Crossing the parking lot in a hurry, I realize there’s only one person I can talk to right now. My hand flies to my cell phone and punches in number one on my speed dial. I lean against the hood of my car as the phone rings. Finally, my lifeline answers.
“Hey babe,” I hear Kassie’s voice say across the line, “What’s going on?”
“Oh, not too much,” I sigh, relieved to hear my best friend’s voice, “Having a bite, gonna go home and catch up on my shows, Bryan just proposed...”
“What?!” she screams. I have to hold the phone away from my ear until her distressed cries die down, “Please don’t tell me I’m supposed to be happy about this. I’m not that good at faking it, Kelly—”
“I said no, don’t worry,” I tell her, “And gave him a nice slap across the face when he tried to force a yes out of me. We’re broken up.”
“That scumbag,” Kassie mutters, “Sorry. No offense. Not trying to revel in your breakup or anything, I’m just really happy for you. I’m also pretty excited that I don’t have to pretend to like that guy anymore.”
“That makes two of us,” I say, smiling slightly, “It still stings, though. I wanted to be happy with someone like him, even if I was just fooling myself. But I just don’t think I have it in me to settle for a guy like that.”
“That’s a good thing, Kelly,” Kassie urges, “Breaking up always sucks, but you’re making room for someone you actually want in your life.”
“The only person I want in my life right now is you,” I insist, “Can I see you sometime soon, Kass? I feel like it’s been ages.”
“I know,” she sighs, “Things have been a little nuts, here. CrowdedNest is really taking off. Which is great, of course, I’m just working like a maniac.”
“How’s your man?” I ask, always happy for some juicy details about Kassie’s love life. Her whirlwind romance with Declan was incredible to watch from afar. In one summer, Kassie went from wounded ingénue to kickass leading lady, all thanks to the Dante’s Nine MC and Declan Tiberi. And her own fierce gumption, of course.
“Declan’s doing a lot better lately,” Kassie says, her voice tinged with sadness, “It’s been a rough year, but I feel like we’re getting to the other side of it at last.”
My own heart twists a little, remembering how devastated Declan looked at Sam’s memorial service. They’d been so close, those two. Even for a man so accustomed to death, losing a brother so suddenly must have been quite a blow.
“The club’s kind of been in flux,” Kassie goes on, “Since Sam passed, I mean. Declan’s been fighting in actual legit venues to bring in some cash, not to mention his personal contributions from the venture capital pot. And the other side businesses are doing alright. But without our ninth brother, everyone kinda seems lost.”
“You’ve been dropping a lot of ‘we’s’ and ‘our’s’,” I point out, “Feeling more like a member of the club these days?”
“Well, I can never be a patched member,” Kassie reminds me.
“Right,” I say, “No girls allowed. I remember.”
“I can hear you rolling your eyes over the line,” she laughs.
“Just seems a little arcane,” I reply, “What good does it do a club to keep women out?”
“But it’s not as though there’s no room for women in this world,” she insists, “I should know, right?”
“Do tell,” I press, “Anything to distract me from my own dismal relationship situation.”
“Well,” Kassie says excitedly, “I’ve been by Declan’s side for a year, now. We’ve been through our shit. The stuff with Lorenzo, Sam...but we’ve only grown stronger as a couple. It’s unlikely as hell, us understanding each other, but we do. We both want this to be a more long term sort of thing.”
“Tell me he proposed too,” I say excitedly, “And please tell me that you actually got to say yes—”
“Whoa, whoa, hold on,” Kassie laughs, “Declan has not proposed. In so many words. That’s not always the way it works in a club, Kel.”
“Right,” I say, “You don’t have to get married to be an old lady, do you?”
“No, you don’t,” Kassie replies. I can hear the happiness in her voice.
“You’re Declan Tiberi’s old lady aren’t you?” I gasp, bouncing on the soles of my feet.
“I’m...well...more or less—” she begins.
“Oh. My. God,” I cry, “Kassie, when did this happen?!”
“We just talked about for the first time last night,” she gushes, “He wanted to know whether I’d be happier as an old lady or a civilian wife.”
“And?” I ask.
“I don’t know yet,” Kassie says, “I need to think about it.”
“Of course.”
“Look at us, fielding all sorts of proposals,” she laughs.
“At least yours comes from a man you actually love,” I say, glaring as Bryan strides out of the restaurant with a leggy blonde on his arm. That asshole doesn’t waste any time.
“Forget Bryan,” Kassie says, “He’s terrible. And not even that good in bed, right?”
“It’s just that my life here in LA is so wrapped up in him,” I explain, “Same friends, same industry connections, same coffee shop...”
“I have an idea,” Kassie says, “Why don’t you come stay with me and Declan for a while? Get a new start. We only use one of the suites now that we’ve officially shacked up. You could stay in the other.”
“Seriously?” I breathe.
“Absolutely,” Kassie says, “Now that I think about it, this could be perfect. Are you still freelancing out there?”
“Mostly.”
“Well, how would you feel about helping me with CrowdedNest? I’m in way over my head, and I need an amazing partner.”
“Kassenia Bennett, are you offering me a job?” I ask.
“And a place to stay, if you’re interested,” she says.
“Of fucking course I’m interested,” I exclaim. My spirits rise from the gutter to the starry sky as I imagine what it will be like, living and working alongside my best friend in Sin City. And all a stone’s throw away from the Forty-Five Club.