“Age-old question, girl.” Vonnie is the only one brave enough to answer.
“So,” Marie says. “What are we going to do?”
“Seriously, you can’t let him do this, especially when it won’t even help you.” Liv tells me something I already know.
I march over to the front door and grab my keys out of the bowl. “I’m going to go over to his house and yell at him! That’s what I’m going to do.”
“One problem with that plan.” Brynn is in my kitchen, opening all of my cabinets until she finally finds my wine glasses. “They’re at the hotel and it’s like Fort Knox in that bitch, no way you’re getting to him.”
Tears spring to my eyes as I think about his parents, about Patricia and Bill, and about all of the people who are feeling so inspired by him. My heart aches as I imagine how let down he will be in himself for giving in.
I can’t let that happen.
“I have to stop him.” I will never forgive myself if he does this.
But even more than that, I won’t forgive myself if I don’t fight for him.
At first, I was so wrapped up in my righteous anger that he would use the things I confided in him about against me. I was so mad that it was easy to ignore that he wasn’t trying to hurt me, he was trying to help me. He knew what I was struggling with, even when I didn’t. And just like I’ve been doing for my entire life, I ran from those feelings instead of confronting them.
I’m done running.
I know he won’t answer my calls. He might read my texts, but he deserves so much more than that. And I need to prove not only to him, but to myself, that I can fight for something, no matter how hard it might be. I have to see him.
“Oh goodness.” Marie straightens from her slumped-over position on my couch. “That’s your determined face. What are you thinking?”
“I’m not exactly sure, but I know I’m going to need all of your help.” I’ve always been the person to help, not the person who asks for it. But I know if I’m going to be able to do this the right way, I have to get over myself.
“So she does know how to ask for help!” Brynn walks back into my living room. “Miracles do happen!”
That seems a little dramatic.
“Oooh!” Greer puts down her cupcake and claps. “I have the perfect list of power affirmations for this!”
“Do we need TK to bring the whiteboard?” Poppy rubs her ever-expanding belly with one hand and reaches for her phone with the other. “This feels like a whiteboard mission.”
I hate to admit how much I love the idea of the whiteboard, but it’s the mention of TK that really gets my mind working.
“I think we can manage without the whiteboard, but I might need you to call TK.” I cross the room and grab my computer. “Does he still talk to some of the other players?”
“Umm . . . yeah.” Poppy’s eyes shift around the room as she struggles to sit up straight.
“Are you going to fill us in on what’s going on in that mind of yours or are we supposed to guess?” Brynn, forever the smart-ass, asks. “The suspense is killing me.”
“I need to show Quinton how much I believe in him and what he’s fighting for.” I sit down on an empty spot on my couch, trying to work this idea out in my head. “But I think I need to show him that it’s not just me who believes in him. He’s been fighting for everybody but himself and refuses to let anyone else help him.”
“Something else you both have in common,” Marie chimes in and gets nods of agreement from everyone in the room except for me.
“Rude.” I try to glare at them, but I don’t have it in me. “Fair. But still rude.”
“Glad you’re finally seeing the light.” Vonnie leaves her post at the wall and sits on the arm of my couch. “Now what’s the plan and how can we help?”
“I need you to help me get in touch with all the Mustangs. It’s time Quinton has backup in this fight.”
Vonnie stands back up, striding across the room until she reaches her purse and pulls out her phone. “Calling Justin now.”
Obviously I know Vonnie isn’t on the best of terms with Justin, so the fact that she would do this without hesitation makes my heart burst.
“We don’t have Mustangs contacts.” Liv grabs Marie’s hand. “But we’re in for whatever crazy plan you’re dreaming up right now.”
“Always and forever,” Marie says.
God.
I thought I was alone—that I never fit in—while all along I was surrounded by the best friends a person could ask for. Even if Quinton and I never speak again, I will always be so grateful to him for waking me up to how lucky I really am. Not only did he hold my hand through one of the hardest times in my life, he introduced me to the most amazing women.
But before I go thanking him, I’m going to save him first.
“Okay.” I put my communications hat back on as my fingers hit the keys on my computer. “I’m going to draft a script of sorts for you all. If you’re on the phone, it’s just a general list of talking points to help get the players on board. I’ll also write an email that we can send out. I think an email will be the fastest, but obviously a phone call is more personal.”
“Yeah, obviously.” Greer is nodding along, but it’s clear by the deer-in-headlights look she’s sporting that she has no idea what’s happening. And considering I’m making all of this up as I go, that’s understandable. “So what exactly are we calling to ask for?”
“Help. That’s how change is going to happen.”
“I just
