She smiled."I just wish he'd had the decency to break things off with me before he put me through that."
I sighed."Tom walked in on us."
She raised a brow."While you were having sex?Why didn't you lead with that?"
I shook my head."Not during, but it was still awkward.I hadn't wanted him to find out, and it was not how I imagined it would happen.I thought we'd be in a committed relationship by then, or we would have broken up."
"Don't you usually get notice when Tom is coming home?"
"The only time we wouldn't know was if he was injured—" That made me pause, because I hadn't noticed if he was."I was so focused on Tom's reaction that I didn't notice if he was injured or not."
"So Tom came home unannounced and was surprised to find his best friend sleeping with his sister."
I winced."That sounds awful when you put it like that."
She sipped her drink with a straw."That's how Tom sees it.You betrayed his trust."
"So you think we were wrong to act on our attraction?"
Clara shook her head."I didn't mean it like that.I was just seeing it from Tom's perspective.He was caught off guard.You surprised him."
"So you're saying that I should give him a few days and then talk to him?"
"Yeah, it wouldn't hurt."
I wasn't ready to talk about Morgan yet."Are you sure you're okay with me staying here?"
She smiled."I have more than enough room, and it gets lonely living here by myself."
"Then you have yourself a roommate for two more weeks."I lifted my glass to clink against hers.
"Why two weeks?"She stood across from me, sipping her drink.
I nodded."The apartment above the bakery should be renovated by then."
Her brow furrowed."Are you planning to move back?"
"It's my home.Why wouldn't I move back?"
Her eyes flared."Because you were rescued from a fire while you were sleeping."
I pursed my lips."I've been thinking about that a lot.But Morgan said everything will be up to code, and they added the best fire safety features.I should be safe."
"It doesn't matter how many safety features you install or precautions you take, you might still feel scared, and that's okay."
I blew out a breath."I can't live with Morgan."
"That doesn't mean that you don't have options.You can stay here as long as you need."
"Thanks, Clara.You're a life saver."I was friends with Meg, but she wasn't the most sympathetic when it came to men.She'd say it was a mistake to get involved with a guy.
"I got you," Clara said with a smile, and I relaxed for the first time since Tom burst through the door.
No matter what happened, I'd be okay.I had friends and a successful business to fall back on.
Clara's place was nice, albeit a little dated, and filled with things that weren't hers.But otherwise, it was a safe place to rest and easy enough to avoid Morgan and Tom.Not that either of them was seeking me out.
Clara appreciated the leftover baked goods, and it was nice to have company, even if I missed Morgan and what we had.I thought we had more time to solidify our relationship before we had to deal with my brother.
