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“I have,” I agreed. “But my trust doesn’t have to be blind. Not again.”
I’d started seeing my therapist the week after we’d arrived at Paths.
We’d talked about how blind I’d been, how I trusted too easily. Lisa had helped me accept that what had happened wasn’t my fault. I could only see the picture Huxley had painted. Though I was better about beating myself up over my naïveté, sometimes it was hard not to blame myself for it all. If anything, I’d learned from our sessions the only way to figure out if I could trust again was to try. I was a work in progress.
“He seems nice. His family is a little quirky, but normal.” She was still unsettled, though she made an effort to calm down. “Normal is nice.”
“Holt was more than nice.” I elbowed her in the side.
“Guys like him don’t really exist. They’re too good-looking, and they’re heartbreak waiting to happen.”
I gave her a sympathetic look. “It’s hard to put yourself out there.”
“There’s no point, especially when it’s something that’s going nowhere.”
“You don’t know that,” I said.
“Actually, I do.” The clouds dissipated from her features. “I need to get ready for tomorrow.”
“Busy week?” I asked, not quite ready for her to go.
“Aren’t they all?” There was my girl. The one who kicked ass and took names.
“Yes, they are.”
“We’ve gotan awards dinner coming up next month. I spoke to the officer in charge, and she’d love to talk to you about catering the event.” Officer Wilson rested an elbow on the counter, flashing the equivalent of puppy dog eyes. I’d never have guessed that a hard man like him would have those.
“Thank you so much for asking. I’m . . . humbled. But, I’m not sure I’m the person for such a large event yet. The food truck takes nearly everything out of me. Plus, I don’t have a team of people to help me with all the preparation and clean up.”Not to mention Ella. But he didn’t need to know about her.
“I get it. One step at time,” he said.
I nodded, grateful he understood. “I’d love to say yes, but I’m not sure I’ll be ready for something like that this year. I’d love to talk to her about it, though. I’d like to cater for events in the future. I usually have a lull around three-ish if she wants to come by then.” I handed him a lemonade. He unwrapped a straw, poking it through the lid. “Or if she wouldn’t mind meeting me in the evenings. After six fifteen.” I couldn’t resist giving him a hard time.
“I hear the beat cop around here is a jerk.” Timothy laughed at himself.
“He just wants everyone to think he is. Let me get your food.”
As I boxed up his meal, I glanced toward the window and my heart beat in triple time. Andrew was here, chatting with Timothy. I smiled at the sight of his sand linen suit, an emerald green tie knotted around his neck.
“Do you sleep in a tie?” I teased before I thought better of it.
“Sometimes.” Andrew smoothed his hand down the silk and grinned. “How’s your day been, Bright Side?”
I tilted my head, looking at both of them. “Interesting.”
Officer Wilson nodded. “I’ll let you know about the catering thing. Gina is the one you’ll need to talk to.”
“Thanks, Timothy. I’ll see you later.”
He collected his bag of food and drifted off.
I reached beside me to grab a cup, scooping ice into it and filling it with lemonade.
“Thank you,” Andrew said when I slid it across the counter.
Seeing Andrew was the best part of my day. I felt giddy that he was here. What Baker told me yesterday niggled at the back of my mind, but I ignored it, content to avoid it for the time being.
“Your dad hasn’t been by today,” I said as I bagged up his meal.
