Tyler's Undoing

4. Kacey

4

KACEY

“How is your grandma doing today?” Bree asked as I got into her little silver car.

I didn’t think I was being so obvious, but she must have noticed my sadness as I walked out of my grandmother’s house. As always, I smiled and tried to stay hopeful, even though I knew there wasn’t going to be much time left. “Well, her nurse showed up about an hour ago and we talked for a little while, discussing what the plan was for when . . .” Closing my eyes, I bit my lip and blew out a shaky breath, hoping I wouldn’t break into tears. I couldn’t even finish what I wanted to say.

Bree reached over and took my hand, squeezing it tight as she pulled out of the driveway. We were headed to the gym to work out because she was a good friend and thought I should get out of the house and spend some time in an environment where I could let my mind go free. I knew she was right, I just needed someone to drag my a*s there.

When I came to take care of Nana, I knew it would be difficult when her health went downhill. Knowing, and seeing it actually happen, are two completely different things. At first, she was so full of life, but then the cancer started to spread and slowly took over.

My family, a.k.a. my mother and my older brother, had wanted to put her in a nursing home. This way, they wouldn’t have to worry about her. But I couldn’t bear to see that happen, so I moved to Las Vegas over a year ago, specifically to take care of her. I had no clue what I was going to do after the cancer took her from this world. Would I stay here or move back home to California? I just didn’t know.

For the past year, Cindy James—my grandmother’s nurse—always worked the afternoon and night shift, leaving me free to get my errands done before going to work. Nana needed full-time care and it was getting to the point where I couldn’t handle it on my own anymore.

Turning to Bree, I saw her chocolate brown hair was pulled off of her face into a low ponytail, and she already had her black yoga pants and pink tank top on. I looked similar in a pair of dark purple yoga capris and a teal tank top. It was just easier to head over in our workout clothes, than changing in the locker room at the gym.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked nervously. “You know you don’t have to hide your feelings from me.”

“I know, Bree. I just want to stay strong for her, even though it’s a battle every day to convince myself I can handle it. She’s the closest family I have, and without her, I’ll be alone.”

She technically wasn’t the only family I had, but she might as well have been. Bree Sanderson was my friend and we’d been inseparable since I started working with her in the Venetian Las Vegas resort at the AquaKnox. We were both twenty-five-year-olds, working as baristas until we could earn enough money to get out on our own.

Sometimes I think fate brought us together. Even though we’d only been friends for a year, I considered her family . . . more so than my own mother and older brother.

“What about your family, Kacey? Have you talked to them? Do they know how fast her health is fading?” She was being cautious.

She knew I didn’t like talking about my family, nor did she know the specifics of why I wanted to leave them. I figured it was best keeping the details of my dysfunctional family a secret for as long as I could.

“No, I haven’t talked to them, and neither has my grandmother.”

My grandmother was my father’s mother, so my mom didn’t give a s**t what happened to her. Her worthless a*s was too busy using her rich son as a meal ticket. My brother still tried to keep in my life by sending checks every month, but every time one would come, I’d shred it. I didn’t need his handout, or anyone else’s for that matter.

Money can’t buy forgiveness . . . or redemption.

Wanting to change the subject, I blew out a frustrated breath and sighed. I needed something to keep my mind off of my dying grandmother and my worthless family. “Okay, so what’s this gym you’re taking me to? Are there any cute guys?” I asked, trying to plaster a smile on my face.

Bree chuckled and winked, knowing very well that I needed her optimism. “Of course there are! Why do you think I go there? It’s hard to meet guys when we’re busy working. What better way than to meet them at the gym? I’ve met some pretty nice ones there too, but you already know about them. Now that the owners renovated the whole place, it’s even better.”

I didn’t have time to date anyone with my schedule the way it was, which often times made it kind of lonely. So far, I hadn’t found anyone worth dating anyway. Still, there was nothing wrong with looking.

“All right, we’re almost there,” Bree mentioned excitedly. “I figured we could work out for an hour and then rush to my apartment to take showers and change before our shift starts. Sound good?”

I nodded. “Yeah, that sounds great.” Pulling into the parking lot, I couldn’t believe all of the cars. The place was packed.

Laughing, Bree bumped her shoulder into mine and opened her car door. “Trust me, Kace, the place is a lot bigger than you think. This is nothing. Besides, some of the people aren’t even here to work out.”

Getting out of the car, I narrowed my gaze in confusion. That made no sense. I followed alongside until we were almost to the door. “Why would people come here if they weren’t planning on working out?”

With her hand on the door, she smiled and bit her lip. “You’ll see,” she sang. “Follow me and enjoy, sweetheart.”

Intrigued and excited, I followed her inside and took one good look around the massive establishment before I wanted to scream. I’d just stepped into my own personal nightmare—a hell which haunted me from years ago. Will I never get away from my past? It wasn’t her fault, Bree had no idea about my past life.

“Come on, girl,” she said, taking my arm and pulling me toward the welcome desk. “Let’s get you signed up to be a member, shall we?”

Blowing out a nervous breath, I nodded quickly and plastered a smile on my face. I’d ** for her, but I had no plans on ever coming back.

Please, God, don’t let anyone recognize me.