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“But you’ve got them with me,” Trent said.
She should have figured Diane went up to get her boyfriend. This was a bit overkill, but he was here and they had an audience and maybe it was best to do this now. She wasn’t sure she could wait much longer.
“I do,” she said. “I shouldn’t have jumped down your throat.”
“You didn’t do that,” he said. “You were upset and I know it. I should have been more focused on Eli and what you were feeling and going through rather than what Jeff was saying and doing.”
“One thing I’ve learned from all my years of marriage,” Diane said. “Is that men want to fix things. Women tend to be more emotional or get to the heart of the problem.”
“Sounds like you’re trying to fix something now,” she said, smirking a bit. Maybe they needed the interference to make this easier. Or to not make her feel like such a failure at relationships.
“Help,” Carolyn said. “What Trent wanted to do and what you try to do too. Admit it. Every time you bite your tongue with your ex, you do it tohelpEli. It’s not for you and it’s not for Jeff. It’s to make life easier for Eli.”
She should have figured they’d find a way to turn this on her. Even if they were right.
She looked at Trent and saw his eyebrow lifted. “I didn’t think of it that way.”
“Maybe you should,” Trent said. “It seems to me I’m not the only one that is trying to help people. Actually, you do it all the time in your job.”
“What?” she asked.
“You did it for me when my practice opened. You had the newsletter idea and it helped not only my practice but other businesses as well. I’ve heard people talk. You always come up with ways to make life or work easier for people here.”
“That is my job,” she argued.
“No,” Diane said. “That is you excelling at your job because you want tohelp. Kind of like Trent.”
Damn them again. She sighed. Having the mirror shoved in her face was a good thing and something she realized she needed.
“You ladies are good at getting people to see things right in front of their faces that they were blind to.”
“We are,” Carolyn said.
Trent moved closer to her. “I’m sorry. My heart was in the right place.”
“I know,” she said. She pulled him into her arms. “I’ve always known that. I didn’t believe Jeff when he said those things. I mean I believe Jenna said those things to him and he believed them, but I knew you wouldn’t have said it to her.”
“No,” he said. “I was trying not to say much at all. She wouldn’t let it go and kept asking me all sorts of questions.”
“Just like Jeff was doing to me.”
“You didn’t say that,” he said.
“Because it wasn’t important and not the place. I’m not sure what is going on now or what will happen in the future with Jeff.”
“What does that mean?” he asked.
“I got Eli early on Sunday. He was upset and wanted me. Normally Jeff wouldn’t care, but he called and we talked. I know he wasn’t happy and I’d like to think he was putting Eli first. It probably had more to do with the fact I’m dating an attorney and he is going to cut the crap now.”
“Which isn’t in my control but a nice side benefit,” he said.
“I thought of that too. So I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I shouldn’t have sent you away on Saturday night when I wanted you with me.”
“You’re so used to doing it alone,” he said. “It’s okay to lean on someone else. You know, ask for help rather than always hand it out.”
“You tell her,” Diane said.
Roni laughed. “You’re right. You’re all right.”
