Page 48 of Forever Love-Reimagined

“It doesn’t matter. Leia wants to meet you, so I guess we’re on for tomorrow.” I tried to flatten the worry lines on my forehead, and I realized my mom was probably right about the Botox—especially given my current state.

Ty stood and quickly sat on the corner of my desk facing me. “You need to be positive. I can tell this relationship is different for you because you’re different when you talk about her. You light up like a kid on Christmas morning.”

He tipped my chin to look at him in the eyes. “Don’t self-sabotage because you’re afraid you are like your parents. You are nothing like them. And just because Steph turned out to be two-faced, it doesn’t mean that Leia will. Haven’t you seen all of her faces by now anyway?” He chuckled, and things seemed lighter.

I sighed even though he was right. “But the aftereffects from all those people still linger inside of me, and my biggest fear is that they will come out.” If I ever made Leia feel the way my parents did about each other, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself. What if I wasn’t fully ready for this all-encompassing love?

He let go of my face and shook his head. “You are a lawyer. You can be level-headed. And I’ve never seen you so smitten over anyone. You’re not going to put her through the same things your folks did. I don’t believe it at all. Have you ever brought it up to Leia? Your relationship with your family?”

She and I had talked about everything, but I never fully expressed the hurt and resentment that was still inside of me from my childhood. I hoped it wasn’t an issue, but I realized it might be. Those negative feelings seemed to be lurking on the periphery, waiting to come out.

“I could probably address it more.” I exhaled deeply. “Thanks for this chat, Ty. I guess I have a lot to think about.”

“Shut it off. There is nothing you can do about it now. So, don’t let this take hold, okay?” He said that like it was so easy to do, but I understood his sentiment.

“You’re right. I’m going to dive back into work. Give me a ring if you get the POA back from the Sutherlands, and I will get everything finalized.” If I got through this day, maybe I would discuss things with Leia tonight, and all of this nonsense would float away.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Leia - Friday

“Hey, Haley. Lay wasn’t expecting me, but I needed to talk to her, so I decided to pop in.” Blake’s rich voice echoed from the front of the studio, and I couldn’t wait to see her, but I wasn’t sure what she needed to talk to me about.

We hadn’t chatted much at all today besides the text asking me to have lunch with Ty and David tomorrow.

“Oh, she’s editing a shoot. Do you want me to go get her?”

“No. If she’s busy, I’ll call her later.”

“Don’t be silly. She can be finished for the night. I’m surprised she hasn’t come out here anyway. I’m sure she can hear us!” Haley’s voice now sounded as if she spoke through a megaphone.

“Would you calm down? I was wrapping up.” I strolled to the front of the studio and noticed Blake’s nervous energy. I walked over, wrapping my arms around her waist. “Are you okay?” I leaned in and kissed her cheek.

She nodded, but her eyes told a different story.

“Babe?” I hoped she would tell me what was going on.

“I came to see what you wanted for dinner tonight.” The words didn’t ring true at all, but if she wasn’t ready to talk, I would give her time.

I brushed a stray curl that never seemed to want to be tamed behind her ear and smiled. “Whatever you want is fine with me. Just as long as I get to spend time with you.” Being near her gave me a sense of completeness, and nothing else seemed to matter when she was around.

I was falling fast—probably too fast. But feelings didn’t have schedules. They came out of nowhere and could turn your whole world upside down in a good way, or they could slowly drain the life out of you. There was no way to predict them, but you always knew they were around because they didn’t hide from you.

I had tried to ignore them for a while now, especially not knowing where Blake stood, but as I held her in my arms and studied every detail of her face, I was a goner. There was no hope for me. I was in l-o-v-e with this woman, and it should’ve freaked me out, but instead, it excited me. I had dreamed many lifetimes with her, and each one was more perfect than the last. I believed in my heart of hearts that in this life, right here, right now, the best was yet to come.

She quirked a brow in my direction. “Now it’s my turn to ask, are you okay?” She stood on her tiptoes and gave me a peck on the lips. “It seemed as if you hadn’t heard me.”

“Sorry, my mind was wandering. What did you say?”

“I asked about pizza?”

“That sounds perfect. Let me go shut down my computer, and then we can jet.” I left Haley and Blake to carry on while I collected my things.

Blake and I still hadn’t introduced each other to our friends. She seemed very hesitant about it, but I was so happy when she asked me about tomorrow. Since she was having me meet Ty and David, I was more comfortable asking her to hang out with Shanny and Toni sometime, as well as Haley and Adam. She’d only talked to Haley here at work on brief occasions, but they seemed to get along, which made my heart happy since Haley had turned out to be more of a friend and an employee.

“So, do you have plans for the weekend?” Blake asked Haley while I continued to tie up my loose ends.

I tried not to eavesdrop, but they weren’t any too quiet, so the conversation floated around the studio, and I couldn’t help but hear.

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