was asking and she smiled. “I seriously came out here to see if you want to have lunch.” She glanced over her shoulder, making certain Jennifer was gone. “But now, I think you need to get your things and come with me.”
“Get my things? What are you talking about?” Tommy dropped his hands and stepped back, like maybe Amanda had gone a little astray in the sanity area.
“Now that Jennifer knows you’re my therapist, she’s going to come back and try to corner you. You can’t stay here any longer.” She bit her lip and searched Tommy’s face before continuing. “You’ll have to come stay with me. It’s at my dad’s place, so it won’t be just us. But you’ll have your own room and bathroom ensuite and town isn’t too far away. You can… Ahem, well, what I mean is we could see each other more and it wouldn’t be such a long drive.” She laughed. “I don’t even have your phone number to call you.” She bit her lip. “You don’t have to. I just think it would be safer for everyone involved.”
Why wasn’t he saying anything? He watched her like he wasn’t sure if she was serious or not. Was he thinking things through? What if he thought she was stupid for suggesting it? Or worse, what if he thought she was trying to get him to do something he didn’t want to? She was trying really hard not to push him into any kind of a relationship he didn’t want or that he’d expressly said he didn’t want to pursue at that point in time.
Was it too much to think he’d just accept her offer as a friend? But was that all it was? After they’d kissed, Amanda wasn’t sure she could only think of him as a friend. Not in any sense of the word. She’d never felt like that before. That complete. She trusted him and she needed that in her life.
She needed him in her life. Having him at her house would be more time with him, even if it was focused on being platonic. She’d take it. She’d take whatever she could get from him. That’s all she wanted.
And as that realization became clear, Amanda lifted her gaze back to Tommy’s face.
“Yeah, actually that sounds pretty perfect. We could just do our sessions at your place. Thanks. It seems I’m indebted to you for more than just the chance to broaden my horizons.” He smiled at her, reaching out and touching her cheek.
But his smile faded and he dropped his hand as if he realized just what he was doing.
Was it really that wrong for them to love each other?
Because that’s where Amanda’s heart was going. She was falling and fast and she hoped he would catch her when she landed.
Because surviving love wasn’t something she could do on her own. He had to do it with her.
Chapter 25
Kali
Kali rubbed her hand down her stomach and held her breath. Was it really possible?
She couldn’t wrap her head around the reality of what she’d read on the test. She hadn’t yet told Flynne. What would she say?
They’d just been exclaiming over the surreality of Lily and Taylor having kids, when had they gotten old enough to do that? And there she was, surprise!
Flynne hadn’t sounded convinced one way or the other that he even wanted children. That wasn’t exactly encouraging Kali to be over-joyed at the prospect of telling him.
But having a baby? Yeah, she hadn’t realized just how much she wanted one until she’d seen the double line.
A knock on the door to the new barn brought her out of her thoughts. She jerked her gaze up and strode to the door. Had she locked it? She must have.
Swinging the doorway open, she gaped at Samantha, her best-friend, standing on the new cement stoop with her arms full of takeout and was that a donut box from Cari’s bakery?
Kali reached out and helped unload half of Samantha’s arms. “You’re a lifesaver. Hopefully some of this is for me, or I might have to kick you out.” Sweets. Something decadently sweet sounded just about perfect actually.
Samantha laughed as she followed Kali into the new modest kitchen set up behind the registration space. “Wow, if that’s all it takes to get first class service, consider donuts a daily delivery.” They set the bags on the counter and looked at each other.
“You look good. Why are you all glowy? What’s with the skin?” Samantha leaned