Chapter 12
Elodie
A Massage and A Girlfriend
My hands are still shaking as I pull into a parking space right outside of Blossom Beauty, shut off my engine, and lean my head against the headrest. “Breathe, Elodie. Just breathe.”
The words I said to Henley before storming out of his house have been on an endless loop in my head as I drove across town to Laney’s salon, the only place I could think of where I could gather my nerves. I’m supposed to have dinner with her and Dilynne tonight anyway, but seeing Henley this morning just made me even more furious with him.
It wasn’t just fury you were feeling though, was it, Elodie?
Luckily, the voice of reason I need right now answers on the first ring. “Elodie?”
“Hey, Lennon,” I croak out, fighting off my tears that are mostly from anger. But a part of me is sad because the worst possible thing has happened to me—I’ve developed feelings for my boss.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I just went off on Henley.”
Lennon snorts. “Okay, why don’t you start from the beginning…”
“God, Lennon. He’s so closed off and grumpy, but sometimes he lets his guard down, and I see what a strong man he is. He grew up in foster care, so I can’t imagine what he’s been through and seen, but he doesn’t let people in, Lennon. Except for his friends. He has this friend group that’s basically his family, and last night he went out with one of his co-workers, which shouldn’t bother me, but then he wouldn’t answer my texts and all I could think about was him either dead in a ditch or sleeping with some random woman…”
“Whoa, Elodie. Breathe, honey,” Lennon’s voice cuts through my spiral, giving me a chance to catch my breath. “That was a lot of information you unloaded.”
“Well, that’s how I feel this morning. Henley finally showed up at home after his daughter had a fever last night and he never responded to me. But by that time, I was so flipping angry, I went off on him and stormed out.”
“Did he tell you why he didn’t answer you?”
“Apparently, he had too much to drink, which is what he turns to when he wants to escape. I swear, before he left, he took one look at me and Remy, then bolted—like he couldn’t handle the sight of us and had to get away.”
Lennon hums. “Has he done that before?”
“I mean, he’s been short with me, but never run away.”
“Well, where are you now?”
“I’m sitting in my car outside of Laney’s salon.”
“Who’s Laney?”
I spend the next few minutes bringing her up to speed on my friendship with Laney and Dilynne. “Maybe ask them if his behavior is normal.”
“His sister warned me that he has issues. I just didn’t realize that they’d make me want to strangle him. And knowing that he was probably out chasing women last night doesn’t help.”
Lennon clears her throat. “Why does it matter if he was out with other women?”
“It doesn’t.”
“You sure about that?”
My jaw clenches tighter. “What are you implying, Lennon?”
“That what I was afraid of happening is happening.” Tears prick behind my eyes. I already know that what I feel for Henley is inappropriate, but hearing one of my best friends call me out on it isn’t making my blood pressure come down any faster. “It sounds to me that maybe there’s some jealousy blended with that anger you’re feeling.”
Sighing, I close my eyes. “I’m in a clusterfuck right now, Lennon.”
“Only if you act on what you’re feeling,” she counters.
