Friends Like These Read online

  “I always thought I was a nice person,” she softly said. “I tried to be.”

  Landry turned so he could reach back between the seats and pat her on the knee. “Tilly, you are a beautiful person. You are brilliant and kind and loving. You have a driven side that, believe it or not, helped you survive in life. Not just what our wonderful idiot here did to you, but everything. If it wasn’t for that tenacity, that steel in your backbone, you wouldn’t be the person you are today. Frankly? We’ve been quite concerned about you over the past few months. I was worried I would need to resort to ordering you to a counsellor to talk about what’s been going on behind that quiet facade of yours.”

  She took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m sure a shrink would love a shot at what’s inside this noggin of mine.”

  “Think of this as a new stage of your life. It’s exciting. How many other people do you know who get to say they’re going to work in Hollywood, and not as a waitress or a stripper?”

  That finally drew a chuckle out of her. “What if I suck at it?”

  “Then you can at least say you gave it your best shot. And if that does happen—which I sincerely doubt it will—we will still make sure to get you out to LA several times a month to spend time with Leigh. She looked sadly lost today. I suspect she’s hiding some deep fears inside her over everything that’s happening in their lives. Lots of changes for her in the past several months, with more to come as her due date approaches. If nothing else, think of this adventure as helping one of your best friends. It’s what you love to do.”

  She let out an aggravated sigh. “You’re right. Of course,” she added with a mutter.

  “Of course.” He flashed her a handsome smile. “I am the Master, after all. I’m always right.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him and settled back in her seat for the rest of the ride home.

  Yes, she was dealing with some fears of her own. She was good at what she did here and now, but being tossed into a shark tank where she was totally unfamiliar with the territory or the players…

  That terrified her.

  And the last time she’d felt this terrified had been when Cris left her.

  Then again, my track record of surviving crap is one-hundred-percent. Maybe my luck will hold.

  With Ross and Loren’s help, she’d survived that nightmare and got back on her feet.

  She closed her eyes and tried not to think about it anymore that night. Her world would flip upside down soon enough.

  And, honestly, when she compared her situation to someone like poor Betsy, it gave her a new perspective. It reminded her of where she’d come from, and how in her case, having friends like Loren and Ross, friends who’d rallied around her, had literally saved her life and kept her going when she didn’t think she could…

  It was the least she could do in terms of paying forward the good things that had happened to her.

  If she didn’t extend that same kind of positive energy and love back to her friends, it would be like spitting in the face of all the good that had come into her life.

  They’d get Betsy through the next stage of her life, all of them would. She would help Leigh and Lucas and Nick as best she could. And who knew, maybe she’d learn some more life lessons of her own along the way.

  If nothing else, it would remind her that friends like these were the most precious gift she’d ever been blessed with in her life. And she would live every day of her life trying to never forget that or take it for granted.

  THE END

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Tymber Dalton lives in the Tampa Bay region of Florida with her husband (aka “The World’s Best Husband™”) and too many pets. Active in the BDSM lifestyle, the two-time EPIC winner is also the bestselling author of over eighty books, including The Reluctant Dom, The Denim Dom, Cardinal’s Rule, the Suncoast Society series, the Love Slave for Two series, the Triple Trouble series, the Coffeeshop Coven series, the Good Will Ghost Hunting series, the Drunk Monkeys series, and many more.

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