Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I couldn’t help the laugh that slipped free.
“Anyway, was driving by and I saw your car parked out front. Why are you here?”
“The heat at my place isn’t working.”
Her brows shot up. “What?”
“Larry, my landlord, said he was sending someone over right away to fix it. I came here to stay warm in the meantime, since the roads in town were pretty clear.”
She glanced around. “Do you need help with anything?”
I smiled. “No, but thank you.”
Ensley nodded and took another look around.
“Ensley…what’s the real reason you stopped?”
She looked at me, at first acting innocently confused. Then, rolling her eyes and sighing, she threw up her hands. “Fine! When I saw your car, I had to stop by and ask what happened at Caden’s.”
My brows drew down. “What do you mean?”
“Come on, Lilibeth. You guys can hardly be in the same room together for two minutes without fighting. Yet, Emeline told me you called her, and you said everything was fine. Fine! What does that even mean?”
“It meant everything was fine.”
Ensley rolled her eyes again. She started to say something, then closed her mouth and searched my face, her gaze narrowed. “Something is…different about you.”
I took a step back. “Nothing is different.”
She suddenly gasped, slapped a hand over her mouth, and pointed at me. “Oh my God!”
“No!” I quickly said.
“Oh. My. God!”
“Ensley!”
“You and Caden? Holy shit—did he know you were a virgin? Did he make it good for you? I’ll kill him if he didn’t make it good for you!” She spun away from me and started to pace. “What does this mean? Holy crap! This is huge!”
“It’s not huge. It’s really not that big of a deal.”
Ensley faced me once again. “Not a big deal? Lilibeth, my brother is crazy about you!”
Confused, it was my turn to narrow my eyes. “What on earth are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that he has feelings for you.”
A humorless laugh escaped my lips. “Why would you say that?”
“He told…” Her words quickly faded away.
“He what?” I asked, suddenly very interested in what she had to say.
“I know my brother, Lilibeth. He likes you. He’s just afraid.”
It felt as if the air was violently pulled from my lungs. Had I done the wrong thing by sleeping with Caden? I liked him, no matter how much I tried to pretend I didn’t. Yet, I knew going in he couldn’t give me anything more than the time we’d spent together. Now, Ensley was telling me he liked me. But liked me how?
I drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Yes, something happened between us, but it’s not what you’re thinking. I think we were both lonely, and we needed each other for different reasons. He was upfront with me that nothing would come of the time we spent together.”
She looked concerned. “And you were okay with that?”
Shrugging, I replied, “He was honest with me, and I was honest with him. I wanted him, Ensley. And I don’t think I have to apologize for that.”
“Of course you don’t. But I see the way you two look at each other—”
I held up my hand. “Please don’t.”
Her shoulders fell. “Oh, Lilibeth.”
I felt the tears sting the back of my eyes. Forcing myself to smile, I whispered, “Sometimes our hearts want something that’s just…out of reach.”
Ensley closed her eyes then, and she slowly nodded. It was clear she’d felt the same way at some point in her life, but I wasn’t about to press her for more.
When she turned away from me, I wondered if she was upset with me, but when she turned back, a tear was slowly making its way down her cheek.
“Ensley,” I said, as I rushed to her and took her hands in mine. “What’s wrong?”
She let out a small laugh and shook her head. “Lilibeth, if I can give you one piece of advice.”
“Yes, please.”
“Don’t let him push you away, because he’s worth the fight. You’ll regret it forever.”
I led her to my office, and we sat down in the two chairs I had in there. “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.
She shook her head as she wiped her tears away. “The only thing I’ll say is, I lost two people I loved almost at the same time. I loved them both differently, but because I couldn’t be truthful with either of them, plus myself…” Her words faded as she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she gave a soft shrug. “I would give anything to go back in time and just risk it all by telling them the truth.”
“I’m so sorry, Ensley.”
A soft smile appeared on her beautiful face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Do me a favor, Lilibeth.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Don’t hide your feelings from Caden. Even if he says he doesn’t feel the same, tell him how you feel. Promise me that.”