Page 105 of Beauty Beneath the Sorrow
“Ready to get your ass kicked.” She spars with Christian and Hailey.
“This isn’t a race,” Hailey sneers.
Lina places a hand on her hip. “I mean, it kinda is.”
“We’ve been practicing a lot,” I comment, moving into an overly extended lunge. “As soon as I loosen up, you both aregoing down.”
Christian lifts his upper lip in a sly smile. “I’m sure you have been practicing. Practicingfucking.”
I hold in my laughter. Christian may get on my nerves, but he’s hilarious.
Lina’s eyes shoot to mine.
I grimace and shrug. “I mean?”
“Oh my god, Carter!” she huffs. “Why am I always surrounded by such immature men?”
“You’re lucky, I guess,” Christian quips.
Lina cocks a brow, unimpressed.
“It’s not a big deal,” Hailey says with a fake smile. “We all know.”
“Okay, let’s focus on why we’re all here,” I remind them, trying to lighten the tension.
“I wondered why you turned me down when I asked you to join me in my hotel room last week in Baltimore,” she says. But that’s a lie. Clearly, she’s baiting Lina.
Lina’s lips purse together as her expression hardens. “What?”
I look over at Lina. “That didn’t happen,” I say, then turn my attention back to Hailey. “Inappropriate.”
“I made that up.” Hailey’s eyes darken before she smiles wickedly. “But your reaction confirmed that you guys are definitely fucking.”
“Bitch,” Lina spits and walks away.
“It’s no one’s business,” I scold them both, then follow quickly behind Lina.
We soon folded ourselves into the crowd of people gathered around a large stage.
Before we begin, the organizer gives a welcoming speech on stage. He is joined by the hospital board of directors and three families who receive medical treatment at the hospital. While they share their stories, my eyes stay trained on the painful yet conflicted expressions on the faces of the parents. I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like for these parents. What they have possibly gone through emotionally and mentally with their children squeezes my heart. I ache for them and feel honored to be a part of this event.
I glance to my side at Lina. She and Avery both have their arms wrapped around Bailey. From under her aviators, I notice a tear roll down her cheek.
Casually stepping closer, I rest my hand on the small of her back. Keeping her eyes on the families on stage, she moves away from her friend and into me. “My heart breaks for these kids and their parents. I can’t even imagine how hard this is,” she mumbles in my direction.
My thumb caresses her skin over her shirt. “I know. It’s heartbreaking.”
“And these stories have a happy ending, but what about the ones that don’t?”
Tilting my head down toward her, I watch her chin quiver. “Try not to think like that.”
“I know.” She wipes another tear from her face. “It’s hard not to.”
After the speeches, everyone is instructed to line up behind the starting line. Lina is on my right, followed by Avery, Bailey, and Mason. Christian and Hailey are on my left, huddled with some of our other coworkers.
Mason moves his head behind the girls to grab my attention. “Let’s fucking go,” he exclaims, fisting, bumping me. “All for those kids!”
“I’m ready to feel the burn!” I shout.
