Chapter 12

Kimmy

I ’ve hardly slept all night. I couldn’t shut my mind off. After what Cora told us last night, I’ve had this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. She was my best friend, and I did nothing.

I know friends move away all the time, it’s part of life. But our friendship was something more. She wasn’t just a best friend to me. She was the only other person I had a connection to, like the one I had with Zack.

And if I wasn’t fixated on the horrible life she lived and the things she had to do to try and make it better, I was focused on the fact that she said she wished she asked me out in high school.

What do I do with that? Because hearing that sent a flood of strong emotions I thought were left in the past.

With the way my body reacted seeing Cora, as well as the way she was dressed, I know I’m more than attracted to her. The hurt and pain that coursed through me like I wanted to burn the world down for her and hurt anyone who hurt her tells me it could lead to something so much more.

The fact is, we went there last night in hopes of finding me someone to explore with. And if something developed, something more was a possibility.

Now, as I sip my coffee, staring out at the sun dancing on the surface of the pool, all I can think about is, could Cora be that person?

Could she fall for me, if she stayed in our lives past this weekend? For Zack. Because I’m not stupid. I knew he had feelings for Cora way back when, and I saw how hurt he was not to have her in our lives anymore.

The way he’s been reacting since last night, between seeing her on the stage and letting me bid a million dollars just so we can at least have the chance to talk with her. Her heart-wrenching confession last night and the way he nearly lost his shit, tells me he still cares.

Adding a third to our relationship was meant to be for me only. Could I handle Zack being with another woman? Before, the idea had me wanting to murder this hypothetical woman. But this is Cora.

“Oh, hi.” Her soft voice sends a thrill down my spine.

I turn to see her looking adorably sleepy. “Hi.” I smile. “How did you sleep?”

“Good. Thanks.” she says, shifting on her feet. She’s still dressed in my PJ set. It looks good on her.

“Want a cup?” I ask her, holding up my mug of coffee.

“Coffee?” her eyes brighten and I nod. “Oh, please.”

Chuckling, I place my cup down and make her one. “How do you like it?”

When she doesn’t answer me, I look over my shoulder to find her chewing on her lower lip. My eyes fixate on it, my heart beating just a little bit faster.

Get a hold of yourself, Kimmy. She’s just a woman.

A pretty woman. Nope, sexy woman. The girl you had the hots for in high school and didn’t fully understand.

“Like before,” she whispers and then clears her throat. “I mean, with–”

“So much sugar you're gonna get a cavity and enough cream there's hardly any coffee?” My lips twitch.

Her eyes lift and I feel like it’s a victory on my end. “Yeah.” She nods.

“We have coffee pods if you want a flavor.” I tell her, turning back to the coffee machine.

“I don’t usually have the fancy stuff.” She laughs forcibly. “Couldn’t afford them.”

My heart sinks and my fist clenches around my mug. But I take a deep breath and grab the holder with all the k-cups. “Well, we have lots to choose from. Caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, even some fun ones like marshmallow.” I shoot her a grin. “I remember how much you loved those.”

She smiles softly and nods. “I’ll try that one. If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Not at all.” I grab the pod and stick it in. “Do you want it hot or iced?” I remember she liked it both ways but mostly leaned toward iced.

“Iced please.” That has me grinning to myself.

I grab some ice from the machine on the counter top and start the coffee. “Are you hungry?”

“Kimmy, you don’t need to feed me.” Why do I love her saying my name?

“I do.” I shoot her a cheeky grin. “Because you’re a guest in my house and it would be awfully rude to let you go hungry.” I bring over the cup of coffee and place it on the table.

Cora takes a seat and grabs the cup, bringing it to her nose and smells. “Mhhm.” she hums then takes a sip. “Shit, that’s good,” she moans.

I bite the inside of my cheek at the sound.

“Look.” I sigh and take the chair in front of her. “I’m gonna be a little forward, but I want to be honest.”

She swallows hard and seems to brace herself as if she’s going to get some bad news.

“Okay.”

“I missed you. So damn much. I’ve thought about you a lot over the past ten years, and there hasn’t been a day that went by that I didn’t think about how you were doing. What you were up to and if you were okay. Hearing what we heard last night, I hate myself because I didn’t help you.”

“Kimmy.” Her face falls. “You didn’t know.”

“I know. But I could have tried to find you, to get in contact with you. I did try to find you on social media but your accounts haven’t been active in years.”

“Because I haven’t been on since the day before I left.” She looks at her cup of coffee. “I didn’t want to be tempted to search you both up and find you living this amazing life without me.” Her eyes are sad when she lifts them to mine. “And you did. You made something for yourself. And I’m so proud and happy for you both.”

“You're not alone anymore, Cora,” I tell her, my hand itching to reach across and take hers.

“I’m not going to come back into your life this way and impose on it.” She looks down again.

“You're not imposing, Cora. You never would be.” I sit back in my seat. “Where are you living right now?”

“Nowhere.” She sighs. “I was in a crappy apartment that I could just barely afford and then when I agreed to come to the auction, I decided to just start over, and make a new life here. I’m staying in a motel, but once the money goes through, I’m going to use a bit of it to get an apartment. Then start job hunting.” She shrugs. “I have nothing but bad memories there and want to get away from them. It’s not like I have any friends or family I’m leaving behind. I’m alone in the world, just like I have been for a very long time.”

Tears sting the back of my eyes. I want to offer her a home, a job, everything, but I don’t want to overstep. Cora has always been a prideful person, but with everything she’s been through, it has changed her way of thinking, her way of living. She’s been in survival mode for years and I fucking hate it.

“You're not alone anymore.” I take her hand this time, and give it a little squeeze. “We didn’t have any kind of falling out and we didn’t leave on bad terms. It was all just one big fucked up situation. And now, I see this as a second chance. If you're staying here, I need you in my life, Cora.”

“Why?” she asks softly. “You’ve got this amazing life, great success and I’m sure a line that’s a mile long of friends. I can’t offer you anything you don’t already have.”

She bites her lower lip, eyes dropping to where our hands are connected. I don’t move, I don’t want to. And she doesn’t pull away.

“Just because I’m older and have followed in my mother's footsteps doesn’t mean things have changed.” I laugh lightly and her eyes meet mine again. “Back then, people wanted to be friends with me because my mother was the famous one. Now, they want to be friends with me because I am. Still fake people with fake smiles. I don’t have friends, Cora. Only Zack. And my brother.”

I’ve never been one to slip into this society and plaster on everything fake just to save face and make connections. I’ve always been about having genuine people and that’s hard to come by in this world. So, I worked my ass off and had my man by my side. I have earned where I am today. Even though my mother tried to help me countless times, I never took it.

“So, do a lonely girl a favor and be my friend?” I pout and the smile mixed with her eyes lighting up is everything.

“I’d like that.” Her eyes tear up. “I’m so tired of being alone.”

She starts to cry, eyes closing, and my heart breaks. I’m on my feet and at her side, pulling her to her feet and wrapping her in my arms. “Shhh.” I rub her back as she cries into my shoulder. “I’ve got you, babe.” I almost slipped and called her baby. I surprised myself with that one.

“God, this is embarrassing.” She pulls back, wiping at her eyes after she’s done.

“Not at all.” I laugh. “But how about we have a little fun, take our minds off the not so good things.”

“Okay.” She nods.

“Wanna swim?” I ask. “We have a heated pool.”

She looks outside the kitchen door. “I don’t have a swimsuit.” She looks back at me.

“Good thing I have some extras in the pool house.” I wink.

WHY DID I THINK SWIMMING would be a good idea? Now Cora is in a sexy little two piece and my hussy of a pussy is aching. God, I’ve never been this reactive over a woman before. Hell, I’ve only been this aroused by Zack.

But as Cora runs her hands over her hair, her body glistening in the sun, my nipples press against the fabric of my top.

“You got a little bit of drool there,” Zack says in a cocky tone.

I jump and then hiss, slapping him. “Asshole.”

He chuckles. “Is my wife enjoying the view?” he asks, looking out as Cora gets up out of the water and dries herself off.

The past hour, we’ve been talking and swimming. It’s been amazing. But it’s also been hard not to stare. Partly because she looks incredible in that suit but also since I still can't believe she’s here.

The biggest surprise is how natural it felt. After a little while, it felt like old times. We laughed and joked around. She’s not the same Cora I knew back then, and I don’t expect her to be. But the same ease and familiarity is still there.

I like this new Cora just as much as the one I used to know and I find myself wanting to spend more time with her and to get to know her again.

“Maybe,” I answer his question, playing it off as if it’s not a big deal.

“Liar,” he chuckles, wrapping his arms around me from behind and kissing my neck. “I see the way you’re looking at her. You want her, don’t you.”

“Zack,” I warn him.

“What?” He plays innocent.

“I just got her to agree to be friends again. I’m not scaring her off by asking her to fuck me.”

“But,” he says. “You want to fuck her.”

“Zack,” I hiss, my body flushing

“Alright. I’ll play nice.” He nips at my neck. “I’m just saying, if you want Cora, I wouldn’t be against it.”

Cora looks over and pauses, her eyes landing on Zack. Zack’s been in his office all morning for work and this is the first time she’s seen him since last night.

“Hey, Daredevil.”

“Hi.” She smiles.

“Enjoying the water?”

“It’s nice.” She nods and looks around. “You have a very nice house here.”

“You're always welcome,” he tells her and that makes me happy.

“Thanks.” She makes eye contact and looks away.

Looks like Zack is going to have to spend some time with her to get her to warm up.

We might all be adults now, heading into our thirties in a few years, but I find myself yearning for the bond we all once had. A bond that never should have ended or been taken away from us.

Life is short and I’m seeing this as a second chance. I just hope this is what she wants too. Now that we have Cora back, I don’t want to let her go again.