Rosalie
“Kam!” I wail. I know she can hear me, whether she’s huddled by the bedroom door or not. I’m a sobbing mess, and I only started crying when I ended the call, which was three seconds ago.
I was irrational, despite my words being coated in a candy layer of rational-sounding things. Worse, I was rude. I try to never be rude. Sniffling is not enough for my nose at this point, so I dive off my bed for a box of tissues and then bundle myself back up before our door opens with a cautious creak. Kam steps inside and twists her hands together, taking in my soggy appearance.
“Ro. Oh, honey, no. What’s the matter?”
I cry even harder, seeing she’s about to sympathy cry with me. It’s a family trait. “I’m so…. tired.”
Like I’m a little kid, she comes over and tucks me into my bed all the way, adjusting the blankets so they’re covering me up tomy neck, and then she snuggles in next to me on top of the blankets. It’s a twin bed, so she’s probably hanging off the end. I scoot closer to the wall to give her room and then reach back and pat her arm. “Thanks for being here.”
“Wanna talk about it?” she whispers. “I have a feeling this is not a reaction to a sad movie.”
“No.”
“Is this about Liam?”
“Maybe.”
“Those kids are everything to you. Did you get fired?”
“No. But I don’t think I can look at him ever again.”
“Why?”
“He was supposed to run. I didn’t want to buckle up.”
This statement is met with confused silence, but I don’t explain what I mean. He said he loved me, right after apologizing for kissing me. All while I was being snippy.
I just need to rest my eyes for a minute. Then everything that happened tonight will hopefully make sense.
When I wake, birds are chirping outside the window, and I have no idea what time it is, but there’s sunlight coming in, and Kam is in her own bed across the room. Aubrey is in a sleeping bag on the floor, snoring softly. I don’t know when she came over last night, but I guess she decided to sleep here. I panic for a second, thinking I’m late for work, and then a flood of memories hit me. It’s not a problem that I overslept on a Friday morning because I have nowhere to go. Liam sent the kids to Esther’s house.
When I check my phone, there are no new messages.
Not knowing what else to do, I pull out the library book that got stuck between the wall and my bed and try to start it. The words are a jumble, and rereading lines makes it worse. I’m not tired anymore, but my heart feels numb and my back hurts. I slept on the wrong pillow last night.
Kam yawns and stretches, and when I look over at her, she’s staring at me with a worry frown on her face.
“He told me he loves me,” I whisper.
Her eyebrows raise. “Do you believe him?”
I take in a deep breath. I didn’t want to believe him, but Liam wouldn’t lie about something like that. He wouldn’t say something so startling, just to get a reaction. It goes against everything I know about him. Which means it’s… true.
“Yes, I believe him.”
Holy moly. He loves me. I’m so used to the moderated, slow-moving, respectful Liam who clings to his boundaries. He’s observant and complimentary, but hands off. Somewhere along the way, I derailed him.
You think I’m not ready to admit I love you?I let the truth behind those words sink in, and a deep mortification takes over my body. He’s been baby-stepping his way into opening up to me, saying yes to friendship, writing me letters with pieces of himself hidden inside, and then last night he took a leap. My reaction? To shut him down because we didn’t have everything figured out yet.
I twist my way out of the covers and practically fall out of the bed, barely missing stepping on Aubrey’s arm. “Kam, I gotta go. Do you mind if I take the first shower?”
She smiles. “Bathroom’s all yours, sunshine. But I want a full report later!”
“Yes, ma’am. For you and Miss Aubs.” I wave behind me and head into the bathroom to get ready.
Chapter 32 – Forbidden Luxury