Page 259 of Dark Love

Dahlia

It’s been four days since Marlie called and everything shifted again in my world. Four days where Vex barely left my side. And four days that I didn’t go to work.

Fear should be building inside of me. Instead, I’m calmly prepping a platter of cookies for tea with Imogene.

“Do you think the boys will ever come back inside?” Imogene folds herself into one of the barstools.

“Eventually. But men need to stare at their new toys for a while, especially ones that involve fire.” Vex watches it like a little boy in a candy store.

“Is there a bigger barbeque anywhere?”

“Probably not.” But we’re now the proud owners of a smoker, flattop, gas grill, and wood grill. “As long as they don’t set fire to the house, I don’t care.”

“That gives us time to chat. How are you feeling after Monday?”

We can’t talk about Marlie freely even here. “Sad. But this time off has helped.”

“Are you going to go back to work?”

“Vex doesn’t want me to.”

She laughs. “Of course, he doesn’t. That man is besotted. He’d handcuff you two together if you’d let him get away with it.”

Or lock me in his library. Both sound wonderful. “I’m going back to work next Wednesday.”

“Have fun with that. If he’s anything like Payne, it’s going to be an uphill battle.” Even with the frustration in her voice, Imogene keeps a soft smile on her face.

Payne can’t be half as stubborn as Vex. “What’s he doing to drive you nuts?”

“The therapist said I need to think about moving out. Payne almost flipped out. He seems to think this arrangement is permanent.”

“Like you moved in forever?”

She nods.

“What do you want?” That feels like a big question. One I should be asking myself.

“I want to spend forever with Payne. But not like this. It’s like… does he love me because I’m broken? Do I only feel this way because of what happened in the—” Her voice breaks.

Her heart must be breaking. I lean across the bar and take her hand in mine. “Vex and Payne do this kind of thing a lot.” Too often. Yet not often enough. “Did you ask if he’s ever fallen for another woman?”

“He said he hasn’t. That I’m the first.”

“And do you believe Payne?”

Imogene nods.

“Then you can eliminate that worry.”

“But what if I don’t love him?”

Oh. “You need to figure that out. Maybe your therapist is right.”

The front door opens and Mom shouts, “Dahlia!”

Imogene pops off the stool. Her head swings around and she searches for a place to hide.

“Imogene—” I keep my voice pitched low. “—that’s my mother. You’re safe. No one is going to hurt you.” But Mom might hurt me when she finds Vex and Payne out in my garden.

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