AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, don’t apologize. That’s not what?—”
But she didn’t seem to hear him. “I know I’ve been terrible. To you. To… everyone. But I… I can’t leave this house, and everyone keeps trying to force me and—and I can’t.”
“I know,” he said softly. “And I’m not going to push you. I just... I miss you, Vee. I miss the way we used to be. I miss talking to you, laughing with you, just being with you. You’re my favorite person.”
Veronica’s eyes welled up with tears, and he wanted to fix it, make everything better for her. He wanted to hold her, to take her in his arms, and never let her go. But he knew he couldn’t. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
He cleared his throat again, shifting from foot to foot. “I’ll go check on Rebel and make sure she’s not destroying your house.”
“Okay.” Veronica didn’t move. She simply stood there, hugging the small dog, who seemed perfectly content being in her arms.
Connelly didn’t want to go, but he had to. He had to get away from her before he did something stupid. Something he wouldn’t be able to take back. Something that would terrify her and destroy this fragile truce they seemed to have reached. He couldn’t risk it, so he stepped out of the bathroom...
And was almost knocked on his ass by Rebel as she zoomed by. The dog was still soaked, but she was wagging her tail so hard it was almost a blur.
Connelly chuckled as Rebel raced around the house with wild abandon. He followed her into the living room, where she jumped onto the sofa and shook water everywhere. He grabbed a towel from the freshly washed stack waiting on the dining table to be put away and began to dry off the dog. Rebel barked happily, wagging her whole body under the towel and trying to lick his face.
“You’re a menace,” he said, ruffling the dog’s ears.
He glanced up to find Veronica standing in the doorway, watching them. He expected to see her smiling again at the dog’s antics, but instead, she looked... sad.
He straightened and tossed the towel over his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing,” she said quickly and stepped into the room. “I’m fine.”
“Vee.” He moved closer, reaching out to take her hand but stopping short of touching her. He didn’t want to scare her away. Not when she was finally opening up to him. “Talk to me. Please.”
She stared down at his hand, still outstretched toward her. She didn’t bridge the distance between them, but she also didn’t take a step backward. He counted that as a good sign.
“It’s stupid.”
“It’s not stupid if it’s bothering you.”
She shook her head. “It’s just... I’m jealous of Rebel.”
“Jealous of Rebel?” he repeated slowly, not entirely sure he’d heard her right.
She gave a self-deprecating laugh. “She’s so carefree. So happy. She doesn’t have any worries or fears. I wish I could be like her.”
Connelly’s heart ached for her. He finally closed the distance between them, and she flinched away from his touch.
He squashed down the surge of sorrow and anger. He wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her in any way he could. But he knew that he couldn’t push her. Not yet. He had to wait until she was ready. Until she felt safe with him again.
He backed up a step. “But you are like her.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’re carefree and happy when you allow yourself to be.” He motioned to the bathroom. “I just saw it in there. You have that same spark as Rebel, deep down inside of you.”
She shook her head, obviously unconvinced. “That was just a?—”
He didn’t let her finish the thought. “Do you know what she went through before she ended up at the rescue? She was abused, abandoned, and she could’ve just given up, but she didn’t. She’s a survivor, and, look at her.”
They both looked at the dog. Rebel was curled up on the couch, her tail wagging lazily as she basked in the sunlight streaming through the window. Despite her troubled past, she exuded a sense of peace and contentment that was contagious.
“Now she’s thriving,” Connelly finished. “That’s why I chose her. To remind you that happiness and freedom are possible even after going through hell.”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “I don’t think I can do this anymore.”
