“Hey, Angelique…what’s going on?” Monique asked softly.
Angelique shook her head and drew in a deep breath. “I can’t talk about it right now,” she managed to say.
“Then are we ready to go?” Dominique asked.
“I’m ready,” Monique said and Angelique echoed it.
Dominique waved for their tab and minutes later the three left the café. “Okay, spill it,” Dominique commanded the moment they were back in the car.
“Yeah, tell us what’s going on with you,” Monique said. “You’re obviously upset about something.”
Angelique hesitated a moment before replying. “He told me he’s in love with me,” she finally said, and tears once again pressed hot and seeped down her cheeks.
“Who? Daniel?” Dominique asked.
Angelique nodded her head. “He told me he’s in love with me and wants to marry me.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” Dominique asked.
“You aren’t in love with him?” Monique asked.
“No, I am crazy in love with him,” Angelique confessed.
“Then what’s the problem?” Dominique asked.
“Me… I’m the problem.” Angelique tightened her hands on the steering wheel. “You both know how I feel about relationships. I don’t want to be in love, and I don’t want him to be in love with me.”
“Oh, Angelique,” Monique said in dismay. “You can’t let your experience with Jason ruin the rest of your life. He was a piece of dirt, but that doesn’t mean Daniel is.”
“Monique and I should have hunted Jason down and beat his butt for what he did to you,” Dominique said fervently. “Or maybe we should beat your butt for being so damned stubborn about all this.”
“Angelique, if you truly love him and he truly loves you, then you shouldn’t let this pass you by. You’ll always be haunted by the what-ifs. What if Daniel is a man who won’t lie or cheat on you? What if he is the kind of stand-up man who can truly make you happy?”
“Angelique, don’t allow fear to rule your life. Don’t let your fear ruin your chance at love,” Monique said. “I always believed you were the big sister who was afraid of nothing.”
“Okay, enough,” Angelique said as she parked the car and turned off the engine.
“We just want to see you happy, sis,” Dominique said.
“I know, but I hope you both will support me no matter what decision I make,” Angelique said.
“You know you always have our support,” Monique said.
The three got out of the car and headed into the swamp. It was a quiet walk, and Angelique was grateful for the silence. Her head was spinning with all the thoughts and emotions that filled it.
When she got back to her shanty, she spent the rest of the afternoon working, which kept all other thoughts away. But the minute she closed her computer, thoughts of Daniel filled her head once again.
He’d been a constant in her life for a little over a month. She had enjoyed each and every moment she’d spent with him. The nightly visits had fast-tracked their closeness to each other.
Last night he’d looked so handsome in his jeans and a white polo shirt. She’d wanted him last night. She’d wanted him to kiss her passionately and she’d wanted him to make love with her again. It had surprised and confused her when he hadn’t responded to her obvious openness.
Why had he ruined everything with his talk of loving her? They’d had a wonderful relationship going with things being casual between them. She would have been satisfied if things had remained the status quo. Or was it possible a time would come when she wanted more from him?
She was so damned confused now. She was torn between love and fear, torn between want and the bad taste Jason had left in her mouth.
She called it a day early and got into bed. As she remembered Daniel spending the night with her, her heart squeezed tight. She had felt so safe that night. It had felt so right to fall asleep in his arms.
Could she trust him to love her forever? Could she believe that he would never lie to her or cheat? She closed her eyes and the night sounds of the swamp slowly soothed her.
