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The following day, Alessandra woke up in Drake’s bed with a pounding headache. She was hungover without the party. She blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog from her vision, and groaned as she stretched her aching body.
Drake entered with a cup of coffee and painkillers. He handed her the cup first and held his palm flat with the round white pills.
“You’re going to need the caffeine and these for the headache. After that, we can take a warm shower.”
“Leave me alone, Drake.” Her voice was hoarse.
She rolled away from him and pulled the blanket over her head again. They needed to talk, but she didn’t have the energy. Wallowing in self-pity was far more appealing than confronting her cheating husband.
“Fine, Alessandra. I’ll leave these on the nightstand for you when you’re ready.”
He left the room, and she sighed in relief. That was until he re-entered with a glass of orange juice a few minutes later.
“Make sure you keep your fluids up. Beth will be here soon. She and Noah are taking you out for the day. We’ll talk when you get home tonight.”
“We have nothing to talk about, Drake!” She spoke with false bravado. There was so much they needed to discuss, but she couldn’t let him gain the upper hand again.
Drake leaned down and tried to kiss the top of her head, but she pushed him away before he could make contact. He stepped back with a frown.
“Clearly, you’re upset about yesterday. I had a shitty night and drank too much. I was too drunk to drive home and passed out in my office. It was thoughtless not to call, and I’m sorry.”
“I don’t care what you do anymore, Drake. Just leave me alone.”
“Bella.” His tone was a warning.
“Please, just go away.”
Drake sighed and left her to cry alone in bed.
At some point, she was all cried out and grabbed the cup of coffee. It was ice cold by the time she finally took a sip. She shook her head and put down the mug. She turned her attention to the glass of juice to wash down the painkillers before heading to take a long shower.
She did feel better once she was clean. A caffeine serum helped remove some of the puffiness from her eyes. Makeup did wonders to cover her blotchy skin, and a classy new outfit from her closet boosted her confidence. She paired a low-cut navy-blue blouse with high-waisted cream linen pants.
The bell rang just as she finished getting ready. Beth greeted her with a big smile and a warm hug when she answered the door.
“This is going to be so much fun! I’ve always dreamed of spending the day with my sister!” Beth exclaimed, practically bouncing.
“I’m looking forward to it too.” And she actually meant it as she returned Beth’s hug with a smile. The other woman’s energy was infectious.
“Noah’s meeting us at the café. I figured we could grab a quick bite and put a small dent in my brother’s wallet.”
“That sounds great.”
Alessandra grabbed her purse, and they headed out the door. It was one of those warm fall days that every Chicagoan lived for, where the sun shines, and the weather warms up, making it feel like summer for one more day.
Noah greeted them with a smile as they arrived at the outdoor café. He hugged Alessandra, and she felt a warmth she hadn’t felt in days. Though their last outing had ended on a tense note, all was forgiven between the friends.
Noah turned toward Beth and hugged her as well, spinning her around as she laughed. He kissed her on the cheek, then draped an arm around Beth’s shoulders and wrapped the other around Alessandra’s waist.
“How’d I get so lucky with you two sexy ladies on my arm?”
“You’re always such a rascal! Did you know Noah was my first kiss, Alessandra?”
“No!” she gasped.
“It’s true! We’re the same age, and we grew up together. One day we decided to practice kissing, and who better than your best friend?” Beth’s ponytail swished as she threw her head back with a laugh.
“I was experimenting, and we were like six!” Noah said.
