It would be so much easier with someone else to rely on.
For a long time, Justin and I remained silent, my thoughts weighed down by the heaviness of the past. Then suddenly, Carter dropped into the ball pit in front of me. His ringing laughter was like a life preserver that I willingly grabbed to pull myself out of my morose musings.
I managed a smile for him. He was my bright light. My beacon. I would do anything for him.
“Good night.” I closed the apartment door and turned, leaning heavily against it as Carter trudged on into the apartment, heading for his bath and bed.
I was in so much trouble.
Dinner had gone by like a scripted scene from a chick flick. Justin had been gracious and charming, sharing childhood stories about himself and Avery during appetizers and entrees and carefully coaxed embarrassing details about me from Carter during dessert.
All day long he’d focused on Carter and me. He’d been attentive and helpful and listened to my story about Richard as if nothing in the world was more important than figuring out what made me tick. After that, he’d seemed sensitive to my mood and had changed tactics in the way he treated me. He’d toned down the playful flirting. There’d been no more whispers in my ear telling me how beautiful I was or how much he wanted me, though I still caught him watching me with heated eyes.
I’d let down my guard with him countless times during the day. Instead of pushing him away which would have been wise, I’d let him come even closer. I’d never felt even a fraction of the level of emotional connection with Richard that I already felt with Justin. I’d been a starry eyed fifteen year old then. I was an adult now, old enough to know better. But with Justin I found myself foolishly willing to venture out onto the tight rope, over the open air without even bothering to check to make sure there was a safety net down below.
I sighed.
“That you, Bridget?” Lace’s voice carried out to the foyer.
“Yeah,” I answered, pushing away from the door and following the direction of her voice. I found her in the kitchen.
“You were out late.” Lace was filling two mugs with hot water. She raised a thoughtful brow when she saw me. “Everything go alright?”
“I guess.” I looked away from her assessing amber eyes and started to move toward my room. “I better make sure Carter gets ready for bed.”
“He just got in the tub. We both know he’ll be in there for a while. That boy’s got to be part fish. I’m making us chamomile tea. Why don’t you come into the living room with me and we’ll talk for a bit? Like we used to in rehab. I’ve missed that.”
I nodded my head in agreement. I needed a sounding board and I knew from experience that Lace was a good listener.
Lace removed the tea bags and handed me one of the steaming cups. We took them into the living room and settled side by side on the couch.
“Where’s Bry?” I asked.
“He’s taking a shower. He was on the phone earlier with his mom. Then he tried to call Warren again.” Her gaze slid away.
“War still won’t talk to him?”
She shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Lace.” I patted her leg.
“I really wish…” She trailed off and then shook her head as if that was all it took to dispel the regret. “We’re all just going to have to move forward the best we can.” She went silent, her eyes turning reflective. I knew she carried more than a little guilt about the rift between War and Bryan.
We both took a sip at the same time. I cradled the warm mug between my hands, inhaling the aromatic fragrance, and tried to make myself relax as I processed all that had happened today.
“What’s going on with you and JJ?” Lace asked without preamble.
“I don’t know,” I admitted honestly and blew over the top of the tea before taking another careful sip. If only I could make myself be that cautious around Justin. How could I put into words how he made me feel? It would
For a long time, Justin and I remained silent, my thoughts weighed down by the heaviness of the past. Then suddenly, Carter dropped into the ball pit in front of me. His ringing laughter was like a life preserver that I willingly grabbed to pull myself out of my morose musings.
I managed a smile for him. He was my bright light. My beacon. I would do anything for him.
“Good night.” I closed the apartment door and turned, leaning heavily against it as Carter trudged on into the apartment, heading for his bath and bed.
I was in so much trouble.
Dinner had gone by like a scripted scene from a chick flick. Justin had been gracious and charming, sharing childhood stories about himself and Avery during appetizers and entrees and carefully coaxed embarrassing details about me from Carter during dessert.
All day long he’d focused on Carter and me. He’d been attentive and helpful and listened to my story about Richard as if nothing in the world was more important than figuring out what made me tick. After that, he’d seemed sensitive to my mood and had changed tactics in the way he treated me. He’d toned down the playful flirting. There’d been no more whispers in my ear telling me how beautiful I was or how much he wanted me, though I still caught him watching me with heated eyes.
I’d let down my guard with him countless times during the day. Instead of pushing him away which would have been wise, I’d let him come even closer. I’d never felt even a fraction of the level of emotional connection with Richard that I already felt with Justin. I’d been a starry eyed fifteen year old then. I was an adult now, old enough to know better. But with Justin I found myself foolishly willing to venture out onto the tight rope, over the open air without even bothering to check to make sure there was a safety net down below.
I sighed.
“That you, Bridget?” Lace’s voice carried out to the foyer.
“Yeah,” I answered, pushing away from the door and following the direction of her voice. I found her in the kitchen.
“You were out late.” Lace was filling two mugs with hot water. She raised a thoughtful brow when she saw me. “Everything go alright?”
“I guess.” I looked away from her assessing amber eyes and started to move toward my room. “I better make sure Carter gets ready for bed.”
“He just got in the tub. We both know he’ll be in there for a while. That boy’s got to be part fish. I’m making us chamomile tea. Why don’t you come into the living room with me and we’ll talk for a bit? Like we used to in rehab. I’ve missed that.”
I nodded my head in agreement. I needed a sounding board and I knew from experience that Lace was a good listener.
Lace removed the tea bags and handed me one of the steaming cups. We took them into the living room and settled side by side on the couch.
“Where’s Bry?” I asked.
“He’s taking a shower. He was on the phone earlier with his mom. Then he tried to call Warren again.” Her gaze slid away.
“War still won’t talk to him?”
She shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Lace.” I patted her leg.
“I really wish…” She trailed off and then shook her head as if that was all it took to dispel the regret. “We’re all just going to have to move forward the best we can.” She went silent, her eyes turning reflective. I knew she carried more than a little guilt about the rift between War and Bryan.
We both took a sip at the same time. I cradled the warm mug between my hands, inhaling the aromatic fragrance, and tried to make myself relax as I processed all that had happened today.
“What’s going on with you and JJ?” Lace asked without preamble.
“I don’t know,” I admitted honestly and blew over the top of the tea before taking another careful sip. If only I could make myself be that cautious around Justin. How could I put into words how he made me feel? It would
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