side. “Okay, if you haven’t given her anything yet, let’s get it all together and go from there.”
Tommy blinked at Amanda. What had she just said? “Sorry, what? Did you just saw get that stuff? As in get the things on my list?”
“Yep. We can get that stuff together in no time. I mean, I already have the journal and the other things in the book box.” Amanda met his gaze with a challenge in the depths of her eyes.
“Wait, you said we, though. As in we’re going to work together?” Tommy couldn’t grasp what was going on. Why was she still talking to him? Had she forgiven him? She’d said she was mad, but if someone was mad did they help the person they were mad at? That just didn’t fit logically.
“Yes, we. You can’t do this on your own. Not without compromising your integrity. I think that’s important to keep intact. No matter how much you’ve lost already.” Amanda stood, moving around the living room like she just needed to move.
“But… I don’t understand why you would want to help me.” He watched her warily. What was he missing? Why would she help him when Tommy’s actions were designed to help bring her family and hometown down?
Amanda didn’t answer him as she moved to stand at the window, looking outside at the soft snow falling on the evening landscape.
Tommy stood, moving across the space to stand beside her. “Amanda, why? Why would you help me?” He turned her when she didn’t answer him with a hand on her upper bicep. “Amanda?”
Amanda turned to face him, her arms folded across her waist and her eyes wide with pain. “What could you possibly want, Tommy? You need an answer? Fine. I’m going to help you because you need to help your family. It’s not like you’re doing this for selfish reasons. Helping your grandmother is honorable. Do I like the way you’ve gone about it? Not even a little bit, but I can respect the intention behind it. If I help you, then you won’t be betraying me. I’ll be doing it to myself. I’ll be doing it to my own family and my own town. Right?” She glanced at him but then her gaze slid away.
“Um, yeah. I guess you’re right. I just don’t like it. I don’t want your family mad at you. I don’t want your hometown mad at you. I need that blame on me.” Tommy reached out and smoothed his hand down the curly length of her hair as it hung past her shoulder. “I don’t want to lose you.” Admitting that added another notch to his already damaged pride. He’d never technically had her, but they’d talked about the possibilities after her therapy was over. The possibility was always there.
That had to be worth saving. Hope had to be worth saving.
Amanda allowed her face to be turned toward him. She didn’t pull away as her lips parted slightly and her eyelids closed, shutting Tommy from seeing the brilliance of her eyes.
He bent down, closer and closer until their lips met and melded together for a brief moment. Tommy pulled away but only enough to put a tiny breath between them. “I don’t know how, Amanda, but I’ll make this up to you. I know I can. I will. I promise.”
Amanda’s eyes snapped open and a mask of neutral professionalism fell into place. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s get this rearranged and get it out of the way. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can figure out what it is she thinks she has on the town and our families. Or I guess my families.”
“Look at you, thinking of both the Wilsons and the Deans as your families.” But Tommy’s pride in her progress faded as her gaze sliced like a hot knife through the air to his.
“You’re not my therapist, Tommy. I think it’s safe to say you probably shouldn’t bring any of that up again.” She strode from the room, leaving Tommy standing there with his hands empty at his sides.
What had he done? And how was he going to be able to keep a promise he wasn’t sure he had any right making?
He couldn’t keep a promise like that. He had no idea what would fix it for her. Or what would push her away.
But at least he could try. That’s all he had.
Plus, how mad could she be? She’d let him kiss her. That had to show just