Saved by the Cross (Cross 3)

Doyle went to the bathroom and wished she could look in the mirror. Listening to Gray talk about his drinking, she felt like a hypocrite. She didn't even know why she did drugs. Because all rich kids did? Tate and Baxter never did. Because she was an awful student? She might have been better if she wasn't high. Because she had been young and scared when Tate's best friend was killed. Things changed at home after that night. Tate cried all the time and everyone walked on eggshells. She felt like her dad favored Tate, and Amelia harped on them about staying out of trouble and appearances. Never embarrass the family. She and Kasper responded by looking for trouble. They partied but always used a driver.

She hung out with the kids she met through art classes. The classes were expensive, so they had to have money, just not Kane money. They were creative thinkers with colored hair, piercings, tattoos, and a variety of gender identities and sexual orientations. Amelia hated them all.

If Gray didn't want her to stay, she could probably crash at Aubrey's place. She lived outside of Boston in a funky loft. She did freelance animation and had never been into getting high. Their relationship got weird for a while after she hooked up with Kasper, but both had moved on. The girls had dinner together to catch up before Doyle joined Unhinged Rage on tour. Aubrey had been following her social media posts and was hot for Briggs.

Doyle hadn't missed social media in the last twenty-four hours. She had hoped to post the picture of Mick fucking which was probably why Gio stole her phone. They had one more TD Garden show and would be on the bus out of town. "Good riddance," she whispered. The first thing on her to-do list was to wipe their songs off her playlists, but not without a new phone, until then she was totally content without one.

She sighed and left the bathroom. Gray looked up at her from the kitchen. "Are you alright?" She nodded. "How's your head?"

She stood still for a moment. "It hardly hurts. My jaw and eye still ache."

He nodded again. "What about your abdomen?"

"Tender, but hopefully my ovaries work. I want kids eventually." He smiled. "What? You don't?"

"Maybe, but I'm not a long-term relationship guy. They usually last two weeks. Never longer than a month."

"Let's hope I'm outta here by then." His eyes grew wide. "Not that this is a relationship. If it were, you would be an upgrade from my last one. Honestly, I look at you and I can't remember a single reason I was so into him."

"Thanks. I think."

The awkwardness hovered around them like fog. "So what are you making?"

"Chicken. I hope you like it."

"Doesn't everyone." She had more ballroom stuffed chicken breasts than she could remember. "My brother makes an incredible lemon chicken dish."

"I'm making lemon chicken. It's really easy."

"I didn't get the cooking genes, although I like to bake." She had almost forgotten. "Honestly, I haven't baked since highschool. Maybe on break from RISD."

"What's RISD?"

"Rhode Island School of Design. I'm a freelance photographer."

"Freelance meaning you work when you feel like it?"

"Kind of, which is a good thing since my equipment is at home, and I don't have any jobs lined up. I just finished a big one."

"I'm guessing you don't take photos of babies."

She smiled. "I could. If you want me too. I could take professional looking shots with your iPhone."

"I'll keep that in mind."