Page 236 of All For You Duet

“Come in,” she mutters.

“Got a few minutes?”

She puts her book down, “Maybe,” and pats the bed beside her.

“What are you reading?”

“Hot smut.”

I plop down beside her. “Save me the book.”

I tell her about Derek and the DNA test Penny dropped off. I ask if she’s okay, but she isn’t fazed by it. She wants to catch his ass too.

“Why isn’t Cade handling my case?” Renie drops her nose, and the interrogation begins.

“Because we got in a big fight. Two, actually, and it’s not professional if she does.”

“Can’t y’all work it out? You fussed when you were teenagers but always made up.”

“We’re not kids anymore.”

“No shit. You’re adults who should know better. You should work it out.”

I play with the tassel on her throw pillow. “It’s not that simple.”

“Do you still love her?”

“I’ll never stop loving her.” The tassel tickles my fingers. “But I can’t be with her anymore. I’m angry with her about something she did, and it makes me want to drink. And I’ll die doing that, so I have no choice.”

When I put it like that, it sounds so simple. Sure as hell doesn’t feel that way.

“You gonna tell me what she did?”

“I can’t.” That quiets her for not even a minute.

“Can I ask a question?” She settles into her pillow. “What do you love about her?”

My heart suddenly bursts. What don’t I love about Cade?

Except for that one horrible thing.

“I could always see her big heart. Like how she was everything for everyone else. The tall, pretty girl. The one bullied about it. The Sheriff’s daughter. The model. The cop. The one who has to protect victims. She’s always taking care of people. But when she’s with me and is just my Candy Cade…”

Oh fuck. I choke on air. My eyes burn, and this pain keeps sneaking up. I don’t want to live without her.

“When it was just us…” I stammer, remembering lemon kisses. I swallow down the rocks in my throat instead.

“When she was just my best friend…” I can’t help it. I miss her. I miss us. I miss that dream I lived for. A tear falls to the velvet pillow, and I don’t care. “She was free and happy and fun, and those guys took it away from her.”

Renie reaches for my hand. “And you.”

I can admit it now. “And me.”

“Can I make an observation?”

Oh shit, when Renie says that. “Can I stop you?” I laugh, and I needed it.

“Y’all are exactly alike.”