ROOM 7
Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Interruption
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The bridal shop trip had exhausted everyone. Jay dropped the dress box at her apartment, then headed to Lyra and Alex's place across the hall. Ash was already there, feet up on the coffee table, phone in hand. Emma had gone home with Clara. Keifer was out somewhere with Alex.
The three women sprawled across the couch, recovering from hours of fittings and fabric and emotional mothers.
"I need wine," Ash announced.
Lyra pointed toward the kitchen. "Bottom cabinet. Left side."
Ash disappeared. Jay closed her eyes. The day had been good. The dress was perfect. The veil was perfect. The shoes were perfect. Everything was falling into place.
Then the door opened.
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Part One: The Discovery
Care walked in first, her hand wrapped around Cole's. Neither of them noticed the three women on the couch. They were too focused on each other.
Cole kicked the door shut with his heel. His hands slid to Care's waist. Her fingers tangled in his hair. They moved like they'd done this a thousand times.
"Are you sure everyone's out?" Care murmured.
"Positive. Lyra said they'd be gone for hours."
Care laughed—low, breathy. "You're a terrible liar."
"I'm an excellent liar. You're just distracting."
He kissed her. She kissed him back. Their bodies pressed against the door. The room was dim. The curtains were drawn. They didn't see the three pairs of eyes watching from the couch.
Ash emerged from the kitchen, wine bottle in hand. She froze. Her mouth fell open.
Care's back was against the door now. Cole's hands were on her hips. Her fingers were in his hair. The kiss deepened.
Ash made a sound. Something between a gasp and a squeak.
Care's eyes snapped open.
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Part Two: The Freeze
Time stopped.
Care stared at Ash. Ash stared at Care. Cole's hands were still on Care's hips. His lips were still on hers. He hadn't noticed yet.
"Ash," Care said.
Cole pulled back. Turned. Saw Ash. Saw Lyra. Saw Jay.
His ears turned red. His hands dropped from Care's waist. He stepped back like he'd been burned.
"We can explain," he said.
Lyra leaned forward. "Can you?"
Cole opened his mouth. Closed it.
Jay grabbed a napkin from the table. Threw it at him. He caught it.
"You have a catching problem," she said.
Cole stared at the napkin. "I don't—"
"You do now."
Ash set the wine bottle on the table. Walked to the couch. Sat down. Crossed her arms. Her face was calm. Her eyes were dancing.
"Care. Cole. Sitting on the couch. Now."
Care walked to the couch. Sat beside Ash. Cole sat beside her. They looked like children caught stealing cookies.
Lyra grabbed her phone. Started typing.
"Don't," Care said.
"I'm not doing anything."
"You're texting the group chat."
Lyra looked up. "I would never."
Ash leaned over. Looked at Lyra's screen. "She's absolutely texting the group chat."
Care grabbed a pillow. Threw it at Lyra. Lyra caught it.
"You have a catching problem," Care said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Lyra problem."
Lyra tucked the pillow under her arm. "The worst kind."
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Part Three: The Interrogation
Ash leaned forward. "How long?"
Care looked at Cole. Cole looked at Care.
"How long what?" Care asked.
Ash raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been sneaking around?"
"We're not sneaking."
"You were making out against the door. In Lyra's apartment. With the lights off."
Care's face turned red. "We thought everyone was out."
Lyra pointed at herself. "I live here."
"We thought you were at the bridal shop."
"We came back early."
Care put her face in her hands. Cole put his hand on her back.
Ash wasn't done. "How long?"
Care looked up. "Three months."
The room went quiet.
"Three months?" Lyra's voice was high. "Three months and you didn't tell anyone?"
Care crossed her arms. "We wanted to be sure."
"Sure of what?"
Care looked at Cole. Cole looked at Care.
"Sure that it wasn't just—" Care paused. "Arguing."
Ash blinked. "What?"
"We've been arguing for years. Everyone said it was tension. We wanted to make sure it wasn't just that."
Lyra leaned back. "And?"
Care took Cole's hand. "It's not just that."
Cole squeezed her hand. "It's not just that."
The room was quiet. Ash was smiling. Lyra was smiling. Jay was smiling.
Care looked at them. "Why are you smiling?"
Ash shrugged. "Because we've been waiting for this."
"For what?"
"For you two to stop pretending."
Care grabbed another pillow. Threw it at Ash. Ash caught it.
"You have a catching problem," Care said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have an Ash problem."
Ash tucked the pillow behind her head. "The worst kind."
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Part Four: The Teasing
Lyra moved to the edge of her seat. "So. Details."
Care shook her head. "No details."
"Who made the first move?"
"Lyra."
"Was it during an argument?"
"Lyra."
"Was it over something stupid? Like toast?"
Care grabbed a napkin. Threw it at Lyra. Lyra caught it.
"You have a catching problem," Care said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Lyra problem."
Lyra tucked the napkin into her pocket. "The worst kind."
Ash leaned forward. "Was it romantic?"
Care's face softened. She looked at Cole. Cole looked at her.
"It was raining," Care said.
Ash's eyes widened. "Raining?"
"We were arguing. I don't even remember what about. Something stupid. Something about books."
Cole nodded. "She said my organization system was inefficient."
"Because it was."
"It wasn't."
They stared at each other. The room was quiet.
"And then?" Ash prompted.
Care looked at her lap. "And then he kissed me."
Cole's ears were red. "She kissed me back."
"In the rain?"
Care nodded. "In the rain."
Lyra put her hand over her heart. "That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard."
Care threw a pillow at her. Lyra ducked.
Jay grabbed a napkin. Threw it at Care. Care caught it.
"You have a catching problem," Jay said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Care problem."
Care tucked the napkin into her pocket. "The worst kind."
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Part Five: The Promise
The teasing went on for another hour.
Ash asked about first dates. Lyra asked about pet names. Jay asked about arguments—whether they still fought as much, whether the kissing had changed anything.
Care answered some questions. Deflected others. Cole sat beside her, quiet, steady, his hand on her back.
At some point, Ash looked at her phone. "The group chat wants photos."
Care grabbed her phone. "There's a group chat about us?"
Ash showed her the screen. Care and Cole: The Secret Files.
Care stared at it. "Freya made a folder."
"Freya always makes folders."
Care looked at Jay. "Did you know about this?"
Jay raised her hands. "I just found out."
Care looked at Lyra. "Did you?"
Lyra smiled. "I may have contributed a few photos."
Care grabbed a pillow. Threw it at Lyra. Lyra caught it.
"You have a catching problem," Care said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have a Lyra problem."
Lyra tucked the pillow under her arm. "The worst kind."
Care stood up. Pulled Cole with her. "We're leaving."
Ash pouted. "But we have so many more questions."
"Save them for the wedding."
Care walked to the door. Cole followed. She stopped. Turned.
"If anyone tells Freya—"
Lyra held up her phone. "Too late."
Care grabbed the last pillow. Threw it. Lyra ducked.
The door closed behind them.
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Part Six: The Aftermath
The apartment was quiet.
Ash looked at Lyra. Lyra looked at Jay.
"Three months," Ash said.
"Three months," Lyra said.
Jay leaned back. "I can't believe they kept it a secret."
Ash shrugged. "They're private."
"They were making out against the door."
Ash smiled. "They're private until they're not."
Lyra picked up her phone. Scrolled through the group chat. "Freya wants to know if anyone got photos."
Jay shook her head. "I was too shocked."
Ash held up her phone. "I got a few."
Lyra stared at her. "You took photos?"
Ash smiled. "I document everything."
Jay grabbed a napkin. Threw it at Ash. Ash caught it.
"You have a catching problem," Jay said.
"You have a throwing problem."
"I have an Ash problem."
Ash tucked the napkin into her pocket. "The worst kind."
Lyra grabbed her keys. "I'm going to tell Alex."
Ash stood up. "I'm going to tell David."
Jay stood up. "I'm going to tell Keifer."
They walked to the door. Paused. Looked at each other.
"September twenty-third," Lyra said.
Jay smiled. "September twenty-third."
They walked out. The door closed. The apartment was quiet.
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End of Chapter Sixty-Nine