“Is there something wrong?” she asked sense that I was more distant than usual.
I rotated in my chair to face her. She may have been annoyingly flirtations at times but she was a good employee and at least caring.
“Can I ask you something, actually?”
“Sure,” she said her face lighting up and stepping into the room.
“Why do women insist on keeping secrets? Even when they don’t have to? I mean, even when the truth is so obvious and they should jut come out and say it?”
She raised a brow looking at me surprised by my question. Maybe she was hoping I would ask her out or something.
“Well,” she said slowly trying to think through the jumble of words I just spit out. “It’s my experience that if a woman is keeping a secret from you it’s because she is afraid.”
“Afraid. That doesn’t make any sense?”
I was frustrated and unconsciously pushed at my sleeves already up at my elbow as I searched understanding out of my brain.
“Well, when a girl gets hurt in the past, that makes her want to close off. Keep everything close. Saves her from getting hurt all over again. People keep secrets because they don’t fear the truth coming out but the pitfall of it.”
I nodded in understanding.
“Thanks,” I said with a half smile.
“Happy to help,” she responded before bidding be goodbye for the night.
Lilly might have been the one to slip out on me that night, but I had unknowingly abandon her these last eight years.
Maybe she was keeping the truth to herself because she feared my reaction. After all we may have had hot attraction to each other but we had only know each other a few days. i doubted she couldn’t imagine how much I desired to be apart of her life and have a place in Aria’s too.
I would need to find a way to show her that she was safe with me. That I wouldn’t turn and disappear again. That she didn’t have to do it all on her own now. I could be there to help her and see her through it all thick and thin.
Seventeen
Lilly
I was already excited merely for the fact that I would be having a second date with Dr. Dreamy as Em and I started to call him. Emma had agreed that after I picked Aria up from school today, she would watch her for the night.
She couldn’t believe the shock when she came from her lunch meeting to find a large two dozen rose bouquet on her desk.
“Someone must have an admirer,” Julie, my secretary said. “Was it the hunk that came by yesterday?”
“Maybe,” I said blushing profusely.
“It’s about time you got some action.”
Lilly thought to tell her she got plenty of that on her desk yesterday. Instead she shut her door to read over the small note in privacy.
“Thinking about you all night. Can’t wait to see you again. I’m all yours, baby.”
She smiled as she read over the note again. He had been nothing but perfect to her. Naturally she knew that no one was actually perfect, but right now he seemed about as close as someone could get. She looked down to the framed picture of Aria on her desk and wave of guilt hit her again.
I needed to tell Barrett the truth. I needed to give him that option to stay or not. I would be sure that today would be the day that I told him.
After work I waited in the same school line to pick up Aria. When she slipped into the back seat I couldn’t help but look at her more loving than ever before. She did have so much of her father in her.
“Aunt Em is going to come over tonight and watch you again. Is that okay?”
“But I have my show tomorrow?” Aria retorted.