“Miss Jeffries, you certainly fulfilled it. How many girls so far have gone through your house?”
“With the little ones I have now, more than ninety girls have slept under my roof over the years. Some went back to their families, a lot of others ended up bein’ adopted, and a couple...they ran off with this boy or that. I talk to a few now and again. Get a Christmas card or a phone call out of the blue.” She winked. “Your calls are like clockwork. Nina’s, too. Course, I see Gage real regular.”
“You’ve lived an incredible life, Miss Jeffries. Bennett admired you very much.”
James returned with the medic, who quickly removed Rowan’s IV and put a small bandage on her arm. He left and James closed the door, moving to stand beside it.
Miss Jeffries smiled. “Most of the lost ones that come through my door only stay a few months, a year or so. I had you and Nina the longest. Eight years for you, six for Nina.”
Rowan reached out to touch her hand. “I didn’t know that.”
“Y’all were the closest I ever got to kids of my own. Not supposed to play favorites but that gets hard. I’m only human and I sure do love you girls.”
“I love you, too.” Rowan’s voice was quiet.
“From the day they brought you to me, a pretty little wood sprite with a bandaged head and not a single memory older than a few weeks, I couldn’t get over how serious you were. Smart as a whip and determined to learn everything to make up for the ten years you were missin’. Had a real kind way with the other girls.”
Miss Jeffries turned her hand over and held Rowan’s. “Couple years later, state car drove up with Nina and you told me she was prettier than the Barbie the Chambers got you for Christmas. You were waitin’ on the porch when she got out and acted like you’d known her all your life. Poor thing looked like she hadn’t eaten in days and you sat her right down with pancakes left from breakfast. Talked a mile a minute. Y’all were two peas in a pod after that.”
Years of memories flooded into her mind and Rowan sighed. They’d never talked about the night before she left Daingerfield. She said now, “Looking back, I overreacted…”
“No. You didnotoverreact, Rowan,” Nina interrupted softly. “Gage got the blame because he was older and male but I’d fucked a dozen people before I ever showed up in Daingerfield and I knewexactlywhat I was doing. By the time I set my sights on him, I had more experience than he did and that’s the truth.”
“Nina…” Miss Jeffries had tears in her eyes.
The blonde cried silent tears. “I learned early how to use sex to get what I wanted and I didn’t hesitate, Rowan. In my twisted thinking, I thought to keep you with me by tying the man you loved to me first. I was a disgusting, selfish person and I own that. Youdidn’toverreact and that you speak to me at all speaks to your character, not mine.”
Rowan stood and walked to the big chair beside the couch. She patted Nina’s leg and her friend moved over enough for them to sit together.
“Don’t you dare comfortmewhen you just lost your husband, Rowan,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Hush, drama queen.” Rowan held Nina’s face in her hands and they stared at each other. “I knew when you slept with men to pass classes or get free meals. I knew you’d been hurt and you used what you learned to survive. I knew it was never about the sex but the power, being in control.”
Nina closed her eyes as she cried.
“I was juvenile that night. I lashed out and hurt you. If I’d paused for just a second and remembered what Iknewabout you, Nina...I would have realized you never would have slept with Gage unless you were trying to protect yourself or get something you desperately needed.”
“Don’t you let me off the hook, damn it.”
“Too late. It was eight years ago.” She placed one hand over Nina’s heart. “As long as this is beating, you can start fresh. Your chances to do that only end when it stops. Bennett brought you and Gage back into my life because he knew how much I cared about you both. He knew every story - including that one - and he reached out to you anyway. He understood regrets and the need to make things right.”
Nina swiped at her tears. “When Bennett called me in New York, I said I couldn’t face you. He asked who my best friend was in my new life. I told him it was still you, would always be you. He dared me to show up, look you in the eye, and do better than I did before.”
Rowan smiled. “And being unable to turn down adare…”
“Girl, right? Bought a ticket when I got off that call. I drank the whole flight and stumbled into Miss Jeffries’ place smelling like a distillery.” Arching her brow, she whispered, “She wasnotpleased.” Rowan chuckled. “We drove over the next day in Gage’s truck and I was sick as a dog from the booze and nerves.” Laughing softly, she shook her head. “You were classy as fuck about seeing us again.”
“It’s been good to have you back in my life.”
Holding her gaze, Nina said clearly, “I’m sorry for what I did, Rowan. I’ve done some horrible shit but...that was the worst because it left me isolated from my only friend.”
“I forgive you for being young and frightened and spun out. I forgive you for not knowing any other way to get what you needed. I forgive you for all of it, Nina.”
Her voice was shaky. “Thank you, Rowan.”
Hugging Nina tightly, Rowan glanced across the room at Gage. “I’m not strong enough to have the full conversation I know we need to have. Not now. Do you understand?”
“I do. I’ll wait.” His entire body looked tense.