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“You left him by a note. He’s devastated and doesn’t know what he did wrong to lose you. He loves you, he said. Poor, dear Kevin. I hope you know what you’re doing is destroying him.”
I’m stunned.
He’s going to play the victim?
After he fucked his assistant on my new fucking rug, this is how he is going to play it?
The nerve. I won’t give Missy what she wants.
“There are always two sides to every story, Missy. You should know that. I have an appointment and must be on my way now. Have a good evening.”
I give her my fakest smile and storm through a couple walking past us. My mind is racing, and my heart is pounding. I know I should have expected this. I just keep underestimating how Kevin is taking me leaving him. He’s not reaching out to me by phone but instead is showing up where he knows I’ll be and spreading lies to our community.
I can’t help but laugh maniacally. Anyone passing me must think I’m going crazy. Right when I thought I had a handle on how to deal with this whole situation, something new had to pop up.
Needing to clear my head, I keep walking farther away.
I still haven’t heard from Lachlan.
This is not a break—or a pause, I should say—but just some time for me to get a handle on everything happening.
Lachlan deserves someone who he can lean on if he really does uproot his life for me. I know he understands my silence, but it’s still hard not being in contact with him for this long. I’m conflicted about how to come to terms with my feelings for Lachlan and the mess that is my life.
In all of the rush and excitement of finding my person, I lost sight that I was hurting him by deciding to share that confession. Knowing that, and our feelings, is difficult to wrap my head around.
I don’t believe in Catholicism, but maybe spending time praying to God to see what I should do will help. I’ll take anything at this point. Maybe God can guide someone like me.
The day turns to night as I keep wandering the streets of downtown Charleston. I find myself now in front of St. Peter’s. The lights surrounding it are casting the most beautiful dim glow.
I walk up the steps and open the door.
The church is lit inside, thankfully. Coming to life by the lights framing it. Maybe I should be feeling nervous being alone in a church at this late hour, but I don’t. I feel at peace being here.
Slowly, I make my way to the first pew and sit. I stare up at the crucifix and pray. I pray for guidance and grace. I want to move past this stage of my life without looking back with guilt.
I know I should feel worse than I do about seducing Lachlan. The guilt I’ve been facing all week is really because I don’t want to hurt him. He doesn’t deserve to have had a temptress with blonde hair in a blue dress saunter into his church and make him hers.
What I feel more than anything is that I know I’m going to be with him if he still wants me. I need to let go of this once and for all.
I, Avery Parker, have fallen for my priest, Father Lachlan O’Connell. Somehow, I found my soulmate while I was in the process of divorcing my cheating husband.
I can’t lose Lachlan now.
Finally finding my resolve, I’m ready to face him and promise that I won’t do this again. That I’m in this for the long run if he’ll still have me.
A loud slam of a set of church doors startles me.
I don’t have to turn toward the sound to know who it is.
He’s here.
He found me.
He’s come to forgive me for my sins.
Chapter 18
Behold, I will treat and assuage the city’s wounds; I will heal them, and reveal to them an abundance of lasting peace.
