Page 19 of Restless Ink

“What?” Thea asked. “What’s that look for.”

“I don’t know. You call Molly your best friend, and yet she doesn’t hang out with us. We don’t even know the woman. But, whatever.”

“And that gives me an excuse to sleep with her ex?” Thea asked, incredulous.

“No, you don’t need an excuse. And one has nothing to do with the other. But I’ve never liked thatbest friendtag you’ve given her.”

“I agree,” Roxie put in.

Thea just shook her head. “Whatever you think, she’s still my friend. Just because she’s not an honorary Montgomery like Mace doesn’t mean she’s not my friend.”

“I get that. But I also think you’re putting too much guilt on your shoulders for a woman who doesn’t give you anything.” Adrienne winced and then shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m off track and, apparently, one glass of wine makes me say things that shouldn’t be said.”

Thea wasn’t so sure that was all it was since the others were staring at Thea as if their minds were on the same track as her sister’s. Just because Thea and Molly didn’t run in the same circles or see each other every week, and their families weren’t close, didn’t make their friendship any less.

Damn it.

“I don’t know what to do, you guys.” Thea rested her face in her hands, and Abby rubbed small circles over Thea’s back.

“You need to talk to her,” Adrienne said softly. “If it’s hurting you this much, you need to talk to her. But before you do, you need to talk to Dimitri to see what it all meant.”

Thea looked up, narrowing her eyes. “It meant nothing. It can’t mean anything. He’s my friend, just like Molly is. Having sex with him was a drunken mistake that can’t happen again.” And though it hurt to say those words, she knew they had to be true, because she couldn’t lose both of her friends because of her actions.

It didn’t matter that Dimitri was the best sex she’d ever had and that he meant more to her than she could say because it all had to be ignored. She had to keep her friends, no matter what.

“I’ve seen the two of you together,” Adrienne said after a moment. “There’s something there, Thea.”

Thea was already shaking her head before her sister had finished speaking. “There can’t be.”

“Then talk to them both and make sure everything is out in the open,” Roxie said. “Secrets kill, Thea.”

There was something in her sister’s words that worried Thea, but she didn’t say anything. It was already enough as it was. So, she took a deep breath and tried to think about what she was going to do next. Because no matter what, she couldn’t lie to Molly, and while she knew that sleeping with Dimitri had been a mistake, she still cared about him and couldn’t push him out of her life completely.

To say that things were complicated was an understatement.

But she’d figure it out. Because she had to. There wasn’t another choice.

Chapter 9

Thea sat in her car in front of Molly’s house, knowing she needed to send out the text she’d been dreading now, or it would be too late.

Thea:I need to tell Molly what happened.

Dimitri answered right away, telling her he’d been close to his phone just like she had been all day. The girls had left after dinner, and Thea had called Molly, telling her that they needed to talk. The wine was out of her system, and Thea would be doing this stone-cold sober. Dimitri hadn’t contacted her all day, but she figured he wouldn’t. She’d been the one to kick him out of the house, and she’d known that he would never push her into contact. That wasn’t the man he was.

If he hadn’t been Molly’s first…well, then, maybe things would be different between the two of them. But they weren’t, and Thea would just have to deal.

Dimitri:Okay. I didn’t want to tell her until I talked with you.

Dimitri:But, Thea? She noticed lipstick on my jaw, and I don’t know if she thought it was you or another woman. Just be prepared. And I’m sorry.

Dimitri:Not sorry it happened, but sorry you have to do this.

Thea sucked in a breath, her hands shaking. So, Molly might already suspect. And while Thea technically hadn’t done anything wrong, it still felt icky. So, she’d tell Molly everything and take whatever the other woman gave her. She deserved nothing less.

Thea:Thank you.

Dimitri:We should talk.