’s really dumb.”

“I’d like to know.”

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