Page 62 of My Heart Before You

“Analie!”

“Sorry, old habits die hard. Of course, it doesn’t matter as long as he’s a good person and treats you well.”

She was about to say that she did think Colin was incredibly handsome when Analie continued on. “How long have you been dating?”

“Just a few weeks, but we’ve been working together since September when he moved here.”

Her mind replayed the memory of his eyes lighting up at her pantomiming his order and the lingering warmth of his hands on her arms when he steadied her after she’d slammed into him.

“How’s it been going?” She knew the question her sister was really trying to ask.

The lightness she felt momentarily stripped away as pressure built between her brows. “Good. I’ve been taking it really slow and listening to my internal responses . . . Sometimes I feel guilty, like I’m cheating on Braden—”

“You know you’re not, right? Even if it feels that way, you aren’t. Braden would want you to be happy again,” her sister interrupted.

The bitterness of leftover coffee sat in her mouth as it refused to make words for several seconds.

“It’s okay, you know. Everything you’re feeling is okay.” Her sister’s voice was soft.

“I know.”

Telling her sister made her relationship with Colin seem more real. When she was with him, his strength seemed to buoy her, but the simple act of having that experience with someone other than her husband was strange and foreign territory.

“Does Mom know?”

“No.” She cringed, running her hand over her winter-knotted hair. “I thought you could tell her.”

“Mom and Dad would be excited to hear about this too, Emilie.” Her sister used her full name for emphasis. “We’re all excited for you. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

A deep breath filled her lungs before she intentionally exhaled. “Okay, but I’m not going to make that call today.”

Her twin understood sometimes there were limits to the amount of emotional topics she could handle in a day.

“That’s fine. I’ll keep your secret until then. But really, this is great news. I’m happy for you.”

Emilie’s niece burst into whatever room Analie was hiding, her high-pitched cries shrieking out of the phone’s speaker followed by Scott’s voice. “I’m sorry, she wouldn’t calm down.”

“Em—” her sister started.

“Go,” she interrupted. “I love you. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“I love you too.” Penny continued to wail for her sister’s attention. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

She set her phone on the table, glancing out the window when it pinged with a text. Assuming it was Analie, she grinned anticipating what “save me from my four-year-old” message she'd be reading.

Colin:Thank you, Nurse Emilie, for fixing me up today. Do you think we could have a second chance at a second date sometime next week?

Her lips curled higher as she looked at the screen. A second message came through.

Colin:No ice skating.

A laugh burst from her as she thumbed out a response.

Emilie:Not good at being pushed out of your comfort zone?

He responded quickly.

---