“Wanting is a lot different from love.” The wordlovehit her like a bullet through the heart. Lauren bit her lip. What made her say love?
Jade’s eyes lit up. “Do youlovehim?”
Did she? She couldn’t compare her feelings for Jack with anything she’d ever experienced. She wanted to believe it had only been attraction, but she needed to get real and face what was so obviously staring right at her.
Yes, she loved Jack.
Over the last few weeks he’d shown her so many qualities she found more attractive than his sexy exterior. The afternoon she’d watched him train those beautiful kids at the football stadium was when she completely lost her heart to him. But her brain had needed extra time to catch up with her heart.
She nodded her answer, the lump in her throat making it difficult to speak.
“Oh, Lauren, that’s wonderful.” Jade gave her a sweaty hug.
Lauren shrugged her off. “Gross, Jade, no touchy-feely, you stink.” She bent into a lunge to stretch out her calves. “I don’t know if it is wonderful. It would be much easier if I didn’t love him.” Her heart raced at finally saying the words out loud.
After finishing her stretches, Jade sat cross-legged on the mat. “If you love the guy, give him a chance. He told you about the psycho bitch and the police are on to her.”
“What if another psycho bitch turns up with a crazy story?”
“You can play the ‘what if’ game until the cows come home. You can play it safe, but you will never know if something great could come out of it. What do you have to lose?”
“My heart,” Lauren whispered. “It nearly killed me trying to put it back together after Graham. It would be so much worse if Jack…” She couldn’t say her fears out loud.
Jade sighed, and her shoulders sagged. “He’s not Graham. Youknowthat. He doesn’t have a wife and kid hidden somewhere. Can you honestly say what you felt for Graham is anything like what you feel for Jack?” Lauren shook her head.
“You were young and living without love, he was good-looking, charming, and showered you with what you believed was love. It was totally understandable you fell for his deceit. But you’re not that young, naïve girl anymore. You know better now.”
“But Jack doesn’t do relationships.” Lauren’s excuses, even to her own ears, sounded feeble.
“He wants one with you.”
Lauren slumped on the mat next to Jade. “When did you become so smart?” She nudged her shoulder against Jade.
“I’m the wise one of the group. I thought you already knew that.” Jade nudged Lauren back, then added with a serious tone, “Think about it carefully. Try not to be so quick to throw something away that could be really special. But if you do…” She gave Lauren an exaggerated wink. “Send him my way.”
Lauren laughed. Jade could always put a smile on her face. This was who she called family. What would Lauren do without them?
Glancing over at Ava, who had been quiet during Lauren and Jade’s deep and meaningful conversation, Jade asked, “Do you have anything to add?”
Ava was quick to give sex advice, but when it came to relationships she didn’t believe they existed. She didn’t do romantic dinners and long walks on the beach or anything thatsoundedlike a relationship. “As long as my girl is getting mind-blowing sex there’s nothing for me to say.”
Ava showed no signs of having spent the hour exercising. Her hair hung sleek and neat, her makeup looked flawless, and her ultra-tight gym gear didn’t have a trace of sweat.
Scrutinizing her own damp, knee-length tights and oversized blue t-shirt, Lauren touched her sweaty face and knew the minimal makeup she’d applied earlier had well and truly sweated off.
Lauren leaned back on her arms and frowned up at Ava. “I stink like a pig, and you look as fresh as a daisy. You’re a freak, and I hate you.”
Smiling sweetly, Ava stopped the treadmill and stepped off. “What’s the matter, darlin’?
After all the wonderful sex you’ve had with Jack you’d think you’d be in a better mood.”
Lauren ignored Ava’s comment about wonderful sex with Jack, because if she thought about it too much she’d want to rush over to his house and jump him. She jabbed a finger in Ava’s direction. “No one should look as good as you after a workout. You never have an ugly day! It’s not fair, and I stand by what I said—you’re a freak.”
Stretching an arm out over her head, Ava bent her body to the side. “Keep having all that hot sex and you too will start glowing like the summer sun.” Lauren scoffed.
Jade rolled her eyes.
Ava straightened, her attention focused on someone across the room. Her eyes turned seductive and a sly smile spread across her face. “It’s time to get my summer glow. I’ll see you later, ladies.”