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Aurelia is a former model-turned-designer under the name Lia Sage. She was Zax and Grey’s former stepsister and reunited with Zax when she came to work at his family’s fashion empire as a design intern. The two of them had a lot of drama, but ultimately fell in love. I’ll admit, Zax was the last one of us I thought would ever fall in love again after the way he lost Suzie. Her death haunted him for eight years.
“Speaking of, I brought alcohol.”
She laughs, taking the proffered bottle of tequila from my hand. “Is this for me or you?”
I meet her blue eyes. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Though she looks nothing like Layla, their basic features are similar and it’s throwing me a bit. “Both,” I answer honestly. “Do I look that rough?”
“You look like a man who has more on his mind than he wants to think about.”
Never in my life have I heard a more brilliantly accurate description of myself.
“You hit the nail on the head.”
“Then come on and let’s get you a drink.”
I follow her through the massive penthouse in the direction of the kitchen which is open to the dining room. Zax, Asher, Lenox, Greyson, and Fallon are all sitting at the table, laughing about something I missed as they sip on drinks and pick at appetizers. But seeing Fallon makes me think of Oliver because she works with him, and thinking of Oliver makes me think of Layla. Yeah, I might be a tad bit fucked.
Not to mention everyone here knows Oliver as well as the rest of the Fritzes. Boston celebrities are a small club, and we attend the charity balls the Fritz’s family foundation hosts a few times a year. Hell, Oliver even does some modeling for Monroe Fashions, Zax’s fashion company. I wouldn’t exactly call us close since they’re a bit older than us, but we’re definitely friendly with them.
“Hey!” everyone exclaims when they catch me walking in. They stand and we all do the bro hug-shake thing and I give Fallon a hug. Aurelia—bless her—returns with a glass of tequila on ice for me, and once again, that makes me think of fucking Layla.
Goddamn her!
The tequila wasn’t even a conscious thought. I just saw the bottle and grabbed it, but it was the same one she and I drank.
“I fucked my med student.” And yep, it came out just like that.
Everyone pauses, a lot of blinking eyes in my direction, and a heavy silence ensues because this isn’t me. I’m not this guy. I’m calculating and cautious, but I wasn’t that night. It was a rough night and I saw her, and I wanted her, and I took her.
Fallon is the first to come out of her fog. She’s a doctor and I know has had med students of her own. She clears her throat, her violet eyes on me. “Did you know she was your student when you did that?”
“No.”
I’m glad she asked, giving me the benefit of the doubt because she knows me. Fallon was Grey’s and Zax’s neighbor growing up. Grey was best friends with Fallon’s brother, but they were close too, and he’s been in love with Fallon since they were teenagers. They only recently reunited and got together. Out of all of us, Grey is the only one who continued with music. He’s still a huge rock star, bigger than ever actually.
“I didn’t,” I continue. “I met her last Friday night at my sushi place. One thing led to another and I took her home. I didn’t know who she was until Monday.”
Zax leads me over to the table, practically shoving me into an empty chair, and everyone else retakes their seats.
“When you say you didn’t know who she was, why does it sound like she’s more than simply your student?” Asher questions. Asher Reyes is a championship-winning NFL quarterback. His entire family is football royalty, but he almost blew his shot by being on the road with Central Square. He and I had wanted to leave the band, me to become a doctor, and him to finish college at a big football school so he could hopefully get drafted. We’ve never talked about that since Suzie died and I wonder if he ever felt as guilty as I did about it. Anyway… I digress.
I lean back in my chair and swallow half of my drink before looking straight at Asher. “That’s because she’s Layla Fritz.”
Once again suffocating silence fills the room.
“Here.” Aurelia goes somewhere only to return a second later with the bottle. “Top yourself off. You need it.”
Which I do, as I wait on them to fill the tense silence.
“Layla Fritz? As in Oliver Fritz’s kid?”
“Is that what he calls her?” I ask Fallon.
She nods and then gives me an apologetic shrug. “Yes. Any time he talks about her with us, he calls her his kid. I know she’s technically his sister-in-law, but…”
“Wait!” Zax holds up his hand. “I get why that’s awkward, but if she doesn’t tell anyone and you don’t tell anyone outside this room and you don’t do it again, why is this a thing?”
“Because she’s working in the emergency department this summer with him,” Fallon supplies for me, picking up a piece of cheese from one of the platters and popping it into her mouth.
