to save her from
herself.
I knew Samuel was her biggest threat and he’d been extinguished,
but the tragic situation only drove home how unfocused I’d really become those
past few months.
I knew I sounded paranoid, but it was the way it had to be if I
was going to protect Sara once and for all.
~12~
Sara
“What’s happening, chickie?” Alexa asked as she came bouncing through
the front door. Braden walked closely in right behind her, as if he didn’t want
to let her out of his sight.
“Hey, you guys. How are you?” I smiled, but I wasn’t in a happy
mood. I was putting on a front these days, mainly because I didn’t entirely know
what the problem was.
“Hi, Sara,” Braden greeted. He followed Alexa into her bedroom
only to be escorted out five minutes later. He looked hurt but appeasing. “Bye,
Sara,” he said before he dragged my dear friend into the hallway, away from my
curious eyes.
I was so happy Lex had found a good man. They’ve been spending
more time with each other and I was happy she had someone to turn to,
especially since my accident. I knew she worried about me, and I was glad she
had a shoulder to lean on in times of need.
She came back ten minutes later, a look of pure happiness etched
across her face. She couldn’t help but look the part of a woman in love,
although she said she wasn’t there yet. I thought she was lying to herself,
holding on to the remaining hardened part of her fragile heart.
Alexa Bearnheart acted tough, but she was a huge softie
underneath.
“Why did Braden leave? I could’ve gone into my room if you guys
wanted to hang out here and watch TV.” I scooted over on the couch to make room
for her to sit.
“Don’t be silly, Sara. I told him to leave.” Grabbing a pillow,
she sat down and pulled it close to her, getting comfortable for what I was
sure was going to be one of our talks.
“And why would you do that?”
“Because I saw your face as soon as I walked in. You looked like
you were going to burst out crying but were trying your hardest to look normal .” Reaching over to grab my hand,
she gave it a squeeze and said, “I know when my girl is struggling.”
I half-smiled, trying to keep my tears at bay. I didn’t know what
was wrong with me lately.
My shoulder was healing well.
The shop was doing great.
My nightmares were fading each night.
The only thing left was Alek.
In all of the time we’d been together, I’d only questioned his
feelings for me once, and it was when I discovered he’d been watching me for
close to a decade. Otherwise, I knew he cared for me, loved me even. He’d said
so on numerous occasions, and they weren’t just words; his actions proved as
much, as well. But after he rescued me, I felt him slipping away, and I didn’t
know if I was being paranoid or if something was really going on with him.
“I need a glass of wine,” I mumbled, unfolding my legs from
underneath me as I rose from the couch. “Do you want some?”
“Do you really even need to ask?” She laughed and threw the
pillow at me, hitting me in the back of the leg as I walked toward the kitchen.
“So, spill it, Sara. What’s going on with you?”
“Can you wait until I have a drink before I answer?” I was trying
to joke, hoping some forced humor would do something for me, but it didn’t. Not
at all. What I really wanted to do was take the entire bottle of wine, climb
under my covers and lose myself in oblivion.
I walked back toward the couch, bottle of wine and two glasses in
hand. Kicking the pillow up with my foot, I flung it across the small space, actually
hitting Alexa in the face with it.
Now that made me laugh.
“Well played, Sara. Well played.” She laughed, as well.
She took the glasses from me and poured the drinks, sitting back
in silence and waiting for me to start talking.
She arched a brow and I spoke. “Oh, Lex, I don’t know. I don’t
know what’s wrong with me. Actually, I do but I’m so
herself.
I knew Samuel was her biggest threat and he’d been extinguished,
but the tragic situation only drove home how unfocused I’d really become those
past few months.
I knew I sounded paranoid, but it was the way it had to be if I
was going to protect Sara once and for all.
~12~
Sara
“What’s happening, chickie?” Alexa asked as she came bouncing through
the front door. Braden walked closely in right behind her, as if he didn’t want
to let her out of his sight.
“Hey, you guys. How are you?” I smiled, but I wasn’t in a happy
mood. I was putting on a front these days, mainly because I didn’t entirely know
what the problem was.
“Hi, Sara,” Braden greeted. He followed Alexa into her bedroom
only to be escorted out five minutes later. He looked hurt but appeasing. “Bye,
Sara,” he said before he dragged my dear friend into the hallway, away from my
curious eyes.
I was so happy Lex had found a good man. They’ve been spending
more time with each other and I was happy she had someone to turn to,
especially since my accident. I knew she worried about me, and I was glad she
had a shoulder to lean on in times of need.
She came back ten minutes later, a look of pure happiness etched
across her face. She couldn’t help but look the part of a woman in love,
although she said she wasn’t there yet. I thought she was lying to herself,
holding on to the remaining hardened part of her fragile heart.
Alexa Bearnheart acted tough, but she was a huge softie
underneath.
“Why did Braden leave? I could’ve gone into my room if you guys
wanted to hang out here and watch TV.” I scooted over on the couch to make room
for her to sit.
“Don’t be silly, Sara. I told him to leave.” Grabbing a pillow,
she sat down and pulled it close to her, getting comfortable for what I was
sure was going to be one of our talks.
“And why would you do that?”
“Because I saw your face as soon as I walked in. You looked like
you were going to burst out crying but were trying your hardest to look normal .” Reaching over to grab my hand,
she gave it a squeeze and said, “I know when my girl is struggling.”
I half-smiled, trying to keep my tears at bay. I didn’t know what
was wrong with me lately.
My shoulder was healing well.
The shop was doing great.
My nightmares were fading each night.
The only thing left was Alek.
In all of the time we’d been together, I’d only questioned his
feelings for me once, and it was when I discovered he’d been watching me for
close to a decade. Otherwise, I knew he cared for me, loved me even. He’d said
so on numerous occasions, and they weren’t just words; his actions proved as
much, as well. But after he rescued me, I felt him slipping away, and I didn’t
know if I was being paranoid or if something was really going on with him.
“I need a glass of wine,” I mumbled, unfolding my legs from
underneath me as I rose from the couch. “Do you want some?”
“Do you really even need to ask?” She laughed and threw the
pillow at me, hitting me in the back of the leg as I walked toward the kitchen.
“So, spill it, Sara. What’s going on with you?”
“Can you wait until I have a drink before I answer?” I was trying
to joke, hoping some forced humor would do something for me, but it didn’t. Not
at all. What I really wanted to do was take the entire bottle of wine, climb
under my covers and lose myself in oblivion.
I walked back toward the couch, bottle of wine and two glasses in
hand. Kicking the pillow up with my foot, I flung it across the small space, actually
hitting Alexa in the face with it.
Now that made me laugh.
“Well played, Sara. Well played.” She laughed, as well.
She took the glasses from me and poured the drinks, sitting back
in silence and waiting for me to start talking.
She arched a brow and I spoke. “Oh, Lex, I don’t know. I don’t
know what’s wrong with me. Actually, I do but I’m so
Similar Books
