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"It's not taking advantage of him if he's willing to help."
I weighed her line of thought, but it still didn't sit right with me. I was independent and didn't need a man to fix things for me.
"What if he was a woman? Would you be so resistant?"
“Are you reading my mind?”
“Why are you fighting this?”
“Because I'm falling for him!” The words rang out in the living room. My eyes widened. "I mean...I care about him deeply, and his kids are awesome and..."
"Oh, shut it." Kate jabbed my shoulder, a broad smile on her face. "You fell for the bachelor businessman, did you?"
I groaned and slapped my forehead, already regretting my outburst. I knew she suspected it before, but I just handed her the proof on a silver platter. "Please, don't tell..."
“Oh, I'm telling Layla.” She beamed. But more seriously, she said, “If I can go by what I've heard, he must feel the same way for you, too.”
It felt nice to talk about things now that it was out in the open. My pulse raced, and I wanted to tell her how sweet Shawn was. I wasn't sure if he'd appreciate the destruction of his grouchy reputation, though.
"Does he?" I bit my lip. Shawn and I hadn't had a conversation about any long-term relationship yet. I always went with the flow, and it was good while it lasted. I blinked away the tears. Shawn probably hated me now for the way I left.
“Yes, he does, stubborn ninny,” Kate stressed.
“Stubborn ninny?” I frowned.
“Yes. That's the only reason you refuse to accept that others can genuinely care about you and then expect nothing in return.”
I sighed, feeling chastised. “Okay, but I can't do anything about Shawn now. I wrecked things.”
“Don't you miss him?”
I nodded slowly.
“The kids?”
I thought of their cute little faces and boyish antics. “Yeah.”
“Then go to him.”
My body stiffened, imagining all the ways Shawn could drive me off. Maybe he'd have changed the locks by now, so my spare key wouldn't work. He'd ask Leon and Brady—
Kate grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me until my gaze fell on hers. "Goodness, Violet. Stop. Stop fighting what you feel, what you know deep down. Shawn will welcome you back, and I have no doubt he will help you with this stalker ex. You’ll go see him, right?"
I squeezed my eyes shut, rolling her words around in my brain until I started to believe them. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
I blinked open and smiled, and for once that evening, I meant it. "Okay."
“Atta girl.” She squeezed my shoulder. “Now, I'm hungry.” She stood and headed for the kitchen.
My stomach rumbled, and I realized I hadn't eaten all day. I was too nervous before the interview and forgot about it by the time I arrived home. "What are we having?"
Kate tossed me a bag of chips and tore hers open. “I'm thinking macaroni and cheese or something equally decadent.”
“Like a hot carpenter?” I glanced out the window into Phillip's kitchen while munching on my chips.
He stood by the sink bare-chested, washing dishes. His beefy arms bunched and flexed as he completed the chore.
