Veiled Longing by Gia Cobie

Author:Gia Cobie [Cobie, Gia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2023-05-08T22:00:00+00:00

13

Do the Right Thing

ALEX

Even though Jules is doing better, I still feel guilty.

Though she doesn’t blame me for anything that happened, I do. She’s too sweet and soft-hearted to even consider that I’m to blame for the events that brought her here. I wish I could believe that. Instead, each day the same thoughts run through my head, making me second guess everything.

Why didn’t I follow up sooner with Jules? Why did I leave it until Grace called, worried about her hurting friend? Why didn’t I demand to take her home after work instead of picking her up an hour later?

Why hadn’t I protected her?

I keep pushing back the litany of worries, wanting to concentrate on Jules instead.

But Roman and Grace are coming to visit, and it’s gotten me thinking. As much as I want—need—Jules here, I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing by having her stay.

Maybe she would have been better off going to Grace and Roman. She wouldn’t be hiding out in isolation, with only me as her company. If Jules were with Grace, she might be more willing to talk about the horrors of that night, things she still hasn’t shared with me.

I desperately want Jules with me, but I don’t want my selfishness to hurt her even more than she has been already. And I’m not sure I deserve her.

Roman and Grace should arrive shortly, and there’s something I need to talk to Jules about first. I should have said something sooner, but I’ve been putting this off since the thought came to mind. As much as I selfishly hate it, she needs to know she has options, and I won’t push her into staying.

Sucking in a deep breath, I find Jules in the living room fluffing up pillows. My chest squeezes at the sight. She looks like she’s lived here for years, and I never want her to leave.

Don’t be selfish. Do the right thing for her, not for me.

“Jules.” She turns, smiling as I walk over to her. I take her hand and guide her over to the couch. “I need to talk to you.”

Her smile fades, and my heart tugs painfully. “Is something wrong?”

I force my lips to curve. “Nothing’s wrong. I just…” Swallowing thickly, I press on. “I wanted to talk about something before Roman and Grace get here.”

Forehead wrinkling, she peers at me with a confused expression. “That doesn’t sound bad. But from the look on your face, I think it is.”

“No, it’s not bad.” Just spit it out. “I wanted you to know that if you’d rather stay with Grace and Roman, I would understand. I didn’t give you the choice when I brought you here, and I don’t want you feeling obligated to stay.”

“What?”

Each word is like poison in my mouth. “I’m just thinking you might prefer staying with them. You’d be closer to home, and have more company. You wouldn’t be isolated here with me.”

The soft curves of her face have gone rigid. “Are you saying you want me to leave?”

No.

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