Was that true? It certainly didn’t feel that way most of the time.
“Shaye, her name wasn’t Tracy. It was Gracie Scott. When she ran from home she must’ve changed it. Moore is actuallymylast name.”
The line was silent. I checked the call time to make sure we were still connected.
“Well, that says a lot more about you than it does about her.”
“How do you mean?”
“She took on an identity that was safe.”
I let those words sink into my heart. Gracie had always called the river “safe.” I’d never considered her safe spot had everything to do with the fact I was there and nothing at all to do with the river. I wanted to say something, but couldn’t. A fist of emotions lodged in my chest.
“You’re a good man, Patrick. Live your life.”
I swallowed hard, summoning courage. “I will.”
“Call me again soon, dear.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay, have a nice—”
“Wait, Shaye.”
“Yes, sweetie?”
She was a good woman. She loved Gracie with no expectations, even against the judgment of her friends. “Thank you for loving Gracie.”
Emotions sprang into her voice, displaying the purity of her heart and the compassion of her spirit. “I love because the Father first loved me, Patrick. All our love is only an extension of His.”
We disconnected a few moments later with promises to talk again soon.
* * *
I knocked on Julia’s door and adjusted my Predators cap over my head. She was tired from yesterday’s early morning so I dropped her off at her apartment to nap. It took some convincing, but she agreed to stay at her own place last night. There was no reason for her to keep coming. She needed her normal routine, and I needed to find a new normal.
Golly, I missed her already though.
The door burst open. Jules’ smile was enormous, stretched clear across her face. My eyes swept over her form. Yellow tank top, black cut off shorts, and yellow flip-flops. It was the only outfit she’d ever worn that matched the silly shoes. She must’ve gotten dressed in a hurry because a pocket on the shorts was still poking out, and her bun was messier than usual. To put it simply, she was stunning. Didn’t even have to try.
“Pat!” She launched out the door with arms raised and pulled me into an enthusiastic embrace. The hug caught me off guard, and I stumbled forward a step, causing our bodies to collide. The weight of her against me was refreshing as a cool breeze. I allowed my arms to pull her close, and my head rested against hers. I could breathe again. It was exactly what the doctor ordered.
I took a deep breath of her, savoring the vanilla-ish scent of her hair. I greeted her quietly. “Good morning.” She broke the hug hours too soon. Letting my hands drop to my sides was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. My arms ached for more.
Her sea-blue eyes sparkled as she looked into my face. “I missed you,” she admitted.
Before I realized what I was doing, I reached down and tucked her pocket back into her shorts. She drew a sharp breath when my fingers slipped inside. Heat rushed to my face, and I quickly removed them. The gesture was intimate. Have no clue what possessed me to do it. For some reason, it felt natural to touch her. But the whys confused me. I had no claims on Jules.
I turned my burning face away. “Same.”
If she felt awkward, she didn’t let on. Her voice was chipper. “Okay, so what’s the surprise?”
“Well, it’s not really a surprise. I need your help with something.” She locked her apartment door. I turned to walk toward the truck, and she laced her hand through my elbow. “Went to therapy for the first time after I dropped you off yesterday.”
Her eyebrows rose, and she smiled. “Good for you.”
“Going routinely will be good for me.”
