“It sounds…” Aria trailed off, but I could sense the resolve building in her. With a clear direction, it would be easier for her to move forward. “Doable.”
“Good.” The doctor stood and moved to her desk. “I’ll write you in for five p.m. on Wednesday, is that okay?”
“Yeah.” Aria nodded and moved to the edge of the sofa. “And I need to go and get the blood taken now?”
“Yes.” The doctor grabbed a card off her desk and scribbled something down on it then walked over to us. “This is my number—office and cell. If you need to talk, don’t hesitate to call me. I’d rather you call me over nothing than not call me over something.”
I stood and held my hand out to Aria. She didn’t hesitate taking it, and together we followed the doctor out and into another room two doors down.
“Elizabeth will take your blood and see you out.” Dr. Bay smiled at the nurse in the room and handed her a piece of paper. “I’ll see you on Wednesday, and we’ll go from there, okay?”
“Okay,” Aria whispered, sitting down on the chair the nurse patted.
I leaned against the doorframe as she got her blood taken, not really listening to the conversation they were having. And once she had a Band-Aid on her arm and we were back in the car, I turned to her, grasped her face in my hands and whispered, “I’m so proud of you.”
Aria’s eyes welled with tears, but she didn’t let them fall. “I’m so tired, Cade. So tired.”
“I’m gonna take you back to my place and let you sleep the evening away. No cell, no one else around to disturb you. How does that sound?”
She sighed. “Sounds like perfection.”
I flashed her a small smile and pulled out of the parking spot. My cell buzzed in my pocket, but I ignored it. It hadn’t stopped while we were inside. I knew who it would be, and right now, I didn’t have time to placate her. Focusing on Aria was my only priority.
Neither of us talked as I drove home, and as I took the turn into my street, I looked over at Aria. She was focused at looking out of the passenger window and didn’t glance at me until I pulled into my driveway and turned the engine off.
I knew she didn’t need me to talk, she didn’t need my words to be flung at her. All she needed was support, and I’d always give her that. The dark circles under her eyes, coupled with the slumping of her shoulders, told me how tired she really was.
“Ready?” I asked, and she nodded in reply. I opened up my door, intent on going around to open hers, but she was out of the car before I got the chance. Her slow footsteps moved toward me, and I couldn’t resist placing my arm around her shoulders and leading her into my house.
I locked the door behind us and led Aria up the stairs. I wouldn’t sleep in my own bed again tonight, but it didn’t bother me. Aria needed me more than she ever had, and I wouldn’t let her down—not this time.
“I’m going to tell Mom I’m staying the night at Hope’s,” Aria said as she sat on the edge of my bed. She pulled her cell out, and her thumb flew across the screen as she let out a breath. “Hope was worried about me.” She glanced up at me. “I wandered off and didn’t even care that she was waiting somewhere for me.” Her face crumbled, and I hated the way she looked right then. Every fiber of my being wanted to cocoon her in my arms and tell her it would all be okay, but I still had to keep some distance.
“It wasn’t your fault,” I told her, my voice firm. I crouched down in front of her and placed my hand over her cell. “Forget about everyone else”—she let me pull it out of her grip—“you need rest. And that’s exactly what you’re going to get, okay?”
Her light-brown eyes shone as she stared at me. “Okay.” She shuffled up the bed away from me, and once she was settled and her eyes were closed, I pulled my cell out and swiped past all of the messages and missed calls from Willow. She didn’t know when to give up. I knew I was treading a thin line with her, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.
My cell buzzed in my hand, and Willow’s message popped up on the locked screen.
Willow: Where are you?
I blew out a tired breath and took one last look at Aria. Her brows were pulled down into a frown, her hair covering half of her face. Even in slumber, she wasn’t fully relaxed.
Willow: I can see your car outside your house!
A second later, banging thumped on my front door, and Willow’s voice shouted, “Open the door, Cade! I know you’re in there!”
My stomach dropped, but I didn’t move my gaze off Aria. She needed the sleep, but I couldn’t go down and talk to Willow right now. She had to wait because she was not a priority. I was choosing Aria over her, and I knew it would probably end things the way I knew them, but it didn’t matter, not when it came to Aria. She was worth it. She would always be worth it.
Willow: I know you’re in there, Cade! I swear to god. Open the damn door.
I stared down at the message on my locked screen and my teeth ground together. I couldn’t do this anymore. I couldn’t keep this pretense up. I needed a way out of what Willow had trapped me in. I needed a plan, one that wouldn’t mean more pain for Aria.
Chapter Ten
CADE
I dropped Aria off at the end of her street on Monday morning. The bags under her eyes had lessened, and the smile on her face wasn’t as forced. She needed peace and quiet, but most importantly rest, which was precisely what she’d gotten. She slept for fourteen hours and woke up extra early this morning so we could get some breakfast before I dropped her off.