Page 88 of Raised On It

“You’re home, and you’re in love! I want to hear every dirty detail!” she squeals, not wasting a moment.

The four of us take our seats, and for the next hour, I recount the past couple of months in Eastlyn. Starting with my first night at The Verdict all the way through today and our walk through Central Park. It’s like one long verbal journal entry, only they ask questions and sigh in all the right places. I don’t tell them all the dirty details, but I share enough. It’s clear things are hot and heavy between the two of us.

“Now, he’s determined to christen every room in my place, and so far, we’re right on track to get it done in the next two days.”

“Holy shit,” Arianna says, looking as though she’s seen a ghost.

“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” I ask, turning to look over my shoulder as she shouts at me not to.

It takes me a few seconds to get past the shock of seeing my past and my future colliding. But once I do, I can’t shake the confusion of what’s in front of me.

Why?

How is this happening?

“Baby, there you are!” Miles shouts over the noisy restaurant.

“Miles…I don’t understand? What are you…? What’s going on?”

“Sorry, Mase. I know it’s girls’ night, and I shouldn’t have brought a friend, but Mr. Kennedy and I hit it off and I wanted you two to meet.”

“What do you mean your friend?”

“Aw, come on now, Mason, don’t be that way.”

Grant puts his arm around Miles, his hand landing on his shoulder, and Miles does the same. The sight is disturbing on so many levels. Please tell me Miles doesn’t know who he is becauseI’m not sure I could handle another betrayal of this kind of magnitude.

“Grant, why are you here?”

“No, honey, his name is Leland.”

“Correct, Leland Grant Kennedy.”

Grant has a sickening smile on his face, one I’ve seen on more than one occasion.

I can feel the bile rising in my throat, and before I know what’s happening I’m fleeing the table and praying I make it to the bathroom in time.

I hear Billie hot on my heels the entire way, and she takes up the role of security guard outside the bathroom stall I find refuge in. But much to my surprise, nothing happens. Maybe getting the vision of the two of them with their arms around each other out of my head was all I needed.

“You okay in there?”

Pushing the stall door open, Billie is waiting for me with open arms.

Hugging me, she says, “So, Miles is cute.”

We both giggle, but it’s short lived.

“Billie, how could Miles bring him here? Did they already know each other? Have I been played?”

“I don’t know, sweetie.”

The door slams open, and Arianna looks like she’s in need of a paper bag or she might hyperventilate. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, are you?”

“You better get out here, Mason. Miles put two and two together, and I have a bad feeling.”

She turns rushing back to the table. Billie and I are right behind her.

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