Mixed feelings surge through me. “You want me to spy on my best friend?”

“Kinda sorta.” She starts biting her nails. My instinct tells me to hold her close and comfort her so she’s not so agitated. But she’s not mine to comfort. “I don’t know what’s going on between us. I mean, lately I feel more connected to other people…” Her voice trails off.

Connected to me? I want to ask but don’t. I have no right to be in love with her, let alone try to lure her into my life.

“I can’t promise I’ll find out anythin’, but I’ll talk to him,” I tell her.

Man, I wish someone cared about me that much. While jealousy stirs inside me, I try to ignore it. The only problem is that every time I talk to her my feelings for her get stronger.

A big smile, one that could melt any frozen heart, crosses her heart-shaped face. “Thank you, Vic,” she says, crossing the room and kissing my cheek. “You’re the best.”

Right. I’ll keep that kiss in my memory bank for a long time.

When she straightens, she puts a hand on the small of her back and winces just the slightest bit.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “Nothing.”

Yeah, right. I’ve watched her enough to know that sometimes she’s in pain. She tries to cover it up, but she can’t right now. “I don’t believe you. Tell me.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’ve got two sisters. I know when a girl says they’re fine, it’s bullshit. Talk to me.” I reach out and hold her wrist so she doesn’t walk away. “Talk to me.”

Monika doesn’t talk about herself much. It’s like she thrives on focusing on other people and not herself.

Our eyes meet and my heart kicks up a notch.

I can’t look away. It’s like she’s got a hold on me. I don’t know if she feels the connection, but I sure as hell do. And I can’t look away because I don’t want to break it.

Her intense gaze and those emerald eyes are mesmerizing. “I can’t,” she says softly.

“Tell me, Monika. Why do you wince in pain all the time?”

Pause.

She swallows and frowns, making her seem vulnerable and defeated.

I don’t let her go. I can feel it deep in my bones that something is wrong.

“I have arthritis, okay,” she finally says, her eyes still fixed on mine. “It’s kind of flaring up right now, and falling off the fence at the football field and going on the roller coaster hasn’t helped. I don’t want to talk about it. Just forget I said it.”

Arthritis?

Just hearing her reveal the diagnosis makes me want to take her in my arms and protect her from the pain she’s obviously feeling right now.

“Does Trey know?”

She holds her head up high. “No. And I don’t want you to tell him. Promise me you won’t tell him,” she pleads in an unsteady voice.

“Why?”

“Because I have it under control most of the time, and I don’t want people to treat me like I’m some invalid. Especially Trey. Ugh, I can’t believe I told you.” She looks at my hand holding her wrist with those bright green eyes. “If you treat me differently, I swear I’ll never talk to you again.”

“You went on a roller coaster,” I say. “That probably wasn’t a good idea.”

“I know. I’m stupid.” She shakes her head and puts her hand over mine. It’s an intimate gesture that makes my heart pound even faster. “Listen, Vic, I don’t want to take it easy, so I push my body to the limit. It’s a mind-over-matter thing. I’ve got to beat this. I’m gonna beat this.”

“Beat what?” comes a familiar voice from the hallway.

I turn around to see my ex standing in my doorway with a cocked brow as she catches me sitting on my bed holding onto Monika Fox’s wrist. Her hand is still over mine.

Oh, hell.

I snatch my hand back.

“Hi, Vic,” Cassidy says with a little tilt of her head. She used to tilt her head when she was trying to confront me with something I did wrong. To her, I was always doing something wrong.

Monika takes two steps away from me, obviously noting how guilty we must look. “Hey, Cassidy.”

“Hey,” I say, trying to come off as if nothing is wrong. “What are you doin’ here?”

“Dani called me and asked if I’d take her to the mall for a homecoming dress.” Her eyes narrow the slightest bit. “I thought I’d come up and say hi before I drive her. I obviously didn’t know you had company.”