“I just wanted to be normal.”
CHAPTER 20
Dillon
I hold her as she cries on the shower floor. It breaks my heart to see her like this. I know she hasn’t been sleeping, she just got a sleep aid last night, but didn’t take it. Adding the alcohol was a bad combination.
She eventually passes out in my arms, so I dry us both off the best I can and carry her to Laney’s bed. I pull a t-shirt over her head and tuck her in and sit for a little while to make sure she’s okay. She’s pale as hell and looks so fragile. I wish I wouldn’t have let her drink so much, but she was having so much fun. To see her laugh and smile made my heart melt.
Everyone is downstairs wondering what the hell just happened, so I kiss Amy on the forehead and change out of my wet clothes before I head downstairs. They are all whispering and I can only imagine what they’re all thinking.
“She’s okay,” I announce as I take my last step down the stairs.
“What the hell happened up there?” Danny asks.
“She just had too much to drink and I think she just remembered something from her past that scared her. She passed out. I don’t want to leave her alone so I’m going back up. You guys are welcome to stay. I don’t want anyone driving. Sorry to cut the party short.”
“Hey man, it’s fine. Hope she feels better,” says Ben.
“Yeah Dillon. Tell her we were worried about her,” Tess says with tears in her eyes.
I know she’s concerned. They all know a little bit about why Amy came here.
“Thanks. Night guys.” I give a small wave and head back up to Amy.
She hasn’t moved. I crawl into bed with her and wrap my arms around her, but she doesn’t even stir. She is going to feel like shit in the morning, that’s for sure. I just hope she can get past what happened. I need to make sure she knows that I don’t think she’s sick like her mother or that she needs medication. I know that bothers her. She just needs someone to listen to her and be there for her and I want to be that person.
I lay awake just watching her sleep. The amount of emotions pouring out of me from seeing her hurting like that is something I’ve never experienced before. I just want to take her pain away. I curl up to her and try to get some sleep, but it’s almost impossible. I toss and turn. Eventually, I doze off thinking about the things I want to say to Amy. Things she needs to hear.
The morning light starts to spill through the window, waking me. The clock reads 6:15. I turn my head to see Amy’s peaceful face. She’s still in a deep sleep, so I let her be and slip out of the room quietly to head for the shower.
I open my bedroom door and stop abruptly when I see a body in my bed. Candice. She’s sound asleep. I told them all they could stay here, but that wasn’t an invitation for her to sleep in my fucking bed. I’m pissed. I need to get her out before Amy wakes up. She’s the last thing Amy needs to deal with.
“Candice.” I shake her. “Candice.” She’s all curled up in my bed, twisted in my covers. My entire room smells like her. I shake my head, running my fingers through my hair. “Candice!”
“Yeah. Yeah. God, Dillon. I’m awake.”
“You need to leave.”
“What the hell?”
“You need to leave. I have to get in the shower. I have a client coming this morning.”
“Okay. Relax. Give me a minute.”
“I need to get in the shower right now or I’m going to be late. He’s going to be here in like thirty minutes.”
“Okay Dillon. Go. Get in the shower. I’ll grab my things.”
Shit. I’m an ass. “I’m sorry Candice. You know I wouldn’t normally act like this but it’s just….it’s not a good time, okay.”
“I get it,” she says, glaring at me.
I nod my head at her and gather my clean clothes and walk past her to the master bath. She can be a good friend, but she can be spiteful too. After last night, I shouldn’t feel guilty kicking her out like that. When I broke things off with her, she agreed that it was just sex between us and that she didn’t see our relationship going any further. I told her about my feelings for Amy. I tried to be honest. I made sure not to take things any further with Amy until I talked to Candice. She was angry at first, but we talked several times since, and she’s been fine. But, last night was just not cool. She can’t be here when Amy wakes up.
I finish in the shower and get dressed. When I open the bathroom door, I see Candice. She’s still here, in my bedroom and she’s wearing my fucking t-shirt and nothing else.
CHAPTER 21