The Life That Mattered (Life Duet 1)

He flinched, blinking several times.

“I get it, Graham. That’s why we’re friends. I think I get you better than anyone, including Lila. The good in you gets suffocated by the expectations your family places on you. I’m not an idiot. Your dad still goes on and on about Lila. She has an engineering degree. I make soap. Her parents died in a car accident—that’s tragic. My parents struggle to make ends meet because my dad was out of a job for so long with his health issues. And you paid for his treatment. That makes my parents poor and pathetic in your father’s eyes.”

“I like Ronin,” he said in a monotone voice.

I coughed a laugh. “Okay then … now we’re talking about Ronin?”

“I like him. You could use someone like him in your life.”

“Fine, Graham … I’ll bite. Define someone like him.”

He reached up, pinching a few strands of my hair between his fingers, nose scrunched.

I batted his hand away.

He smirked.

Asshole.

“Well, once Lila and I get married, she’s going to have a different life. Especially after I become governor.”

“If you become governor.”

Graham ignored my jab. We’d become experts at ignoring each other’s jabs.

“She’s going to take on a new role.”

“She has a job.”

He shrugged. “She’ll have a different job: being the governor’s wife. New duties. New friends.”

“Wait …” I laughed to keep from kneeing him in the balls for what I believed he was insinuating. “If you’re suggesting Lila and I will no longer be friends if you become governor, then you’re sorely mistaken. Also, there’s no way in hell she’s quitting a job she loves just to plan fancy dinners and attend fundraisers on your arm. No way.”

“I’m not saying you won’t be friends. I’m just saying she’ll be much busier. Your weekly lunches might be more like monthly lunches. Your endless phone chats and incessant texting will have to scale down to quick chats on a need-to basis. Her jaunts to Aspen just to make soap with you on the weekends will have to stop. I’m saying you won’t have unrestricted access to her like you have now. Therefore … back to my original statement. I think Ronin is good for you. I think he could fill the void she’s going to leave once we get married.”

I sprang to sitting, spine straight, jaw clenched.

“Stop.” Graham sat up, grabbing my arms. “You have such a knee-jerk reaction. Just … stop. We’ve been friends for over a decade. You’re the first to put me in my place when you think I’m fucking up my life. I’m the first person to come to your rescue when your life begins to fall apart. Like with your dad. I don’t know exactly what it is between us. I don’t know how I can be in love with Lila but at the same time feel so connected to you. It just is … we just … are.”

Anger muzzled my words. That hurt. Graham knew how to hurt me because he knew I needed him. Or so I thought. I didn’t know anymore. Something told me Governor Porter would no longer drive to Aspen to watch football with his buddy, Evie, while Lila read a book. He had Lila, so he no longer needed me to sing his praises. My dad had fully recovered, hopefully ending my days of begging Graham for help.

“Are you breaking up with me, Graham? Is that why you’re so smitten with Ronin? You’ve found my replacement for you?”

“You know, Evie, if you don’t stop thinking the worst of me, I’ll find it hard to pardon you if you get into trouble.”

“You’re the world’s biggest dick, Graham Cracker. Even without actually having a big dick.”

“Low blow—”

Three knocks rapped at the door.

“Can’t imagine who that might be.” Graham smirked, climbing out of bed and opening the door.

“Are you two having sex again … without me?” Lila yawned.

“Someone didn’t take her sleeping pills.” Graham tsked.

I shook my head. “Please tell me you’re not drugging my friend.”

“Not drugs, Evie. You know I would never do that.” Lila shuffled into the room. “Herbs. Valerian. I’ve had trouble sleeping while trying to work full-time and planning a wedding.” She crawled into the bed and burrowed under the covers next to me. “I didn’t take one tonight because I thought the wine should do it. But then I woke up, and Graham was gone. I knew he’d be here with you.”

“Well, I don’t want him. You can take him.”

She laughed. “I’m done with him for tonight too.”

Graham collapsed onto the bed, pressing his chest to Lila’s back so we were three spoons neatly nestled in my bed. “I’m feeling like a threesome tonight. Who’s in?” His husky voice crushed my hopes of it being a joke.

With wide eyes, I glanced over my shoulder. Graham’s hand confirmed his intent as it snaked between me and Lila, diving between her legs, rubbing her over her silk pajama bottoms.