Page 98 of Off-Limits

“Ew! Who even sayspashinganymore?”

I laugh at that, motioning for her to continue.

“We are just seeing what happens. No strings or expectations.”

“In other words, just fucking?”

“Dottie! Hush your hole!” she reprimands, but I see the smile breaking through. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Not even a little bit.”

We sit on the bed cross-legged and talk about Arrie’s restaurant and the issues she’s been having with some of the staff. She’s careful with what she says when she talks about the boys, but I can feel the happiness that surrounds her when she brings either of them up.

Whatever their relationship is, as long as it doesn’t hurt Arrie, I couldn’t give a fuck. I just want her to be happy, and a hopeful part of me prays she’ll feel the same when Damon and I decide to tell her.

A few hours later, we are huddled up on the bed eating pizza and watching one of our favourite movies of all time.10 Things I Hate About You.We laugh at the same silly parts we’ve laughed at countless times, and we cry at the end when Julia Stiles reads her poem to the class.

The movie ends and Arrie stretches.

“I fucking love that movie!”

“Me too.”

Yawning, she grabs her phone and stands up to grab her bag. “I better get home.”

“Home to Adam, or Adam and Connor?”

“Shut up, asshole,” she jests, and the smile reaches her eyes. “I’m still sore from last night.”

I burst into a fit of laughter and follow her to the front door.

“Do I want to know?”

Arrie mimics a zip across her face and locking it before throwing the invisible key away. I smirk at her and stand in the open doorway while she juggles her bag and phone while searching for her keys.

“This is exactly what I needed, Dottie. Thankyou. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too.”

“Let me know what you’ve got planned for the rest of the week after work, and I’ll have Sally watch over the restaurant so we can have some drinks.”

We say our goodbyes, and when I close the door, leaning on it, I feel a little lighter than what I had when Arrie first rocked up. Locking it, I step away and make it to the bed as there is another knock at the door.

Grinning, I walk back to the door. “What did you forget, Wench?” I call out, assuming Arrie forgot something, butwhen I open the door, the person standing there is not at all who I was expecting.

“You’ve been a busy girl, Dorothy. Get your ass inside before I call my daughter back here and tell her exactly what you’ve been up to.” Aunty Kerry demands, a sinister edge to her voice, making my world tip off its axis.

The lightness and happiness that I was feeling moments ago, dissolves into a huge pile of nothing, leaving a harrowing and gaping chasm of fear and anxiety in its wake.

She knows.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

DAMON

Iwake the next morning with a smile on my face, and a spring in my step. Kerry-Anne can’t rob me of my happiness anymore.