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‘Yes, it was. And I think I’m bruised by the weight of it.’ She laughed.
‘I think I’ve got some arnica which will help with the bruising. I’ll have a look when I go upstairs.’
‘Okay, thanks.’ Evie hugged her mug in her hands.
‘Is everything okay, love?’ Elsie touched her forearm.
Looking across at her, Evie nodded before shaking her head. ‘I’m not really sure. I’ve always been so sure of what I believe, the way I live my life, but since coming here and meeting this guy, I just... I’m beginning to question what I always thought of as true.’
‘Has this got something to do with Jack?’
‘Yes. My parents divorced when I was young.’ She looked into her mug, watching the bubbles on the surface of the hot chocolate collide with each other. ‘It was a messy breakup. It led me into my career, family law, and I’ve always believed relationships to be a waste of time and energy.’ She shrugged. ‘You know, you give your all to someone and then, sooner or later, they break things off. It’s over and you can never recoup that time or energy you spent on them in good faith.’
‘And now?’
‘That’s the problem. I’m starting to question that. I see you and Ian, and you seem happy. You’re about to get married and yet you’ve known each other for years. And Jack, well, I feel something for him. And I know how stupid that sounds. I hardly know this guy, but he’s making me question myself. Making me feel as though, yes, maybe I would like a relationship with him.’
‘Why does that worry you?’
‘If I do date him, which is what I think we’re doing now, dating, then I’ve led my whole life avoiding this very situation.’ Evie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. ‘What does that say about me and my past? Have I just wasted all these years believing that I didn’t want to be in a relationship?’
Sighing, Elsie leaned back in her chair. ‘There’s another way of looking at this situation, you know.’
‘What’s that?’ Evie frowned. How else could she look at it? Feel about it?
‘That it’s Jack that’s made you change your mind. That it’s Jack who you’ve been waiting for.’
‘So, you think I wouldn’t have felt like this about someone else if I’d given them a chance?’ she shifted in her chair.
‘You didn’t, did you? Or you would have changed your views already.’
Evie nodded slowly. ‘That’s true. So, you don’t think I’ve wasted my time by not dating?’
‘I think you’re right where you need to be.’
‘But what if I’ve got it wrong this time? What if I shouldn’t date Jack? What if I was right before about not wanting to date? What then?’
Elsie leaned forward and covered Evie’s hand with hers. ‘Then you’ve opened up your heart and you’ve given it a go.’
‘Yes. I guess you’re right.’
