The café was quiet after the peak lunch hour, only Adele’s soulful voice along with the hiss and gurgle of coffee machines disturbing the silence.
Natalie was already seated at a booth by the window, her latte steaming on a table the color of cocoa beans. Her red silk blouse was vivid against the dark decor and added a flattering hint of rose to her cheeks.
Kerri got a cup of hot chocolate and joined her friend.
“Hey, how are you?” Natalie asked, her worried gaze searching Kerri’s face.
“Fine.” Kerri cleared her throat. “Look, I’m really sorry about what happened yesterday. I should’ve” —she shook her head— “it was stupid of me, and I ruined everything.”
“You didn’t ruin anything.” Natalie reached out and patted Kerri on the arm. “You are okay now, right?”
Kerri nodded. “Ethan made it right.” And that was the truth. Sharing the past with him made it seem less awful, less devastating. A weight she hadn’t known she was carrying no longer felt so heavy.
“Good.” Natalie took a small sip of her drink. “I’m glad. I knew he’d be good to you.”
“How could you have been so sure?”
“Because.” Natalie shrugged. “He’s a nice guy, despite his flaws. By the way, you’re wearing your glasses.”
“What?” Kerri pulled off her reading glasses. “No wonder I kept thinking my vision was off on the way here.” She reached up and stuck them in her hair. “I thought I was just tired or something.”
“So you’re really okay? Even with your glasses on? You never wear them away from your computer unless something’s up.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I was just running la— Hey, wait a minute. What flaws?”
“Huh?”
“You said something about Ethan’s flaws.”
“Oh.” Natalie rolled her shoulders. “You know. Being a little overbearing from time to time. And overprotective. He always thinks he knows best.”
“Wow.” Kerri chuckled. “You’re sure he works for your husband? He sounds too headstrong to be working for anybody.”
“As I said, he’s only at Glob
al Strategies because that’s what he wants, not because he has to be, and Alex lets him run his projects his way.”
Kerri blew on the hot chocolate and took a careful sip. It was sweet and flavorful. It’d have been even better with whipped cream, but of course…
“Anyway, if you need someone other than Ethan, you can come to me any time. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”
“Thanks, Nat.” Kerri put down her cup. “And look, um…about what made me freak out yesterday…” She hesitated, wondering how to get into it. Talking to Ethan had seemed so natural, but she wasn’t sure how to share her past with Natalie. Not that her best friend wouldn’t be sympathetic, but a lifetime of reticence about her childhood issues was hard to overcome.
Natalie gave her a gentle smile. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. It’s okay.”
“You don’t want to know?”
“Of course I want to know, silly! But not if it’s going to make you uncomfortable. Look, I’m your friend, and I want what’s best for you. That doesn’t mean I have to be nosy and know everything.” Natalie placed a hand over Kerri’s. “But if you need somebody, I’ll be here for you. I want you to know I’ve got your back.”
This easy affection and acceptance put a big lump in Kerri’s throat. She gripped Natalie’s hand hard and took a long swallow of her hot chocolate. Her childhood and teenage years had been spent doing everything she could to get her family to accept her—and failing. Yet here was Natalie opening herself up without reservation.
That saying that blood is thicker than water was wrong.
*
Ethan saw his phone light up, the screen flashing as a text arrived. Moving carefully so he wouldn’t disturb Kerri—she’d stopped going back to her room to sleep since her birthday—he picked up the phone. It was a little before 2 a.m. Who would be texting at this time of the night?
Sent Kerri Jacqueline Wilson’s file. Confirm receipt.