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When she edged away, pressing her forehead to my cheek, I tightened my grip around her, holding her close. “You gonna be okay without me today?” She nodded, though didn’t look up. “You can come with me to work if you want.”
Could feel the tension tightening her body. She peeked up at me, her fingers dancing along my collarbone. “Is Jen going to be there?”
My own muscles tightened and it took everything in me not to squeeze her, not to curl around her and try to wipe away her fears.
Jen.
The girl who used to be her best friend.
The woman I’d hired as my bookkeeper.
“Probably.” I swallowed against a dry throat, then brushed my fingers through her hair. “She still misses you. Talks about you all the time.”
More tears formed in her eyes. “I don’t know how to be friends with her again.”
“She never stopped counting you as her friend.” I breathed her in, readying myself for her to try to push me away while still clinging to the idea that my love was enough to keep her right here.
“Will you…” Kelly peeked up at me, her bottom lip trembling. “Will you help me?”
“With whatever you need, baby. Whatever you want, you tell me, and I’ll help you.”
“I miss her too.” Her whispered words broke me yet gave me hope.
“You wanna come in and see her?” I tugged at one of her curls before wrapping it around my finger. “Or we can have her come here. Go out somewhere neutral. You name it. Just let me know, and I’ll make it happen.”
She nodded, tracing a finger through my beard. “Okay.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She pressed a kiss to my lips. “I love you, Lee. Thank you for loving me.”
“Always.” I kissed her back, wishing I could get lost in her. “Forever.”
“You better go.” She spread her fingers across my chest but didn’t move to get up. “You don’t want Rylan chasing away the best thing that ever happened to you.”
“Nuh uh. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” She raised one eyebrow, and I laughed. “Okay. Joss is second.”
“Close second?”
For a brief moment, my future flashed in front of my eyes. Kelly in my arms. Kelly dressed in white, walking with me down a sunset beach with my ring on her finger and hers on mine.
Kelly, her tummy round with my child, another held on her hip.
“Not too close,” I hedged, because that future was already pushing itself in front of Joss, whether it happened or not.
She gave me a wistful smile. “I love you.”
“Love you too.” After a hundred more kisses, I finally forced myself to get up. Couldn’t afford to get wrapped up in Kelly again, not with the work waiting for me at the office. I fixed my hair, then pulled on a shirt and socks, all the while watching Kelly slip into another of my T-shirts.
She walked me to the front door and gave me another dozen kisses before I could step out.
“Call or text me if you need anything,” I told her as I struggled to let go. “Anything at all. I’m here for you.”
“Okay.” She smiled up at me and the sight of it had my heart thudding in my chest.
She shut and locked the door behind me, but I wasn’t even out of the building before my phone dinged with a text.
Little Hellion: I forgot to tell you something.
