She Loves Me (Harmony Pointe #3) - Melissa Foster Page 0,20
a whole different kid. I couldn’t have done that. Even Bodhi didn’t know what to do. If you ask me, it’s a darn good thing you and I are different.”
“Yes, but I was flying by the seat of my pants, hoping I was doing the right thing. Nine times out of ten you guys inherently know what to do for your husbands and for the kids,” Piper said.
“Oh, bull,” Bridgette exclaimed. “We’re all flying by the seat of our pants.”
Willow nodded in agreement. “We’re all just hoping we’re doing things right. The most important thing is that we aren’t doing them so wrong we cause them harm or hurt feelings.”
Piper sighed. “I don’t know. Poor Harley’s ankle is so swollen, it hurts me just to look at it. Most people’s first instinct would be to coddle him and make sure he was comfortable. But mine?” She couldn’t believe she was going to admit the truth, but if she didn’t, it might eat her alive. “In the hospital I felt horrible when I first saw him. My heart ached in a way it never has toward the big lug. But then he pretended to have amnesia, and I was pissed. By the time we got to his house, I wanted to tell him to just get over it already and hobble around. Harley didn’t deserve that. The guy gave up his career and his entire life in the city to come back and be with his family. I mean, that’s huge, right? And there he was, one of my closest friends, who has never asked for a damn thing from anyone, loopy from pain meds, while caring for his nieces. I should want to take care of him. But it wasn’t until he was hobbling around and clearly uncomfortable that I started to feel like that, and even then, when I was feeling guilty for not being nurturing enough, that guilt kind of annoyed me.”
“Because you were mad at him,” Willow said.
“Or maybe because you aren’t used to seeing him like that, and it scared you,” Bridgette said carefully.
That was just one of the things Piper had been up all night picking apart. “I don’t think that’s it.” Is it? And what about all the other feelings he’d sparked in her?
“It’s okay to be scared, Piper,” Bridgette said softly. “Harley’s your friend, and he’s a big, strong man. Seeing him hurting is scary. It makes him go from the indestructible guy you hang out with at the bar who isn’t afraid to stand up to troublemakers and the sports partner who can play for hours to being a mere human. Seeing this more vulnerable side of him has got to throw you off-kilter. I think I’d worry more if it didn’t make you feel weird. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen you react to bad things with anything but anger. Remember when Jerry died? We were all a mess, crying our eyes out, and you wanted to kill him for hurting me and Louie. And last year when Caroline showed up at Ben’s door, you were ready to go to her hotel room and kick her ass for abandoning Bea.” Caroline was Bea’s birth mother.
“Bridgette has a point,” Willow said. “Plus, you’re around construction guys all day. You’re not really allowed to be nurturing or soft. You’re the boss, leading rough and gruff men. You have to command respect. I would imagine that showing any weakness is a no-go in your position, and that has to carry over to other aspects of your life. Not in a bad way, but it’s not like you can work construction all day and come home and throw on a frilly dress, get your nails done, and turn into sweet Suzy Homemaker. Just because you’re more direct doesn’t mean you can’t talk to Jolie about a sensitive subject or take care of Harley.”
“I get all that, but it doesn’t help me figure out what to do. I don’t want to screw up Jolie or make Harley think I don’t care if he’s hurt.”
Bridgette sighed. “I’m sure you’re fine with them, but don’t you remember how your tough love pulled me through my grief? While everyone else was telling me they’d be there to take care of everything and that I’d figure out how to move on for Louie’s sake, you reminded me of how brave and strong I was to have gone against everyone’s advice when I ran away to marry Jerry. You made