Raising Elle by S.E. Reichert

Author:S.E. Reichert [Reichert, S.E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781631123078
Publisher: 5 Prince Publishing

* * *

Blake’s eyes followed Elle long after the bang of the screen door. He turned back to Laney’s scrutinizing glance.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Laney smiled. “It’s just good to see you, Blake. You look healthy,” she said.

“Thanks.”

“Living with Elle must be treating you pretty good,” she led.

Blake looked back at her. “Better than I thought.”

“I’m glad you’re here, Blake.”

“Oh? Why’s that?”

Laney sauntered closer and looked at the house, causing him to look too.

“Because she’s been through hell, and she needs you in her corner.”

“In her corner for what? Has she talked to you about him?”

“She hasn’t talked to any of us, not since coming home all bruised to hell. I think every single one of us wants to murder that son-of-a-bitch—” Laney said, not taking her eyes away from the screen door. “But none of us know where he is.”

“I asked her, and she didn’t say much.” Blake confided.

“Do you think she doesn’t know, or is it more than that?”

“How in the hell should I know?” Blake grunted. “She hasn’t said anymore to me about it than to you.”

“She’s always loved you, you know.”

“What?”

“Since she was about eight, I think.”

“How in the hell do you know that?” Blake’s voice caught in his throat.

“She told me, before she left with Aaron. Couldn’t live in the same town, loving a man who didn’t love her back.” Blake turned away.

“I can’t change what happened, Laney. I couldn’t—I couldn’t be what she needed.” Blake’s face turned red.

“I’m not asking you to change what happened.” She stopped him from storming off with a hand on his arm. “But maybe you both could do better this time around.”

Blake looked at Laney, and the pressure to be some kind of savior to Elle was too much. He was barely healed himself.

“Well, who’s to say she still loves me?” he shook his head, trying to not think about all the quiet nights and hard days of work. “And even if she did, what if I don’t deserve it?”

“Well, I never took you for a damn coward, Blake O’Connor.” Laney said.

“What do you want from me, Laney?”

“The only person she’s ever really trusted, really loved, and he won’t let her decide what’s best for her?”

Blake blanched. “What in the hell does that even mean?” he asked.

“It means that you’re stupid, and stubborn, and you’re gonna lose her again, Blake. All. Over. Again.” Laney turned on her heel, got in her car, and shouted out the window; “Let her know I’ll pick her up with Holly and Judy later.” Then, she drove away in a Sullivan-like fury.

“I am not, and I will not!” he yelled at the departing car while confusion and pain flooded through him until all he wanted to do was get away from the whole lot of them. He forgot about the lines in the south pasture and climbed back in his Jeep and rushed off to town to buy clothes for a dance he regretted ever saying he’d go to.

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