Page 46 of An Uphill Battle

“You don’t even know,” Myla Rose says, walking over to us with Brody on her hip. “This place was a dump, growing up. His daddy just about let it rot to shambles, and Simon worked his ass off every chance he got to make it what itis.”

“It’s... wow. Justwow.”

“Glad you like it,” Simon states plainly as he walks up to us. “And youare...?”

“Kasey Bonds.” She extends her hand toward him. “Drake’sdate.”

“Christ Almighty,” he mutters under his breath before shaking her hand. “Nice to meet you, Kasey,” he says before turning narrowed eyes to me. “I hope you know what you’re doing,brother.”

Kasey swings her eyes between Myla Rose and me. “Well, that wasawkward.”

Myla Rose reaches out and pats her twice on the shoulder. “Oh, honey, you ain’t seen nothin’yet.”

Together, the three of us make our way to where the rest of our little group is congregated around Simon’s big barrel fire pit. It’s like something you’d see a homeless dude using in a big city alleyway, but it sure iswarm.

“Lookie what the cat drug in!” Myla Rose calls out as we approach, causing everyone to turn and look atus.

Four sets of eyes blink back at us—Cash’s crinkled at the corners in amusement and Simon’s narrowed under his heavy brows. Magnolia’s are more focused on her lap than on us, but occasionally, they flit up to Kasey and me. Azalea’s eyes, though—they burn. They’re filled with hurt and longing and fire, a deadly combination if there ever wereone.

“Hi, y’all,” Kasey says with a weird-as-fuckcurtsy.

“Hey there, girl, long time no see,” Cash calls out, trying to show that he knows her and that he’s cool with her. Probably hoping it’ll help the rest of the group warm up to her aswell.

It has the complete opposite reaction though. Azalea cuts her eyes to him, directing the full force of her anger his way. “Youknowher?”

“Yup. Met her when Drake brought her to the house for dinner a whileago.”

Azalea balks. “I’m sorry,what?”

Myla Rose glares at her well-meaning husband before rushing over to her best friend. “AzzyJo, take abreath.”

“I. Will.Not.”

“You will. C’mon, let’s go inside real quick.” Using the hand that isn’t holding Brody to her, she grabs Azalea and helps her stand, ushering her through the backdoor.

With my hand pressed to the small of Kasey’s back, I steer her toward an open two-seater chair, snuggling her into my side. “Well, looks like tonight’ll be a goodtime.”

“Not to tell you how to run your life, but you could’ve went about this shitbetter.”

“Listen... Simon, is it?” Kasey says, shifting to face him. “What you think is happening, isn’t. Drake is more like a brother to me than anything else. So sit back, hush up, and let us go about our business. We don’t need any kinks in ourplans.”

I can see the second her words click in his brain. He shakes his head, muffling his laughter with his fist. “You sly dog. Better be smart, though. Push too hard and you’ll lose that girl forgood.”

“Trust me, I’ve got this,” Kasey rebuts, settling back intome.

“Don’t y–you think that you should just be hon–honest?” Magnolia asks quietly to no one in particular, but it’s obvious the question’s directed atme.

“I think,” I reply, pausing to carefully choose my words, “that we’ve spent so much time bullshitting and pussyfootin’ that we pushed ourselves past the point of honesty. But, I’m hoping like hell that this last little deception will get usthere.”

Magnolia heaves out a weighted sigh. “A foundation built on lies is quick tocrumble.”

I’m about to argue my point further when the back door flings open, and the girls, with Brody now in Azalea’s arms, make their way over to us. Azalea lowers herself into the chair furthest from where we’re sitting.Guess it’s gonna be likethat.

25

Azalea

Red.

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