Or loved.

And Mekena was both of those things.

“What is his deal?”

Avery leaned forward, inches from Mekena as she met her gaze. “Whose?”

“Markus. Why is he talking to me? Earlier at the rink, he caught me from falling and called me beautiful and shit. What the hell?”

Avery’s eyes widened. “No, he didn’t.”

“He did! Like, what in the world? You cheated on me, you broke my heart, and you’re trying to talk to me? No way.” Tearing her gaze from her best friend’s, Mekena looked to where Markus was watching them, leaning against the bar, a beer in his hand. He was wearing a pair of slacks, his green shirt tucked in loosely with his tie barely tied. It was disgustingly hot, and she needed help for being turned on by his messiness, but she couldn’t help it. He was delectable. “He needs to go on somewhere with that mess. We both know he is just trying to fuck with me.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Avery said, and Mekena met her gaze. Avery wasn’t laughing, but she wanted to.

“I hate you.”

“Mekena, you still get that gooey look in your eyes when you look at him. You don’t have to lie to me, I know you like that he caught you and called you beautiful. I know you, and I also know you don’t want to like those things. That you want to hate him, but you can’t ’cause you don’t hate anyone.”

“I hate my sister.”

“No, you don’t,” she said simply, shaking her head. “You’re mad, and I don’t know if you’ll forgive her, but you don’t hate her. If she were to fall and break an ankle, you’d make sure she was okay before you fist-pumped.”

Mekena rolled her eyes, grumbling as she looked away. “Whatever.”

“You know I’m right.”

“I know I’m about to start not liking you,” she warned, and Avery laughed.

“Yeah, okay,” she said between her chuckles as she leaned back in her chair. Mekena knew Avery thought she was right, but in a way, Mekena was pretty sure she was talking about “Before Mekena.” Before Mekena hadn’t ever been a spiteful girl, nor was she ever a grudge-holder. She usually let things roll right off her back. But then everything happened with Markus and Skylar, and well over a year later, “Now Mekena” was still upset about it. But maybe that was normal. She went from idolizing her sister, believing she ruled the world, to thinking her sister was the biggest whore this side of the Red River. With Markus, she’d seen and talked to him every day, and then it was over. She never got the closure God and everyone kept saying she needed, and maybe they were right.

But how could she stand there and listen to him tell her that she wasn’t enough? That she didn’t give it up quick enough? She didn’t think she could. But she didn’t like the person she was now. She wasn’t happy; she was just going through life because she had to. Maybe she would grow to be a bitter cat lady, angry like Mr. Right. Maybe she’d get really overweight like him and hiss at people for snacks. As she sat there staring into her best friend’s eyes, she really considered it.

But then, when would she have time for her gorgeous best friend?

“You look really pretty tonight.”

Mekena’s cheeks reddened as she waved Avery off. “Don’t do that. I was thinking about being an overweight cat lady and hissing at people for snacks.”

Avery’s brows rose, and then they both started laughing. Leaning back in her chair, Mekena realized it felt so damn good to laugh and be goofy with her best friend. “I’ve missed hanging with you like this, Avery.”

Avery grinned, reaching over the table to take Mekena’s hands in hers. “And I’ve missed you. But really, let’s not be an angry hissing cat lady and maybe roll with it.”

“Roll with it?”

“See what he has to say,” she said, and silence fell between them as they stared into each other’s eyes. They had been friends for a long time. Mekena knew things about Avery probably only Jace knew. And Avery knew just as many things about Mekena. But Avery’s words scared her. She knew Avery would only want the best for her, but didn’t she remember how bad off Mekena was? How much she cried, how she couldn’t leave her room, how she basically ran away? She didn’t want to be that girl again. She couldn’t be that girl. But was she even the kind of girl she liked now? Something had to give, but the only option she saw was talking to Markus.

Which she wasn’t sure she could do.

But maybe she could listen.

Or maybe she’d be an angry cat lady with lots of snacks since she’d buy them and no one could tell her no.

“Hey, girls!”

Mekena looked up to see Elli Adler standing beside her, pulling a chair out. “Is this seat taken?”

“Of course not, take it,” Avery said as Elli sat. She held her hand out to Elli. “I don’t think we’ve officially met. I’m Avery Sinclair, Jace’s wife.”

“Yes!” Elli said, holding her hand and shaking it earnestly. “It’s so good to meet you. I think the last time was Baylor’s wedding, and we all know how crazy that day got.”

Mekena’s stomach dropped a bit from the memory of it. She wasn’t there but she arrived a couple days later, and she could still remember the look on Jayden’s face as he retold almost losing Baylor. His love for her was so beautiful, so strong, and he had looked white as a ghost still, three days later. It was obvious it had shaken his core good.

“Yeah, it was,” Avery said, shaking her head. “Thank God everyone is okay.”

“Oh, I know. Lord, I couldn’t imagine.”

“Me either,” Mekena added, and Elli smiled as she looked over at her.

“Enough with that, I can’t handle it all again. Tell me we’re still good for Monday?”

Mekena smiled. “Yes, we are.”

“Oh, good. I was worried.”

“Worried, why?”

“’Cause I tried to set you up with my nephew when I knew from the beginning you wouldn’t be interested.”

Mekena’s face darkened with color. “It’s not that I’m not interested, it’s just not a good time for me.”

“And he’s young.”

“Only about a year,” Mekena said, though, in her head, Ryan Justice acted like a fifteen-year-old. So not her type. He was beautiful, but not her type.