“Well…” Kinsley nibbled her lip harder, leaving indents.
Peyton didn’t need Kinsley to reply. “You heard about Justin being my late husband’s best friend?” She hadn’t told either Kinsley or Remy about Adam. The plan was to never tell anyone. To start a new life. Until that plan had been stolen away by a danger she couldn’t have even imagined.
“Yeah, I heard about Adam,” Kinsley said softly. “And I’m so sorry, Peyton. That’s really awful.”
Another loaded moment passed.
“I’m sorry I never told you. I should have,” Peyton said, knowing that now by the hard lump in her throat. Hell, she felt closer to Remy and Kinsley than she felt to anyone.
“You should have told me too,” Remy said, coming back into the room with the tea mug in her hand. “But I already knew, so don’t worry about it.”
“You knew?” Peyton asked her.
She nodded. “The first time I read your tea leaves I saw a husband. I just didn’t know the details.”
Peyton accepted the mug Remy offered and glanced between these two new amazing friends. “It’s been really hard for me to talk about Adam and my life in Seattle, but I should have shared all of this with you guys. I’m actually glad you know now.” And that surprised Peyton.
Kinsley smiled. “I’m just glad you’re here and safe.”
“Me too.” Peyton smiled, somehow feeling like that was the exact response she’d needed to hear. She sipped the tea, then shrugged. “Not bad.”
“All good stuff, I promise.” Remy smiled.
Kinsley finally let out a long breath, and sat cross-legged in front of Peyton. “So, you’re really not mad about Justin?”
“I’m really not mad.” Peyton smiled, then suddenly a thought occurred to her. If Kinsley knew about Adam, then…“Did you tell Justin about the car accident?”
Kinsley nodded. “Yeah, he was really worried because he said you were supposed to meet him there for a drink.”
“Oh, my God, help.” Peyton spilled the tea on her hand. “Ow.”
Remy scooped the mug up from her hands. “What is it?”
“My phone, where is it?”
Kinsley reached for it on the end table and handed it to Peyton. “Why?”
“I want to call Justin before he calls my mother.”
Remy burst out laughing. “She might have a crazy madman after her, but she’s worried about her mother.”
Peyton found Justin’s contact information saved on her phone and called. “You haven’t met my mother. She loves too much sometimes, and she’ll show up and treat me like a five-year-old.”
Laughter filled the room as the phone began ringing. Peyton laughed too, knowing that she had wanted to meet a person who understood her and didn’t pity her. She realized she had found that, in not only Boone, but in Kinsley and Remy too. And most importantly, she finally wasn’t fearing a piece of her past; she was laughing about it.
“Damn am I glad to hear from you,” Justin answered the phone.
Peyton jumped out of bed and moved to the window, staring out at the ducks swimming out on the lake. “I’m so sorry I worried you, but I’m fine.”
“You scared the hell out of me,” he said softly. “Do you need me to do anything?”
“No, I’m okay,” she said. “Kinsley and Remy are here with me. And I hear that you missed your fligh
t last night?”
“Totally worth it,” he said with an obvious smile. “But I’m at the airport now. You called at a good time. I’m just about to board.”
“I’m glad I caught you,” she said, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. “You didn’t happen to talk to my mom, did you?”