Page 21 of Make Me Yours
“Good thing you’ll never have to find out,” Sloane says, flashing a grin.
I break off a piece of croissant, more to keep my hands busy than because I’m actually hungry. “I’m still in shock.”
“No one can blame you for that,” Callie says gently. “What you walked in on was awful.”
I take in the rich, buttery scent of the pastry, letting it settle something inside me. “I never thought he would betray me like that.”
“Bastard,” Rina mutters, slamming her cup down harder than necessary.
“Yeah.” I let out a hollow laugh. “And the worst part? Turns out I wasn’t just cheated on, I was cheated out of better sex too.”
Three sets of eyes blink at me before Rina lets out a loud, unfiltered laugh. “Well, damn. Tell us how you really feel.”
Callie presses her lips together trying, and failing, not to smile. “I’m guessing that kind of enthusiasm wasn’t something you saw from him?”
“Not even close.” I take a sip of coffee. “Honestly? Seeing him like that made me realize I never really knew him at all.”
Sloane leans forward, her green eyes sharp. “That’s not on you. That’s on him. It’s a choice he made.”
Rina nods, her expression fierce. “Exactly. You’re incredible. If he couldn’t see that, it’s his loss. Don’t you dare think otherwise.”
Callie reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “And it sounds like it wasn’t just about the cheating. It was everything.”
“Yeah.” I swirl my cup slowly. “I think I was trying to live a life that looked good on paper. Devon. The job. The apartment. It all made sense. But I don’t think any of it ever really made me happy.”
Sloane’s smile softens. “Sometimes it takes everything falling apart to figure out what we actually want.”
“And whatdoyou want, Lilah?” Callie asks quietly.
I open my mouth before closing it again. “I don’t know.Yet.” And for the first time in my life, that uncertainty doesn’t terrify me. “I’m figuring it out. One croissant at a time.”
They all smile at that. It’s not a huge moment. It’s not a parade or some grand epiphany.
But it’s a start.
A step forward.
I glance around the table at these women who have been there for me without hesitation.
No judgment.
No conditions.
Just love.
Maybe that’s what I need more of in my life.
People who show up.
People who stay.
Like them.
And Steele.
His face flashes in my mind. His slightly crooked smile, the way he smells like spice and cedar, the quiet strength in his touch. The way he makes me feel like I’m not standing on crumbling ground anymore.
A slow warmth blooms inside me, chasing away some of the heaviness.
