Page 63 of Every Time We Touch

I slump down next to her. I haven’t had a chance to tell her what happened after I kissed Jen for the first time in this very room. It’s not exactly something you shout from the rooftops.

“If only.” I huff out some air. “I didn’t take your advice.”

“No one ever does,” Skye says. “What happened?”

“Jen turned up at my door and it was only supposed to be for one night, but we were fooling ourselves, obviously.”

“Obviously.” Skye’s tone is surprisingly nonjudgmental.

“We have feelings for each other and it’s not going down well with the family.”

“What did you expect?”

“I know, but I went to see Eric earlier and it was pretty brutal. He said some things that made me think.”

“Such as?”

“If I have feelings for Jen, shouldn’t I have her best interests at heart? Even if those best interests don’t include me?”

“Maybe Daddy has a point.”

“Maybe, but when Jen and I are together, it’s so special that… nothing else matters anymore.”

“Ah, it’s like that.” Skye just nods. “Unfortunately, other things, and people, do always matter.”

“Yeah.” I look down at my hands. “She broke up with me, and I didn’t respect her decision.”

Skye’s phone buzzes. “Sorry. I’m supposed to meet Kate after this and it’s her calling.” She rises and fishes her cell from her pocket.

“Of course.” Skye’s my friend, but it’s the middle of the day and she is here to work—and I’m not her only client.

“Is it okay if I meet Kate here?” Skye puts Kate on hold. “Maybe she’s just the person you need to talk to.”

“Sure.” I know how Kate and her wife, Stella Flack, got together. But Stella’s a movie star and maybe the same rules don’t apply.

Skye arranges for Kate to come here and finishes her call. “While we wait for her.” Skye throws in a much-needed smile. “Talk to me. Tell me how you feel.”

“I’m in love and that feels great, but it’s definitely not all sunshine and roses, because I’m the reason Jen fell out with her father, and there’s more of her family to face. It’s different for me. There isn’t the same fallout and I’m scared, you know?” Tears prick behind my eyes, because I’ve had to be strong for Jen, but, fuck, beneath it all, I’m petrified. “Scared of doing the wrong thing. Of all this animosity catching up with her—with us. Because she’s the one making the choice and nothing’s stopping her from choosing her family over me. She could do so any moment and I could never hold it against her. Part of me even believes it’s what she should do. That she shouldn’t upend her life for me.” A tear rolls down my cheek. “But fuck, I’m so crazy about her.”

“Oh, Clancy.” Skye’s face softens, and she reaches for me without hesitation. “I’m so sorry.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t have acted on our feelings. Maybe that was the only right thing to do, but it’s too damn late now. I’m too far gone. She is… ugh. She makes me lose my fucking mind.”

“Clearly.” Skye puts a hand on my shoulder. “Hey, don’t diminish yourself in this and don’t make yourself the villain. It doesn’t serve any purpose. You fell in love and, no, the situation is not ideal, but there are some real feelings at stake here. Any fool can see that.” She squeezes my shoulder. “It’s okay to be scared. It’s only normal.”

“Thanks,” I mutter under my breath, while wiping the wetness from my cheeks.

“When can I meet this Jennifer St James, anyway? I’ve been using her period app forever. Thanks to her, my husband knows exactly when to amp up his loving ways.”

“Hello?” A voice calls from outside the locker room.

“Ah, there’s Kate.”

I dry my eyes as best I can and get up. I’d love for Jen to meet Skye, I think, when I walk out to greet Kate. Funnily enough, Jen knows Kate, because her mother’s partner is Nora Levine, Stella’s costar in Unbreak My Heart. Maybe Kate knows exactly what’s going on here, although I have no idea how Mimi St James really feels about all of this. All I know is that she was at Jen’s when I showed up to win her back—and she was quite gracious about it. But these things can turn on a dime.

I’ve spent time with Kate but we’re not chummy like Skye and I. We’re more acquaintances the way friends-of-friends can be.

We greet each other and I invite them both for coffee on the patio outside my office.