Her Best Men

“Yes, like telling the father, and –”

“No, I can't tell him,” I said. “I won't tell him.”

Jenn cocked her head to the side. “Why not?”

“Because it's Leo,” I said.

Jenn missed everything that happened the night before. She didn't see the way he acted. She didn't know the things he'd done to me. The harmful, hurtful things.

“Jenn, Leo is-”

She waited a moment and then looked at me, encouraging me with her eyes. “Leo is what, hon?”

I tried to tell her he was abusive, but the words were lost on me. Instead, I lifted my shirt and showed her the bruises which were healing on my body. At last.

With her eyes full of tears, she hugged me close, not saying a word. Not needing to say anything at all.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN - QUINN

I'd left Driftwood a little early. Nate, one of the cooks we'd hired, had it handled, and it was a slow night. Besides, it would give Cason a chance to get over here. When I opened the door to the house though, I found it empty. Or at least the living room was.

I walked down the hallway. “Hailey? Cason?” I called out.

“We're in here,” a small, feminine voice called out from the master bedroom.

I poked my head in the door and found Hailey sitting on the bed with Jenn. Hailey was curled in a fetal position, sleeping. Jenn stared up at me with tired brown eyes.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, she's had a rough day,” Jenn said, stroking her best friend's hair.

My heart raced. “Did Leo –”

“Oh no,” Jenn said, trying to keep her voice low.

She didn't elaborate, however, and I had a feeling she wouldn't talk no matter how many questions I'd asked. Jenn had always been a good friend to her and a stalwart guardian for Hailey, so I knew better than to press.

“Do you need anything?”

“I have to head home soon, my kids need me,” Jenn said, but she didn't move from the bed. “I just don't know what to do.”

“I'm here,” I said. “I'll keep an eye on her.”

“I don't know about –” her phone buzzed, and she muttered under her breath. “Dammit. My son needs my boob, they're out of milk. Do you think you could keep an eye on her? I can be right back?”

“Sure thing, Jenn,” I said.

She pulled herself off the bed as if it was a struggle to leave her best friend's side. I had no idea what had happened, and as much as I wanted to find Cason, I wasn't sure I should leave her alone. I sat down on the bed beside her and stared down at her. Her face was mostly covered by her long hair, but her perfectly upturned nose peeked out from it and I fought the urge to kiss it.

“I'll be right back,” Jenn said.

“No rush,” I said, pushing the hair from Hailey's face. “I'm here for her.”

Jenn's face softened, and she looked like she might melt into the carpet. I had to urge her, again, to go.

“Your baby needs the boob, remember?”

She laughed. “Yeah, I'm going,” she said.