“Harsh.”
Glory
We made it homemid morning the next day, and Henley went off to make some calls, and check in with his President, and I focused on making us some lunch, grabbing my phone when it rang.
“Lenore?”
“Hi girly. Just wanted to check how you’re doing. That man looking out for you?”
I smiled, my fingers touching my lip as I remembered his sweet kisses, and the way it felt to be held so tightly by those strong arms.
“God yes.”
She chuckled softly.
“Wow, I’d ask for the deets, but that’s not my business. Sean’s never coming back, okay? He’s uh… crossed the river, so to speak.”
“River?”
“Yeah. He’s uh… headed down South.”
“Huh?”
“You know… Elvis has left the building…”
What?
“Lenore, what the hell are you talking about?”
She started laughing. “Trying to be coy over the damn phone, Glory. It’s done. You’re safe. Okay? Forever.”
“Oh. Why didn’t you just say it like that?”
She was still laughing. “Don’t be a stranger, Glory. The line may be drawn, but it doesn’t mean you can’t call if you need me.”
I put the phone on speaker, dropping bacon and sausages into the pan, and grabbing the eggs.
“I mean, can Henley’s club afford it? It sounds like every bit of help we get is going on some tab, to be claimed at a later date by the bearded weirdos.”
“What?No. Anything I do for you is absolutely because I like you, and I help women when they need it. That’s all covered by the charity and stuff. The Bennetts will try anything to make people owe them. Trust me, you don’t want to be on the side that owes them. But no, I don’t work that way.”
“What smells so…oh, sorry, sweetheart. I’ll go away.”
I waved him in and grabbed the phone, ready to put an end to the call, so I could start moving on.
“Thanks for the update, Lenore, thanks for everything. I honestly feel like you gave me my life back. Thank you.”
With the call ended, I turned to smile at Henley as he came up close, and leaned over me to eye everything, his stomach growling as he did. I poked him in the stomach, and he laughed.
“Sorry. I’m starving though.”
“Yeah, you look like you’re wasting away.” A sudden bite of memory hit me, and I froze, because why was I mocking his appetite, and making him feel bad for it? Was I doing what Sean did to me?
“Glory? Look at me.” Henley’s finger tipped my chin and he smiled at me. “It’s just banter. We’re good. Don’t let him in ever again.”
I knew he’d seen it, because he always saw it when I fell into bad memories.
“I’m trying. He doesn’t deserve any more of my time.”