Lindsey shook her head. “No, that’s not it. You’re not. It’s just… you have no idea how much I appreciate this. I’ve never had someone do something like this for me before. Nick has been right there with me through this whole thing and he’s never judged me. He’s never made me feel bad or embarrassed.”
“Why would he? You don’t deserve to be judged or to feel those things,” I said.
“Not everybody would think that. Nick kept my secret and never questioned me for it. He was who I turned to when all this happened because he’s my best friend and the person I trust most in this world. I never expected you to be there for me like this.”
“Why not?” I asked before I thought the question all the way through. She glanced down at her feet for a few seconds, then lifted her eyes to me. “Can I take you to dinner?”
I asked it as casually as I could, dropping the heavy rest of the conversation. I didn’t want this time with her to end, but I did want to move away from the negativity. The desire to ask her about Remy and find out why she held on to that secret for so long ate at me. I wanted to put it aside and just enjoy her.
“I can’t. I have to get back to the bar,” Lindsey said. “Wednesday Burger Night is always busy, and I don’t want to leave the staff short-handed.”
“Sometime soon, then,” I said and was happy when she nodded.
We parted ways, and she started toward her car. She was nearly at it when she paused and turned back around to look at me. She was silent for a few moments, just looking at me, then took a step back toward me.
“Vince, I owe you. Huge. I know I said I didn’t expect you to be there for me like this, but that’s just because I’m not used to people helping me. But I should have expected it from you just because of the kind of man you are. I appreciate this so much, and I will find a way to make it up to you. You don’t understand how much this means to me.”
She looked like she was going to cry, but she fought the tears welling up in her eyes. I pushed away from my truck and closed the space between us in a couple of long strides. The whole time we were with the lawyer and the day before when we were in my office, I’d done everything I could to keep my emotions in check. But now I just couldn’t keep it in. I had to let at least a little bit of it out.
Resting my hands on her hips, I leaned down and kissed her cheek softly. I didn’t let my hands stay in that place for more than a few seconds, but I stayed close to her for longer. “You’re family, Lindsey. Like I said, we’ve got your back. Always.”
She smiled at me faintly and stepped away. I stood there, watching her get in her car and pull out of the parking lot. When she drove away, I got in my truck and headed for the compound. It was getting close to the end of the workday, but it was going to be a late evening for me. I was leaving the next day and needed to make sure everything was in place both for the trip and for those staying behind at the complex.
When I parked at the compound, I stopped and took a few breaths. I thought over the interaction Lindsey and I just had, trying to figure out both what was meant by what was said, and by what wasn’t said. Without even getting out, I pulled back out of the lot and drove away from the compound. There was work to be done, and it would get done. Even if I had to stay late into the night, it would get done. For right now, I had to get my thoughts straight.
I got to the tiny pizza shop I owned and pulled my car into the back parking lot. The kitchen was already alive and loud when I went inside. A couple of the staff grinned and waved as I walked up to hooks on the wall. I took down one of the crisp white aprons hanging there and put it on. I washed my hands, then plunged them into the big clear container of dough sitting on the corner of the table against one wall.
This was one of the little things about me people didn’t know. When I needed to clear my mind or was feeling stressed and needed some relief, this was where I came. Something about kneading the dough and building up a pizza let my mind release. I could just check out and let my subconscious take over to untangle whatever was going on in my brain.