Page 13 of Rhett Redeemed

Cara gasps. “No way! Good for you, about time you got some action! And are you going to see One-Night Stand Guy again?”

“You’re already nicknaming him,” Clover laughs.

“Just in case he becomes a thing,” Cara says.

“Probably not.” I shrug. “But I don’t know, it’s been so long since I’ve done anything like that.”

“He must have been really hot then,” Clover comments.

“He was,” I reply, feeling my cheeks heat a little. “And extremely good in bed. I don’t even know his name—”

“Oh, boy,” Cara comments, grinning. “Why are you only mentioning this now? This is the stuff I need to hear.”

“I don’t know,” I reply, shrugging. “I guess I feel a little more comfortable now and I don’t think you would judge me.”

“Of course not,” Cara says, tone gentle. “We aren’t prudes, you know. You can tell us anything.”

“We aren’t shy,” Clover adds, grinning. “No detail is too small.”

“Well,” I state. “There was nothing small about this one.”

We all start laughing.

“How’s your new teaching job been going?” I ask Cara when the laughter subsides, as I sit cross-legged and sip the delicious wine.

“I’m loving it,” she explains, lighting up. “The students are amazing, and the school has so much support.”

“She’s already making good changes at the school, too. Did you tell her about the breakfast club?” Clover asks.

Cara smiles and looks back at me. “I’ve started going in every morning and running a breakfast club, so the kids can all come in and eat before classes begin. Anyone is welcome, but of course the aim is to feed kids who might not otherwise have gotten anything to eat that morning.”

“That’s amazing, Cara. I wish I had that when I was growing up. I remember there were some mornings my mom and dad didn’t bother to get up because they were hungover, and I had to sort myself out, pack my own lunch and get to school by myself. Having something like your program at my school would have been such a help.”

Cara stills. “How old were you?”

“Five or so,” I reply, looking down into my glass. I would have loved a hot breakfast, but instead I usually made myself cereal, sometimes without the milk if we didn’t have any.

“I’m sorry, Con.”

“Don’t be sorry. I think it’s so wonderful what you are doing for the kids who were like me, or have it even worse than I did.”

“I hope I’m making a difference,” Cara replies, nudging Clover gently. “And Clover donated money to help make it happen. So don’t act like this was all me, Clo.”

“It was all you. I just helped you fund it.”

They both share a moment with each other, eyes connected. I know the two of them don’t mean to make me feel like the third wheel, but I kind of do. To be fair, everyone probably feels that way when they are with these two. Even their partners.

We all have dinner, and Decker’s carbonara surprises us all. Sapphire seeks me out again, sitting next to me and chatting away, telling little stories.

And then I head back home.

All alone.

Chapter Six

Rhett

“How’s Clover?” I ask Sin as he grabs a beer out of the fridge and sits down next to me at the table.