Face-Off at the Altar Read online

  One she had needed.

  “I’m sad this is over,” Avery said once they entered Nashville, and Mekena looked over, a smile on her face.

  “Yeah, but we can take another trip soon, can’t we?”

  “Yes, we shall plan one for the off-season. Maybe we can go to Fiji,” Avery suggested with a nod. “Find an awesome hut that will take my kid, and make Jace pay for Autumn and River to come so they can keep her while we all go out.”

  “That sounds magical.”

  “It does, and we can make Markus and Jace rub our feet, or better yet, rub sugar all over us… And eat it off us.”

  Mekena snorted as she nodded. “Yes, yes, I agree.”

  Laughing, Avery reached over, taking her hand in hers. “Did you have fun, bestie?”

  “I did,” Mekena said, smiling. “A lot of fun.”

  “Good, I worry about you.”

  “I know. I’m fine, though. I swear.”

  “Oh, I know. I made Markus keep tabs on you since I left.”

  Laughing, Mekena squeezed her hand. “Making my man keep tabs on me, how rude. I don’t lie to you!”

  Avery flashed her a grin. “Yeah, ’cause you know Markus is watching!”

  Grinning, Mekena shook her head. “He’s been wonderful.”

  “He’s awesome. I always knew that guy was it for you.”

  “You offered to kill him with me when it all went down,” she reminded her, and Avery shrugged.

  “That’s what best friends do, duh. But I knew something was up. I love Markus. I just hated him for you.”

  “Don’t tell him that, his head is big enough,” she said with a smile. “But thank you.”

  “Ain’t that the damn truth,” Avery laughed with a nod. “But things are still good, right? Y’all are all gooey and still in love?”

  Mekena nodded. “Yup, that’s my guy.”

  “Okay, good. We didn’t talk about the guys much this trip.”

  “Nope, it was about us and how much fun we are.”

  “Agreed,” she said, with her hand coming up in an “Amen” sort of way. “I’m glad you guys are doing well. I know these last couple weeks haven’t been easy, and sometimes that can be a strain on a relationship.”

  Mekena nodded, biting her lip. “Yeah, but some people are headstrong and stubborn like Markus and me. We won’t give up on each other.”

  “Good.” Avery smiled as she turned onto the road that led to Mekena’s apartment. “So what’s next?”

  “Brie hired me to shoot the holiday party at her brother’s home, so I’m going to go do that tomorrow.”

  Avery nodded. “He has Down’s, right?”

  Mekena nodded. “Yeah.”

  She had met Rod a couple times now, and he was a hoot. He hit on her the first time, but when he saw Markus, he backed off and promised never to talk to her again. Markus just laughed it off and told him he was the only other man who was allowed to tell Mekena she was gorgeous. So Rod took him literally and told Mekena every time she saw him. It was sweet, but what was sweeter was seeing Brie with her brother. Mekena wished so badly that Brie could hit the lottery or something just so that Rod could go into private care because it was honestly killing Brie to leave him in that home. Not that they were bad to him, they were good, but Mekena knew Brie wanted her brother with her.

  And after losing Skylar, Mekena understood more than she ever could have before.

  “You’ll have to send me pics,” Avery said as she pulled into the parking garage of Mekena’s apartment.

  “Aw, Markus isn’t here.”

  “Ugh, that sucks. Oh, but my rental is here. I love my husband.”

  Mekena laughed as she stared at her best friend’s profile. “You’re helping me.”

  Avery made a face. “Or, we can leave it and make Markus do it later. You know he will.”

  He would, but she didn’t want to ask that of him. He had already been so great. “Or we can do it,”

  “Or,” Avery tried, “we can unload the car, and he can do the trailer.”

  “Or…” Mekena came back with a grin. “We can do the trailer, and he can do the car.”

  Avery thought that over and then nodded. “You’re lucky I love you.”

  “I am,” she said with a laugh. “I love you too.” More than she could ever express to a woman and not sound like she was batting for the other team, but it was true. Avery had been one hell of a rock through everything, and she owed her completely. But then, that’s what best friends were for, and as they started to unload the trailer, Mekena couldn’t help but think she was lucky to have such a great support system.

  Without them, she wasn’t sure where she’d be.

  Mekena wondered if maybe that was where Skylar had gone wrong. She lost her support system because she had pushed them away. She started to self-destruct, and then next thing she knew, she was high and driving her car into the front of a semi.

  It was all on Skylar, and it took Markus, Avery, and a therapist to drill that into Mekena’s head. As much as it hurt, she knew it was true.

  Skylar wasn’t coming back, and there was nothing Mekena could do about that.

  What she could do was enjoy life. Which is what Markus said he was doing and he was enjoying it. Every day she was answered with a grin from him. He did everything to make her smile, to make her laugh, and she couldn’t love him enough. He made her live life, enjoy living, and they had so much fun. He still made her swoon, and he was constantly on her mind. He was her everything, and she was so lucky to have him.

  Life was almost perfect with Markus in it.

  If she’d thought she’d loved him before, nothing could compare to how she loved him now. He stood beside her. He was a good soul, such an understanding, perfect man, one she loved more and more each day. How could she not? He cared for anyone he met. People loved him instantly, and if they didn’t, they learned to because he kept them laughing. He was everything she wanted, everything she needed.

  She was his, and he was hers.

  Falling face first into the bed, Mekena let out a long breath as she moved her hair out of her face and looked out the windows of her apartment. She had bribed Avery to unload everything with cupcakes from their favorite bakery, Audrey Jane’s, which was a great way to end their trip. But when she said bye to her best friend, she found herself on the verge of tears. It was nice to have that female companionship, and she was going to miss Avery greatly. But she had to get home to her baby and husband, who would be home the following day.

  At least Mekena knew it wouldn’t be long before she saw her best friend again, unlike seeing her sister. Closing her eyes, Mekena decided she was down for the count, which was probably a good idea. She hadn’t cried over her sister in days, and she wanted to keep it that way. Skylar wouldn’t want her to be a mess; she’d want her to be happy and live life. So she’d honor her sister, knowing that she had done well the last couple days, and she’d continue to try to keep doing better because she wanted to live. Life was so fucking short. It could end in an instant, and Mekena wanted to make sure she got everything she could out of each day.

  She wouldn’t spend it crying, she’d spend it rejoicing, especially when she was rejoicing over the love she had with Markus and the amazing career she was building for herself. She had the position with the Assassins, which was wonderful and everything she had dreamed of: travel and photography. Everything was working out, and she was happy. Other than the lingering ache of losing Skylar.

  She knew it would dull with each passing day, or at least, she hoped it would.

  Rolling over in bed, she wasn’t sure where Markus was but knew he’d be home when he was. She thought about texting him, but her phone was in the kitchen and she just didn’t have it in her to go get it. She figured she would take a nap until he got there, but before she could close her eyes, she smiled at the sounds of Mr. Right playing in the kitchen. Markus had bought him a whole playhouse to help him lose weight, and since he was monitoring t