“Good night, Deek. Don’t stay up too late.”
“Okay. Night.”
He waited until she was out the door before he picked up his phone. Lori should be home by now. But what was he going to say? He started to tap out a text telling her they’d work everything out but stopped. What was he doing? Annie was back, and she was finally going to marry him. It was what he’d wanted for the last seven years.
He erased his text and tossed his phone aside.
Did he still love Annie? He’d always love her because she was Asher’s mother, but did he love her as much as he’d envisioned he could love Lori? What if he was making the biggest mistake of his life?
He picked up the phone again.
Just wanted to be sure you made it home okay.
He crossed his arms and laid his head down as he waited for her reply. When one didn’t come after a half hour, he began to worry. She’d been crying and upset. And the roads were slick. What if something had happened to her? He’d have to go over there to be sure she was okay.
Finally, his phone chimed.
I’m home.
I’m sorry, Lori. And I’m sleeping on the couch tonight. Just wanted you to know.
Twenty more minutes had passed before she wrote back. Thank you. I hope Asher and Emily can remain friends even if we can’t
Of course they can. And I hope we can too
Nope. Can’t have it both ways. Goodbye.
Dammit! He’d lost her friendship too? She’d filled a void in his life he hadn’t even known was there until he’d met her.
He threw his phone on his desktop and rubbed his eyes. He had a raging headache. And in the morning, he was going to have to talk to Annie again.
And tell her what?
Lori had been crying so hard that she hadn’t heard Rachel come in. Her sister lifted the covers on Lori’s bed and snuggled up to her back. She’d told Rachel what had happened earlier and thought she’d cried herself dry, but the tears came back with a vengeance when she’d gotten in bed. All alone. As usual.
Her sister whispered, “You’re making my soul hurt, Lori. Can I help?”
“Not unless you can find me a new heart. One with a no-breakage guarantee.” Lori rolled over and faced Rachel. “I knew this might happen. It’s my own fault for getting my hopes up.” She tossed her wet tissue onto the nightstand and grabbed three new ones.
“No. It’s Deek’s fault for giving you hope. And I have half a mind to go over there and tell Annie where she can stick it. Talking to you like that… And maybe I’d tell Deek a thing or two as well. Like, grow a pair. Why aren’t you madder at him?”
“I was madder than hell at him all the way home. Thinking he’d just been using me for sex. But then he texted me to be sure I got home safe. And told me he wasn’t sleeping with her tonight. That’s when I realized he really does care for me. He wasn’t just using me as it felt like at first. He’s sacrificing his own happiness for his son. So now I’m just unbearably sad. For both of us.”
“Maybe you should call him and tell him what a bitch Annie really is.”
Lori sighed. “It won’t help. I think Deek has made excuses for Annie’s lack of compassion for so long, and he’d just make that one more concession. She’ll still always be Asher’s mother, and that’s what Deek thinks Asher needs. He made his choice. Asher. How can I argue with that?”
“For a smart guy, he’s being an idiot.”
“I agree.” Lori almost smiled. “Tonight brought back all those old feelings from when Joe cheated on me. I can’t seem to close that door fully.”
Rachel snuggled deeper into her pillow. “And Mel betrayed a lifelong friendship. Let’s not let her off the hook.” Her sister yawned, and her eyes drifted closed.
It made her feel bad for keeping her sister up so late. Rachel needed her rest.
Then her twin whispered, “There might be a way to close the Joe chapter. Maybe you should meet with Mel like she asked?” Rachel reached for Lori’s hand. “I’ll go with you if you’d like.”
Maybe Rachel was right. Had the remorse she’d seen in Mel’s eyes been real? It had been bothering her ever since that day. “When I told you about running into Mel, I was sure you’d tell me to tell her to go to hell. But you didn’t. Why not?”
“That’s what I would’ve done, but not you.” Rachel scooted closer and encased Lori in a hug. “As much as I tease you about being too softhearted, you just are. There’s no changing that. But because of it, I think you need to find a way to forgive both Joe and Mel so you can go back to being your happy-go-lucky self. Now please shut up. I need my sleep. And no more crying.”