“You all should go and get a drink. Try to relax. The scary part is over.” My mother looks at me and I shake my head. “I’m fine, Mum. I’m not going to break my sobriety just because you all are having a glass of wine. I haven’t slipped in a year. I’m not going to falter now.”
They eventually shuffle off toward the bar and Theo says he’s going to go check on Leslie. I decide to man up and brace myself for the table next to me. I approach to find Brody, Finley, and Frank and his date seated at the table. I briefly wonder if Reyna and Liam ended up leaving early.
I visit with them for a bit, and Frank does a proper job of lightening the mood. “Did you know that leather cuffs are a trending fashion in the lesbian community?”
“Frank!” Finley admonishes.
I huff out a genuine laugh and it feels fantastic.
“You know, Hayden,” Frank says, shuffling across the two empty seats to perch on the one beside me. He reaches into his breast pocket and hands me a business card. “I’ve been dabbling as a life coach for the past year now. I’d be happy to give you a free consultation if you’d like. Friends and family discount and all that.”
I look down at the card in my hand. It’s solid red with thick block lettering that reads: SAVIOUR IN RED. I smirk when I flip it over and read on the back: EVERYTHING LOOKS BRIGHTER WITH A TOUCH OF RED.
I glance up to ask if Frank is serious or not, but my eyes land on Reyna and Liam as they approach behind him.
“Hiya, Rey Rey,” I say with a lazy half smile.
“Hey, Hay,” she huffs out a laugh and leans against Frank’s chair.
“Oxford! You smell divine!” Frank exclaims while glancing up at her. “What is that scent? Unfinished Business? Or, Bone To Pick? I can’t quite tell.”
She rolls her eyes and looks at me apologetically. “Got a minute?”
I nod and rise, buttoning my jacket as I follow her out of the ballroom. I glimpse back at Liam. He doesn’t look angry. He doesn’t look sad…He looks respectful.
“Do you mind if we go outside?” Rey asks nervously. “I could use some fresh air.”
“Yeah…Everything okay?” I ask cautiously as we walk through the vestibule.
“Oh yes…I just…wanted to talk, just the two of us without fucking Frank there making jokes the whole time.”
We step out onto the dark London sidewalk, illuminated by several golden landscaping lanterns. My eyes drift from the bright London lights and peer down at Rey’s sunflower-sleeved arm—a tribute to Marisa she eventually told me after everything that happened between us. We were best friends for years, yet there is so much we don’t know about each other.
She tugs at the thin straps of her black dress, securing them back over her inked shoulders. Her dark hair is pinned up in a formal updo. She looks good. She’s always looks good. But right now, she also looks healthy…albeit nervous.
“Your speech tonight, Hayden—” she starts and I cut her off.
“Look, I’m sorry if there was anything I said that felt too personal. I honestly didn’t have it all written out…A lot of it was just off the cuff.”
“No…It was great. It was real and raw and honest. I’m sure it was incredibly enlightening to so many people who are affected by similar things. Honestly, it was enlightening to me! I feel like I finally got a glimpse inside your head. I’m happy that you’re so open now and obviously doing so well.”
“Thanks?” I say, skeptically. “I’m sensing a ‘but’ coming.”
“But…I just…I can’t help but feel responsible for pushing you to your breaking point, Hayden. It feels like I pushed you to do what you did. That ‘shit hitting the fan’ was me, wasn’t it?” Her grey eyes blink nervously, the glow of the streetlight reflecting off her pupils.
I shake my head. “No offense Rey, but don’t flatter yourself.” Her head jerks back quickly. “I don’t mean anything by that, really…Just that there were so many moments in time that led up to that night. You were just one.”
She purses her lips and nods, her brow crinkled seriously. “I just wish I could have done more. Said something to change it all.”
“I wouldn’t have believed you,” I say, leaning forward and shoving my hands in my pockets.
She looks like she wants to say something more. She hesitates for an instant before she says, “But you believed Leslie?”