Chapter Fifteen
Stasia had just finished packing her suitcase when a knock came at the door. Her heart skipped a beat and she cringed. Who could want her now? Maxim and Vinny weren’t exactly the early morning type, so she doubted either one of them had managed to drag themselves out of bed at this early hour. And Myra was probably already back in her cozy corner office, congratulating herself on making such a bold decision to fire and threaten a member of the royal family. All she wanted was to leave this tiny town and go home to lick her wounds. Couldn’t she do that in peace?
She tried to shake off the bitterness and went to open the door. Ashley stood there dressed in tiny denim shorts and a tight apricot tank. Bracelets encircled her ankles and she’d stuffed her feet into thin flip flops.
“Stasia!” She threw herself into Stasia’s arms and hugged her tight.
“Ashley? What’s going on?”
“Oh, it’s so terrible. Everyone’s talking about it.” She pulled back and stared at Stasia with a stricken face. “Billy’s garage burned down last night. The Chevelle’s toast. They’ve arrested a couple werewolves from the local pack for it. They’ll pay for what they’ve done, but I’m worried about Billy. I’ve never seen him like this before.”
Stasia pressed her hand to her mouth and closed her eyes. That garage had been Billy’s way of finding worth in this world again. And now it was gone. She could only imagine the pain he was going through.
“I’m so sorry for his loss,” she said, opening her eyes. “Tell him that for me, would you?”
“Can’t you go to him yourself?” Ashley asked, biting her lower lip. “Can’t you help him?”
Turning away, Stasia walked toward her suitcase. She wanted nothing more than to take this burden from Billy’s shoulders, but what could she do? He hated the very sight of her. After the events of yesterday, he probably wished he’d never met her. The last thing he needed was to see her. It would only add to his pain.
“I don’t think that’s wise,” she said, closing her suitcase and zipping it shut.
Maybe she wouldn’t wait for those two lazy piles to wake up. She should just go pound on their doors and remind them who’s boss. Another hour in this town and she was going to split in two from anxiety.
Ashley’s voice was thick with emotion. “What do you mean? Billy needs help.” She looked at the suitcase for the first time and her eyes grew wide. “Wait...are you leaving?”
Stasia turned back to her and nodded. “As soon as the boys get up, we’re returning home. I lost my job and I’ve lost Billy. I’ve done all the damage I can
stomach for one decade.”
“But you can’t.” She grabbed her two buns on her head, making her hair stick out even worse. “You said you wouldn’t leave. You said you wouldn’t be replaced. I need you.”
Stasia chuckled dryly. It was a nice thought to be needed, but that wasn’t true. They didn’t need her at the broadcasting station. And no one needed her clomping all over their heart. She was a bull in a china room. Breaking everything she touched.
“Ashley, you’ve got a family in Molodoy. You’ve got great friends and people who love you. You’ve got Garret, who adores you and would take care of you in an instant, if you gave him a chance, by the way. You never needed me. I have to return home now and think about taking my royal duties seriously.”
“But you promised.” Ashley’s lower lip stuck out and she stomped her feet. It reminded Stasia of her friend as a sixteen-year-old kid. Always wanting her own way. “You promised it wouldn’t be like last time.”
“Last time was different.” She sat wearily on the edge of the bed and cradled her head. How many more times was she going to be forced to relive those memories? “I ran away because I thought your brother betrayed me and I hated him for it. Turns out, I was wrong. He didn’t do it. But now, he hates me. Don’t you see? I can’t stay here. I don’t want to hurt him anymore.”
“My brother could never hate you.” Ashley scowled and reached into her back pocket. “He’s always been in love with you. Ever since we were kids. Here’s your proof.”
She shoved a wrinkled piece of paper in Stasia’s hands. It was yellowed, but across the front she could still clearly make out her name in Billy’s handwriting.
“Ashley, what is this?” Stasia held it in her shaking hands.
“It’s the letter he wrote to you the day before you abandoned Molodoy. I saw him leave it at your house and I took it.”
Stasia’s mouth hung open. “But...why?”
“Because...” Tears filled Ashley’s eyes. She turned her head away and swallowed. “Because you were my friend. My only friend. I couldn’t let him take you from me.”
“Oh, Ashley.” Stasia shook her head. Angry tears stung in the corners of her eyes. “How could you?”
Despite the frustration of having a letter stolen from her many years ago, she felt pity for the woman standing in front of her. She knew all too well what it felt like to have no one in the world. That’s why she’d run away from home that summer. Her baby siblings were turning two-years-old and her parents seemed too busy with their youngest children to spend any time with their eldest.
The royal functions she was forced to attend were filled with people as insincere and fake as the photos in her glossy magazines. It felt like she hadn’t a friend in the world — until she came to Molodoy. And then she met Billy and things seemed to fall into place. She couldn’t blame Ashley for acting so irrationally. She’d done the same to her own family.
As the shock subsided, she got up off the bed and placed a gentle hand on Ashley’s trembling shoulder. “Thank you for telling me and for keeping the letter all this time. I’m not angry at you. Kids do foolish things.”