“It doesn’t work that way. We can’t force ourselves to love someone when our hearts belong to someone else.”
Jarod took a few steps back and dropped his head into his hands. I held up my hand to keep Blake back.
“My God. My God, what am I doing?” Jarod asked as he leaned against the wall and slowly dropped to the floor. “I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
My heart broke, and I walked over to Jarod.
“Jarod, have you talked to anyone since you left the army?”
He shook his head.
“You told me once that you had a therapist in the army.”
“Yeah, we were forced to talk to him after each mission.”
“Did you feel better after talking to him?” I asked.
He looked up at me. “Sometimes.”
“Will you do me a favor, as a friend?”
“I’ll do anything for you, Morgan.”
“Will you go and talk to a friend of mine? He’s a therapist, and his office is in Dripping Springs. That’s not far from where we are now. If I call him, will you go with him?”
“I’m not going to some psych ward!” Jarod cried out.
“I’m not asking you to. I’m asking you to go and talk to a friend of mine, that’s all.”
Running his fingers through is hair, Jarod started to cry. Blake walked over and bent down.
“Jarod?”
Dropping his hands, Jarod looked at Blake. “Do you love her? Do you swear on your life you will love her until the day you die?”
Blake nodded. “Yes. To everything.”
Jarod swung his gaze back to me. “Fine. I’ll talk to him.”
I let out the breath I hadn’t even realized I had been holding in. Standing, I pulled out my phone and called Larry Morris. He was one of my professors at the University of Texas. It was a small miracle that I had remembered he lived only thirty minutes away. If anyone could help Jarod deal with his mental issues, it was Larry.
Blake and I sat outside with Jarod until Larry pulled up. After talking with Jarod a few minutes alone, Larry informed he felt like Jarod was okay enough to follow him back to his office in Dripping Springs.
“Larry, please take care of him. He’s a friend, and I hate seeing him hurt like this.”
Taking my hands in his, he smiled. “I promise, if I can’t help him, I’ll find him someone who can.”
“Thank you,” I said, giving Larry a quick hug.
As we watched Larry and Jarod walk off together, I leaned into Blake.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t trust your instinct on Jarod.”
Turning me to face him, Blake slowly shook his head. “It’s not your fault. Do you understand that, Morgan? You didn’t know, and now that you do, you’ve gotten him the help he needs.”
I wiped a tear away. “I know. I just needed to tell you I was sorry I didn’t listen to you.”
Blake leaned down and kissed me. “Are you okay? Do you want to go back in?”