Page 69 of Accidentally Sliding Into A Second Chance

“What?” she asks, a self-conscious look on her face.

My hand slides around her waist, pulling her up against me, and I whisper in her ear. “You talking baseball is sexy, Catherine James.”

A shiver runs through her, and my hand around her waist tightens. She slides her palms up my chest and leans back against my arm, letting me support her.

A swarm of emotions overwhelms me, but the one that squeezes my heart is the trust she’s gifting me.

Her eyes sparkle as she meets my gaze. “Are you ready to go?”

Go? My eyes narrow as I try to remember what she’s talking about.

“For a walk along the river?” She smiles, but then her brow furrows. “But if you’re tired, we can call it a night. I’m good either way.”

Leaning in, I press my lips to hers again and feel her sigh against my lips.

Twenty minutes later, her hand in mine, we’re walking along the Milwaukee RiverWalk. The river lapping gently against the stonewall, murmurs from people sitting at nearby restaurants,and Cream City brick make our backdrop. We walk in a comfortable silence, each in our own thoughts.

“What was life like when you moved away?” I ask. At the same time she questions, “Will you tell me about Fiona?”

We both chuckle, and a tiny bit of relief floods me when she begins to answer my question.

“It was hard. My mom was always worried that someone was going to come after us to get to my dad. She was so afraid, which trickled down to me. But Aunt Dottie made everything easier…”

She blows out a deep breath and stretches her fingers in my hand before continuing.

“Aunt Dottie had a way of looking at things and focusing on the good in life. I didn’t realize how much I needed that or how much it changed my life. She was always happy, and I wanted that so much.”

“You were always happy when we were together,” I interject, memories of the two of us together.

“Around you I was,” she whispers, and her chin falls to her chest. “At home though…”

There’s a heaviness rolling off of her, and I want to help her carry it, but I don’t know how. I give her hand a squeeze, letting her know she’s not alone.

“I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone we were leaving.” She stops and looks up at me, her eyes filled with an emotion that has my heart clenching. “And as terrified as my mom was, I couldn’t leave without letting you know.”

When Cat left, she took a part of me with her. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but I knew it was significant. How would I have felt if she had left without an explanation?

Turning to kiss the side of her head, I murmur, “Thank you for telling me.”

She nods stiffly, but wraps her other hand around my arm, pressing her body closer. My chest expands. I’m not sure I’ll ever grow tired of wanting to be her safe place.

“Tell me more about Aunt Dottie.” I nudge her gently, and her surprise laughter makes the lights along the river feel brighter.

“My aunt was an amazing woman and a character.” A smile lines her face. “As you know, by the marriage stipulation in her will.”

“If she were alive, I’d thank her for that,” I say seriously, and she giggles, hip-checking me.

“Maybe I should thank her too,” she murmurs, her face taking on a faraway look, like she’s lost in a memory. “She’d love you. And she wouldadoreScarlett. Aunt Dottie saved me in so many ways…”

Cat tells me about the part of her life I missed. The sadness she felt at leaving, how her mother fell apart after they left, and never fully recovered. My heart breaks for the girl I remember and the trials she had to go through.

When we finally make it to our room, our sleeping arrangements are all but forgotten as we talk late into the night, making up for decades of separation.

Tea Time

HeyTeaLovers.

Haveyoubeen stalking David James’ social media account like we have?

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