“Don’t be ashamed, Eva. You can’t force someone to get better or change.”
I let her words wash over me, soothing old wounds that have refused to heal…until now. “You don’t know how much that means to hear you say that.”
“And you don’t know how much it means to hear your voice.”
I glance out the window, tears falling down my cheeks. “Do you have some time to talk?”
“Hang on,” she says. I hear her say something to my brother-in-law. “I’m back. Christian said he would take the kids with him so we can have all the time you need.”
“Thank you.”
“What else are big sisters for?”
—
Bohannon’s is a lot more crowded than I expect it to be on a Thursday night. Or maybe I haven’t been in a bar in so long that I don’t know what or if any night is ever slow for one.
I like it, though, because it seems more like a place to hang out and eat than a place to get shit-faced and go home with the wrong person.
Saylor grins at me over her glass of cherry Coke. She had the bartender shove half a jar of real cherries in before she was satisfied. The guy took it in good stride, but honestly, who couldn’t be nice to a woman wearing a tight-fitting, glittery Spaceballs T-shirt with a rather raunchy quote from the movie printed on the front. The fact that she’s got big boobs doesn’t hurt things, either.
“How are thing in Hunterland?” Saylor asks.
“Peachy.”
“Are y’all an item now?”
I squirm a little on the barstool. “Yes.”
“Why do you look so embarrassed about it?”
“Why do you ask so many questions?” I return.
Saylor rolls her eyes, her glasses sliding down her nose. “Because you say nothing.”
“I say plenty.”
“Plenty’s not enough for me. I need more girl talk.”
Saylor looks so sincere that I want to share everything with her, including my time with— “I know this is none of my business as your boss, but as your friend…and no judgment, but when I interviewed you, you mentioned a husband. So…um, you and Hunter?”
My mouth opens and closes as I flounder for an explanation. “We’re separated.”
“Oh, good,” she chirps. “Because I was totally judging you for being one of those types who takes a perfectly good single guy while she already has a man.”
A sort of strangled noise leaves my mouth.
“Kidding!” She winks at me. “Did I ever tell you about the time that I answered a personal ad and it turned out the guy was a professional cuddler? I had to pay him for hugging me good night.”
“That’s a thing?”
“A big thing, apparently.” She uses two fingers to pull a couple of cherries out of her glass and pops them in her mouth. “Reason number two hundred I suck at dating. If I could just find a guy who wanted to bypass all of that and get married, I’d be set.”
“You want to get married?”
Saylor gives me an odd look. “You don’t think I’m the marrying kind?”
And now I’ve hurt her feelings. “No,” I say slowly. “I thought you wanted to share all your cookies first.”
“Oh, no.” She shakes her head. “I’m saving all my cookies The One.”
“You believe in The One?”
“Don’t you?”
“I used to, but then I married a narcissist asshole who thought beating me up was a perfectly acceptable way of expressing his love.”
Her brown eyes round. “I’m sorry.”
“I can’t believe I just told you that. Exactly two other people know—Hunter and Piper.”
“Piper, as in our landlord’s wife?”
I nod. “Yeah, she’s also the owner of a women’s shelter.”
“Is that how you met?” Her voice is low and thankfully the music isn’t so loud that I have to speak up in order to be heard.
“Yes. Hunter, too. He was one of the cops who found me…on the side of the road and helped me.”
Saylor’s lips tremble. Then she launches herself at me, wrapping my body up in a hug so tight that I can barely breathe. “I’m so sorry that asshole hurt you. I hope they cut off his balls in prison and make him eat them. Also, Hunter is for sure your One. The other guy was an imposter.”
Awkwardly, I pat her back even as warmth washes over me. “I think that’s the nicest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Saylor lets go of me, her brown eyes filled with tears. “Sorry for bringing up your past.”
“Don’t be. Without my past, we would never have met.” While some may think that’s a rather morbid way to look at things, I’m tired of living in darkness, of being a perpetual victim who allows her husband to still control her. Darkness is only the absence of light and I refuse to keep living there. “You’re a really good friend.”
Saylor bites her lip, a shy smile on her face. “I’m honored to be your friend.”
“Okay, enough about friendship.” I catch a trio of guys looking our way. I’m not in the market, but I can make the best wingwoman ever for Saylor. “How about we let those guys talk to us?”
Saylor peers around me. “I’m okay with that.”