Page 44 of Between the Lines

“I don’t doubt that,” Blaise replied. “But caring doesn’t mean crossing boundaries. I need you to turn those off.”

He hesitated. “Okay.”

“Okay,” she repeated. “Thank you.” He would freak out if he knew about the podcast and the possible book deal. She had to be the one to tell him about those things, but in her own time.

She took a breath, needing to calm down a little. “I’m not trying to shut you out,” she added. “I just need you to trust that I know what I’m doing. Or at least understand that I’m allowed to live my life my way.”

“I’m trying,” he said. “I really am.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Before we hang up,” Blaise said, softening her tone. “There’s something else I should probably tell you. I’ve been asked to be on a podcast and I’m doing it.” That was close enough to telling him she’d already done it.

“A podcast?” Evan said.

“Yes. One of my friends is launching it. It’s about reinvention and second acts. She thought my story might resonate with people.” Blaise paused, choosing her words. “I’m not sure when the interview will be out, but I’m looking forward to it.”

There was a beat. “That’s…actually kind of cool,” Evan said. He sounded surprised but not displeased. “Is it a big one?”

“No,” Blaise said. “It’s brand new. In fact, I’m the inaugural guest. But that’s part of why it feels right. I’ve had some real highs and lows in my life and why not share them? Maybe someone will learn from my mistakes.”

“I guess that makes sense,” he said. “You’ve always been good at sharing and wanting what’s best for others.”

She smiled faintly. “I hope that comes across.”

“I’m sure it will.”

She hesitated, then shifted the focus. “How are you and Casey doing?”

Another pause, this one familiar. “We’re okay,” Evan said. “Still trying. Still waiting. Some days are easier than others.”

“I imagine,” Blaise said gently. Wanting a baby and not being able to have one was hard. “It’s a lot to deal with.”

“Casey’s tired of doctors’ offices,” he admitted. “Tired of hearing the same things over and over. But she’s hanging in there.”

Blaise closed her eyes briefly. “Please tell her I’m thinking about her. Both of you. And if she ever wants to talk, about any of it, I’m here.”

“I will,” Evan said. “She knows that. We both do.”

There was a quiet moment after that, and the tension between them eased just a little, replaced by something warmer.

They said their goodbyes a few minutes later, the conversation ending much more gently than it had started. Blaise lowered the phone and sat there, staring at the closed closet door.

She scooped Beau into her arms and kissed the top of his head. She hadn’t chosen an outfit, but she knew one thing for certain.

She wasn’t going to let anyone, no matter how much they loved her, decide where her life was going next.

Chapter Eighteen

Cece read through the list of questions one last time, pen tapping lightly against the legal pad as her eyes moved from top to bottom.

They were good questions. Nothing too over the top. Nothing clever for the sake of being clever. They were the kind that left room for someone to answer with as much or as little information as they wanted. She’d crossed out two that felt redundant and rewrote one so it sounded less like an interview and more like a conversation.

Happy with what she’d settled on, she typed the final version into an email, attached the document, and added a short note.

Hi, Joe. Here’s a draft of the questions I’m thinking about. Nothing is set in stone, and we can always go where the conversation leads. Let me know your thoughts. I’m open to suggestions as well. Talk soon.

Cece

She hit Send and sat back in her chair. Peanut was snoozing in the guest chair, which seemed to be her spot when Cece was in the studio.