Bend for Me Read online

  Jordan’s grin widened, unfazed by Melody’s hostility. “Mel, I know you hate surprises and grand gestures, but I hope you’ll make an exception just this once.”

  “Jordan Hanson.” Melody grimaced. “I swear to God, if you—”

  “Let the man speak,” Kadence cut her off. Only then did Melody realize the camera and a horrified expression crossed her face. When she turned to her boyfriend, he was already on one knee.

  “Oh, no!” Melody shook her head. “No way. This is not happening.”

  Jordan smiled at her overreaction. “Melody Cooper, I know you don’t need anyone in your life to make you happy. We both know that you’re independent and strong enough to take care of yourself.”

  Everyone in the room chuckled.

  “But I want to do it for you, if you’ll let me. You make me happy. And I want to return the favor. Every minute of every day,” Jordan said. “You’re strong and sometimes a bit stubborn. But that’s probably my favorite things about you. And best of all, you know that I’m stubborn too. When I want something, there’s no turning back. And Mel, let me tell you, I want you. So, Melody Cooper, will you marry me?”

  “I…I…”

  The camera shook as Kadence stifled a giggle. Not many people could fluster her sister, but Jordan wasn’t just anyone. He and Melody had been together since college when she shoved him out of the way in the campus bookstore because he was taking too long to pick out a notebook. The next day, Melody found out he was her TA. The two spent the first semester making one another’s lives absolute hell. And the two spent the second semester making out and raising hell. A love-hate relationship was just so very Melody. And Jordan had just the personality to complement her sister’s.

  Melody’s eyes grew wider by the second. She clenched her fists, opening and closing them at her sides as Jordan opened the ring box.

  “I…I’m sorry.” Melody rushed past the group and out the door.

  “Mel, wait!” Kadence dashed after her as she exited the building. Outside, the cool spring air swirled around her, wind blowing her hair in every direction. She hooked her fingers around the wild strands as she searched for any sign of her sister. Going with her gut, Kadence veered left. Around the corner, on one of the bus benches, sat her sister, slumped over.

  Kadence shoved her hands into her back pocket as she approached. “Hey. You aren’t trying to run away, are you?” She tilted her head at the bus schedule. Instead of a snarky comment, Melody looked up with teary eyes, sending Kadence into a fit of alarm. Her sister rarely ever cried. In fact, Kadence had only seen her cry three times. Once when each of their parents died, and the other when Kadence almost did.

  Melody didn’t cry the day she broke her arm, or when a five-year-old Kadence accidentally dropped a heavy weight on her foot. Melody Cooper didn’t cry from pain. She did though, cry from loss. And Kadence hoped that this wasn’t the case this time.

  Kadence knelt in front of her, placing both hands on her sister’s knees. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

  Melody averted her eyes, training her gaze on a very domestic couple walking their dog.

  Kadence understood. She took a seat to the older woman’s side and waited. She waited for the tension to leave her body bit by bit. She waited until Melody’s locked glassy eyes returned to the present and her shoulders deflated.

  The cool night wind nipped around them. It was getting to a point when the mornings and afternoons were reasonably warm, comfortable enough to enjoy the sun, but the nights, dark and alone, were less forgiving.

  “I saw it coming.” Melody finally spoke, shivering.

  “Well, yeah. You’ve been together what, five years now?”

  “Six.” Melody’s voice was flat.

  “Yes, so six years. You’ve been together for six years. It was bound to happen. Unless you—”

  “I don’t want to leave,” Melody interjected.

  Kadence chuckled. “Then don’t leave him. All you have to do is say ‘yes.’”

  “No, that’s not…” Melody groaned, rubbing her face. When she removed her hands, her eyes were wet, cheeks tear streaked again.

  A wave of concern rushed through Kadence’s veins.

  “Mel, please, tell me what’s wrong?”

  “Jordan got a job offer. He’s being promoted.”

  Kadence blinked, worries decreasing in severity. “But isn’t that good? He deserves it. They’re always sending him out for business trips and—”

  “It’s in Iceland.”

  Her heart stopped.

  “He wants me to go with him.”

  She pushed past the way her stomach dropped, plastering on her bravest face. “And you should.”

  Melody’s jaw was set in stone. “I can’t just leave…you.” The whispered word was lost in the bustle of traffic, but the sentiment lingered in her eyes.

  “I’ll be all right.” Kadence tried to assure her, burying the guilty feeling in her heart. Melody had always put her younger sister before herself. She was guarded and careful, because she saw what investing your heart into someone could do. What it did to Kadence when that someone was suddenly taken away.

  Melody’s bottom lip disappeared between her teeth as she struggled to voice her concerns. Kadence still understood though.

  “When does he have to decide?” Kadence asked.

  “End of the month.” Melody sniffed, wiping away her tears in anger.

  Kadence swallowed. “And the move?”

  “In three.”

  A silence fell. As much as she loved her sister, it would be selfish to have Melody stay here just because she didn’t think Kadence could take care of herself. She needed to prove to her sister she was okay without her. Jordan was good to her, and good for her. She hoped she wouldn’t let fear dictate her relationship or cause her to let go of something that could be perfect for her.

  “You don’t have to take care of me, Mel. You deserve to be happy, too.” Kadence said it like it was the most truthful statement she had ever spoken, the most important of words ever to leave her lips. She wanted happiness for Melody. That was all she ever wanted.

  “I am happy.”

  Kadence detected Melody’s honesty as a peaceful air fell across her sister. She knew Melody was thinking about Jordan. “Then say yes.”

  ***

  “So, the other day was uhh…interesting,” Emma said Saturday morning after yoga class.

  “Yeah.” Kadence nodded in agreement.

  “Is she okay?”

  “I think so. She’s just a little hesitant to get so dependent on someone else.”

  “I think we all know someone like that. But what about you? Are you okay? You seem a bit…off.”

  Kadence feigned a smile. “I’m good.”

  Emma raised an eyebrow. “You can tell me, you know. We’re friends. I’m here if you need someone to talk to.”

  “Thanks, Em.”

  Kadence knew Emma was being genuine, but she only felt comfortable talking to Melody about certain things. This time it was a little more complicated since Melody was the reason for her conflict in the first place. She had a sister, a confidant, a support system, all placed dangerously in one person. What is going to happen when that person leaves? Hopefully not the same thing as last time. Emma had said they were friends, something she hadn’t allowed herself to have in a long time. But lately, she’d found herself befriending quite a few new people.

  “Do you maybe wanna hang out later? Get your mind off things? Avery has been asking about you.”

  “Yeah?”

  The game she and Avery had been playing the last few days had been quite comical. Even amongst the chaos of Melody’s proposal meltdown, the texts Avery had been sending her always managed to take her mind off things. Kadence found herself wishing for more of them, especially the horrendously attempted pick-up lines. Kadence would giggle rereading them before typing back a witty response.

  “Well, mainly she’s been asking about her hat. But
same difference.”

  Kadence laughed. “It’s in my car. Do you wanna just give it to her?”

  Emma shook her head. “Nah, maybe later tonight. For now, it’ll at least give her something else to obsess about instead of just the one. She could use the distraction.”

  “Her art show still stressing her out?”

  “You have no idea.” Emma rolled her eyes. “She always gets like this around this time of the year, but it’s even worse with the show added on top of it.”

  Kadence wanted to ask what she meant by ‘this time of year’ but resisted the urge to pry. If Avery wanted to share, she would let her do so on her own time. That’s what Kadence would want for herself, anyway. Besides, they had only ever hung out a few times and texted a few conversations. That most likely didn’t constitute as the “pour your heart out and let me into your soul” point just yet. Things between her and Avery were light and easy. Kadence wanted to keep it that way.

  “Maybe you should invite Avery to hang out with us.” So much for light and easy.

  Chapter Seven

  AVERY HADN’T MOVED SINCE Emma left that morning. In fact, she probably hadn’t moved since a few days ago. Her stomach was literally eating itself, but she couldn’t do much other than snack on a handful of chips, washing the saltiness down with a dangerous mix of coffee and energy drink.

  Occasionally, she would attempt to convince Kadence for her hat back, but even those attempts were half-hearted. Her mind was enslaved by the gallery exhibition and everything else came second. She tried compliments and pick-up lines, her usual go-to, but those didn’t quite seem to charm the woman the way Avery had hoped. She refused to beg, but she did come pretty close this morning. Almost, but not quite. She couldn’t bend just yet.

  From her small corner of the apartment, Avery busied herself in the studio. She vaguely detected the sound of jingling car keys, signaling her roommate’s return. She pivoted on her heels, palette still in hand, as she used her free hand to lock the door. She was going to be in for an earful if Emma found out she had skipped yet another meal.

  “Avery! Hey, yo, blondie. I know you’re in there.” The rap of knuckles sounded on the door.

  Avery tiptoed to her canvas.

  A jiggle of the knob followed another set of harsh knocks.

  “Don’t make me go in there. Avery Ass-wipe Bennett, come out.”

  “It’s Aselin. And I already did. Four years ago.”

  “This is not a closet.” She could practically hear her roommate rolling her eyes. “And if it was, it would probably be easier than having to pick this lock again.”

  The click of the latch followed, and the door swung open with a bang. Avery’s shoulders tensed at the disturbing sound. She turned to her roommate in defeat. Avery knew she was a mess, paint streaked through her hair and across various parts of her body. The circles under her eyes were so dark it was a wonder she was still standing on her own.

  “Avery,” Emma cooed, pulling open the blinds.

  Avery squinted, shielding her eyes. She blinked a few times as her dry eyes, now watering from sensitivity and lack of sleep, adjusted to the new atmosphere. She eyed her canvas, immediately regretting her decision when the white reflection seared into her retinas.

  “Damnit, Em. Now the lighting’s all off.”

  “You can deal with contrast later. Food. Now.” Emma grasped her by the wrist. Emma was being a good friend, but Avery just wanted to focus on getting her paintings done, no matter how much of a roadblock she was having in the creativity department. If she focused on this, it would keep her mind from drifting back to Logan.

  Avery shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

  “Fine. We don’t need to get food. But you still need to get out of the apartment. You’re practically molting.” She emphasized her point by picking a strand of oily hair between her fingers, rubbing the grease on her shirt. “Go shower and let’s get you some fresh air.”

  “Nooooo,” Avery whined, stomping her foot. She was being stubborn and downright childish, but she was frustrated and angry and hurt. All of these emotions were hindering her from creating something beautiful. All of these emotions were preventing her from seeing lights and colors. All of these fucking emotions because of one fucking fuckboy.

  Emma pointed in the direction of the bathroom. “March.”

  Avery chided herself for letting Logan get under her skin yet again. This week marked the anniversary of her getting her heart broken. Twice in one week. First with her father’s death. Second, with the end of her only serious relationship. She had the right to be in a sour mood.

  Emma shook her head as she looked through the unfinished works scattered across the floor. At least she was willing to give Avery a few more minutes to wrap up at a stopping point. Instead, Avery spent the allotted minutes wringing her hands as her roommate surveyed her progress.

  “These are gonna be great, Avery,” Emma encouraged with a gentle smile. “But don’t you think maybe you should step away from them for a little? Come back in a bit and look at them from a new perspective.”

  It was something her father used to tell her when she got hung up on certain concepts she couldn’t perfect. This was why they were best friends. Even at her worst, Emma still knew what to say to get Avery to clear her mind.

  “What do you say? Wanna take a break?”

  Avery nodded, setting down her brush. “Just for tonight. Then it’s back to work.”

  Emma nodded in agreement. “Then it’s back to work.”

  They worked together to clean the brushes, capping the tubes of paint before closing the studio door and heading toward the bathroom.

  “Thanks, Em.” Avery pulled Emma into a tight squeeze. “Really.”

  “All right, Bennett. Don’t get mushy on me now.”

  ***

  Avery expected hiking. She expected kayaking. Hell, she even expected skydiving when it came to Emma. What she did not expect was Kadence Cooper sitting in her living room with her snapback in her lap, fingers laced as they rested beside the cap. Her hair was tussled on her shoulder, a simple white top and black skinny jeans adorned her curves, fitting her delicate frame. Even with the monochromatic tones, all Avery saw was color. Specifically, forest green. Like fresh grass and towering trees. Like the earth and clarity. She swallowed. She shouldn’t be thinking this much about an outfit. Avery equated the lack of sanity to paint fumes and being trapped in the studio for too long. It was just Kadence. Just another girl. She stood straighter as she approached.

  “Hey, gorgeous. Did you miss me?”

  Kadence beamed at her with sparkling green eyes. “Hello, Avery. Emma invited me to hang out.”

  “I’m glad she did.” Avery shot her a sultry grin.

  “You look nice,” Kadence complimented, offering Avery her snapback.

  As Avery accepted it, her fingers brushed against Kadence’s, eyes still locked on green. A shiver skyrocketed up her spine. That’s not good. “Is this your way of saying I don’t look like a drunken mess for once?” Avery tugged the accessory onto her blonde waves with a wink.

  Kadence chuckled. “No. Just, you look nice.”

  No banter, just a straightforward compliment. Avery’s heart pounded. That is definitely not good.

  She rubbed at the back of her neck. “Well, thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” Kadence brushed her hair across her shoulder, giving Avery a whiff of dizzying perfume.

  Avery’s stomach did a dance. What’s happening to you, Bennett? You need to get laid.

  “So, what are you thinking?”

  Shit. So many things. Most of them inappropriate. “Uhh…what do you mean?” As Avery cocked her head, a blonde tress fell across her eyes. She curled her lip, blowing it in place with a puff of breath. Kadence gave a look of, well, Avery couldn’t quite place it. But in a flash, it was gone.

  “What would you like to do? Emma said you could pick the activity for the evening.”

  Avery’s m
ind immediately went to the gutter.

  “Nothing sexual,” Kadence reprimanded, already reading Avery’s mind.

  “Life’s too short.” Avery shrugged, trying to make light of the situation.

  “It really is.”

  Something about the way she spoke the three words made Avery wonder if Kadence understood. If she had seen loss, too. Avery tried to not imagine a frown on that breathtaking—Whoa, now. Settle down. Kadence is hot but calling her breathtaking is not okay. She pushed the thoughts aside, crediting it to Kadence’s aesthetics. Yeah, that’s it. I’m an artist. Kadence is aesthetic. That’s. All.

  “So, what’s the plan, ladies?” A third voice broke the two out of the staring contest Avery hadn’t realized they were having until she blinked.

  Avery shrugged. “Whatever you guys want to do, I guess?”

  “Aww come on, Avery. That’s not fun,” Emma booed. “The sun’s shining. We have a whole afternoon and evening to us.” She opened her arms, gesturing at the windows. “We could go hiking.”

  “No.” Avery shot down while noticing Kadence grinning in her peripheral vision.

  “Bikes?” Her roommate suggested.

  Avery shook her head.

  “Fishing?” Emma supplied.

  Avery was pretty sure that one was just to annoy her. She scrunched up her nose, earning a laugh from Emma and a stifled giggle from Kadence.

  “Well, for fuck’s sake, Avery, then you come up with something,” her roommate said with a teasing groan.

  She was about to object when Kadence stepped in, interrupting their bickering with a sly grin. “I think I might know something we can all do.”

  Emma grabbed the keys, tossing them to Kadence. “Lead the way, Cooper.”

  ***

  The Arkade. Avery mentally cringed at the horrendous choice of typeface and uneven kerning. Neither Avery nor Emma had ever heard of the establishment, but Kadence seemed intent on strolling straight through the doors of the shady-looking complex. It looked like the remnants of a deserted warehouse.