“And now you do too.Me,” she says effortlessly, like her words didn’t just make my eyes tear up as well. “Take this time like you said, help Henley because lord knows that he needs it, and then chase your dreams once you’re rested and inspired again. There’s no timeline for aspirations, right? That’s what I keep thinking. Who says you have to achieve something by a certain age? People who were too scared to keep trying, that’s who.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Thank you, Laney. I really think I needed to hear that today.” Maybe that’s the reason I walked in here on a whim, to hear the words that would help me feel like it’s okay to breathe and rest.
“My pleasure. But, if you need some sarcasm or tough love, Dilynne and I are more than qualified to offer that as well.”
We both stand as Remy stirs in the stroller. When she wakes up, she’s going to want to eat and probably need a diaper change, so I needto find somewhere I can complete those tasks. I saw a sandwich shop down the street that had lunch specials, so I’ll probably go there to stretch my dollar further, my daunting credit card balance reminding me of how necessary keeping this job is.
“I really do hope to see you at movie night,” Laney adds as we move for the door.
“Honestly, I can’t wait. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually done something like that. For the past three years, all my life has been about is work and trying to get my big break.”
“I understand that more than you know.” With a wave, she heads across the street, and I make my way toward the sandwich shop.
I wasn’t lying when I said that I’ve been working non-stop, and maybe that’s the problem. I turned a creative outlet into a job.
The question that scares me though is: is it possible to have both? A job that requires creativity at all hours of the day?
Have I even had enough life experience to write a song that’s worthy of being heard by the masses?
Or are my parents right, and I need to think logically for once?
But like Laney said, I have some time to figure it out. I just hope I don’t get myself into a bigger mess in the process.
***
“Uh, it looks like I interrupted something.”
The sound of my voice makes Henley collapse into a heap of bare skin and muscles on the living room floor, where it looked like he was doing some sort of martial arts when I walked in.
“Shit,” he mutters, his arm slung over his face, sweat dripping down his torso.
And what a torso it is.
Holy mother of chest and abs, this sight will never get old.
This isn’t the first time I’ve seen the man without his shirt. In fact, it’s actually the third, but who’s counting?
However, this is the first time I’ve seen him glistening with sweat and in a pair of athletic shorts that do very little to hide the bulge between his legs.
God, Elodie. Stop staring.
Clearing my throat, I bend down to take Remy from her car seat, pulling her to my chest as I stand tall again, only to find Henley standing up now as well.
Eyes on his face, Elodie.
“Were you just doing karate when I walked in?”
Henley huffs out a laugh, his smile effortless until his lips fall almost instantly, as if he realized he was actually smiling and had to put a stop to it. “It was supposed to be yoga, but I’m not very good yet.”
My chest starts to tighten. “You were doing yoga? That’s not what I expected from a man like you.”
He arches an eyebrow. “A man like me?”
Heat crawls up my neck. “I just meant…” My eyes skim over his broad shoulders before I can stop myself. “You look more like a weights-and-bench-press guy. That’s all.”
He pushes a hand through his sweat-soaked hair as his eyes land on Remy. “Yeah, well…I blame Laney. She does yoga and wine events at her dad’s winery and Fletcher dragged me to one without telling me what it was. Despite nearly dying that night, I felt more challenged by that workout than I had been in a long time, so now I’ve been trying to incorporate it into my routine.”
He reaches for his daughter and she lunges for him as he presses a kiss to the top of her head—and I’m pretty sure my ovaries justwept. “How did she do today?” Glancing at the clock, he continues, “I thought you’d be home sooner.”
