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I can’t take another second without her in my arms. Slipping my hand around the back of her neck, I haul her to my chest. She wraps her arms around me eagerly, and we hold each other close, both of us breathing in the comfort of each other’s embrace.
“What now?” she whispers against my neck.
“I don’t know,” I reply softly.
“Do we just go back to the way we were before?” she says, pulling away to stare into my eyes.
“Is that even possible?” I ask.
Wiping her tears, she shrugs. “I can’t bear the thought of losing both of you.”
Holding the sides of her neck, I tip her head back and press my lips softly to hers. “I wish you didn’t have to lose anyone.” Then I put my lips to her forehead. “But if we’re going to lose her, at least we can do it together.”
She winces in pain as another tear squeezes its way through her lashes.
“I miss her,” she whispers.
It’s like the breakup last year all over again. Except now, instead of feeling the pain myself, I have to watch Jade feel it too. And it’s worse.
“We take it one day at a time, baby.”
Then I cradle her face and pull her lips to mine again, this time kissing her slowly and taking my time. It feels good to have her back in my arms, but it does feel like something is missing. I know she can sense it too.
With time, I hope we can be enough for each other. What choice do we have? I’d be a fool to hope for more with Eden. I’ve lost her twice now. I won’t try again.
And I refuse to put Jade through that. For now, I’ll focus on being everything she needs.
Rule #46: Sometimes, it is that simple.
Eden
“And the invites have been sent?” I ask.
“Invites have been sent,” Garrett replies.
“What else can I do?” I’m standing in my laundry room, folding another set of Jack’s pajamas with Garrett on speaker with my phone sitting on the washing machine.
“Everything is in place, Eden. Now we handle the inevitable problems that arise—and they will.”
As I set the folded pajamas on the pile, I rack my brain for anything else that I can take care of for this event. Then I chew my bottom lip as I muster the nerve to ask what I want to ask.
“You sent those two extra invites for me, didn’t you?”
He clears his throat. “Yes, I did.”
“Thank you.”
“Anytime,” he replies softly.
“Talk to you later, Garrett.”
“Bye, Eden.”
The line goes dead, and I shove the phone into my pocket. Then I stare straight ahead, standing in my silent laundry room. This still feels surreal. It’s only been a week on the job at Salacious, and already it feels like everything has changed and nothing has changed at the same time.
I’ve sent a notice to most of my clients, save for a few regulars who I promised to keep on if I can fit them in my schedule. I’ve changed my schedule with Madison. And I’ve set up my home office in the den, so I can work from here as much as possible.
But no one at Salacious treats me differently. I don’t feel like I’m taking on more work. It’s just…different.
