“Ah, honey,” Charly says as I pace away and wipe furiously at the tears on my cheeks.
“I just can’t.” I take a deep breath. “I love him, but damn it, it’s been a shitty week, and I don’t want to talk about him. Just thinking about him hurts.”
“He’s a moron,” Van says, shaking her head, and I just nod in agreement.
“You know what you need?” Charly asks.
“A lobotomy so I can forget how great we had it for a little while? Because it was so great.” I hate myself for falling apart like this. I sit on the couch and hang my head in my hands, just crying. “He was so sweet and I miss him, you guys. I miss his hands, and I miss the way he wouldn’t touch me when I was sleeping so I didn’t get too hot.”
“Wow, I love it when a guy does that,” Charly says.
“I just can’t get the image of him with that woman out of my head,” I continue. “I mean, he hadn’t even broken up with me yet before he moved on.”
“What if I told you that it’s not what you think?” Van asks. “And that he loves you, too.”
“I’d say I don’t know,” I reply honestly. “I just don’t know. I thought I knew him, and then he just… threw me. So frankly, I don’t know what I want. I have a lot on my plate right now, and I just feel overwhelmed. I definitely don’t want him to see me like this.”
“No,” Charly agrees. “I think I have a good idea. You should get away, even if it’s just for a couple of days. Take some time to think. Think about what you want, for you. Then come back and have it out with Declan.”
“I don’t think he’ll want to wait that long to talk to you,” Van says.
“Well, it’s not all up to him, is it?” I reply. “I wanted to see him all week, and he blew me off. So he can wait.”
“Atta girl,” Charly says.
“But I don’t really have anywhere to go,” I add.
“We do,” Van says. “I’ll call Gabby. You should go to the inn for a couple days. It’s quiet there, and it’s out of the city.”
“You guys do remember that it’s your brother that is no longer my boyfriend, and that the thinking I have to do involves whether or not I want to even see his face again?”
“I wonder whether I ever want to see his face again all the time,” Charly says, waving me off.
“We love Declan, Callie,” Van adds, “but I really think he’s messed up here. I like you. I want you two to work it out because I think you’re really good for him. But whether you end up together or not, you’re our friend, and we’d make the same offer to any other friend that we care about.”
“What she said,” Charly says.
God, I’m an emotional mess. What did I do to deserve these sweet women? I bite my lip, but can’t stop the tears from flowing as I simply nod and then say, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Go pack a bag.”
Charly’s already dialing the phone. “Hey Gab, we’re sending Callie to you. Declan’s being a man.”
***
Van was right; it’s very quiet at the inn. I’ve been here for two days. I’ll go home later today, and I’ve loved every minute that I’ve been here.
“Your cinnamon rolls are the best, Gabby,” I say as I watch her knead the dough for the delicious pastries for the next morning.
“Thanks,” she says with a smile. “It’s my mama’s recipe, and it’s usually a big hit.”
“I think I’ve gained ten pounds in the past two days, just from eating too many,” I reply, patting my belly.
“I don’t see any pounds on you, but it does look like a few might have been lifted off your shoulders,” Gabby says and sets the bowl of dough aside to rise, as my phone begins to ring incessantly, just like it did yesterday.
“I had to turn this damn phone off yesterday, and it looks like the same thing’s going to have to happen today.” I glare down at Declan’s name as another text comes in. Without saying a word, Gabby reaches over and takes it from me, then sets it in the fridge.
“Trust me,” she says. “It works.”