Page 80 of Bad For Me (Rock Canyon, Idaho 5)

“No one did anything to me, Caroline. This was all my fault.”

“See, all I’m hearing is that someone made you cry, and considering you never cry, I’d say that’s a big fucking deal. And I will decide whose fault is whose.”

Callie gave up and leaned against the side of the barn as she waited, watching the light in Everett’s window as if it were an oasis in the desert—sweet salvation—and yet, it seemed to slip through her fingers.

“THAT IS SOME hard-core drama right there. This is the kind of drama that reality shows go for before epically failing.”

It was past midnight, and Caroline had driven Callie back to her place, where Caroline had still insisted on staying over. Callie was grateful for the company, especially since she was afraid if she was left alone with her thoughts, she might drive herself insane analyzing Everett, their relationship, and her own personal shade of crazy.

“But I don’t want this drama.” Callie tucked her legs under her. “I don’t want any drama.

“Ha, with a man in your life? Good luck with that. Gabe makes me so nuts, sometimes I want to whack him over the head with his baking sheet.”

“His baking sheet?” Callie asked.

“Please, you think I could make a crème br?lée without burning the shit out of it? The man should be on Master Chef, although I don’t think he’d just sit back and take being screamed at.”

“No, I think if someone screamed in Gabe’s face, he would break their jaw,” Callie said, laughing.

“True that.”

“Did you seriously just say ‘true that’?”

“What? I think I owned it,” Caroline said.

“Um, no, it disowned you. Big time.”

“Well, at least it got you smiling again.”

The reminder stole the smile from her face. “What am I going to do?”

“Why don’t you start by telling me what happened. Maybe I can help. As someone who knows how to keep secrets and has a totally dark and twisted past, I am an expert on how to be an idiot in this respect.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“What? If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Gabe and my sisters, it’s that the truth only hurts for a while. Lies can fester and poison a relationship.”

“So basically, you’re calling my entire life a large, oozing sore?”

“Yep, so pop it open, get all the gunk out, and everything will be okay.” Caroline tossed a fluffy white kernel of popcorn in the air and caught it in her mouth.

“And you couldn’t have come up with a less disgusting analogy?”

“Nope. I enjoy disgusting you.”

Callie wiped buttery hands on her pajama pants and took a deep breath.

Caroline grabbed her hands and squeezed. “Callie, we have been friends for a while, and I have shared so much with you because I know you understand. You should know this is a judgment-free zone. No matter what you say, I will be right here.”

Callie let Caroline hold her hands, the wheels of her mind turning as she considered what Caroline was saying. She’d shared her alcoholism, which had been a big step in itself, and Caroline was right—she’d never been anything but supportive.

But talking about Tristan? She could feel her breathing shorten and her heart beat skip as anxiety began racing through her veins.

Start off with how you’re feeling and go from there.

“It’s like one minute, I’m amazed at how happy Everett makes me, and I want to share everything with him. My past, my pain, my struggles . . . I want to share what makes me tick.”

“Oookay,” Caroline said, dragging out the word. “That doesn’t sound bad; that sounds healthy.”