Page 78 of When We Were More
I chuckle. “I know. How about we take a quick shower and climb into bed for a few hours?”
“Okay.” She sniffles and lets me lead her to the bathroom. I turn the shower on and finish undressing her as tears continue to trickle down her cheeks.
“Is it okay if I join you? No funny business, I promise.”
She nods and steps into the shower. Her head dips under the water, and she closes her eyes. I slip in behind her. I reach for her shampoo and spend the next few minutes washing and conditioning her hair. Neither of us says anything, but it doesn’t escape me that this is intensely intimate. As a matter of fact, it’s the most intimate thing I’ve ever experienced with a woman.
After showering, we towel off, and Matilda towel-dries her hair, then combs it through. Minutes later, we’re lying in bed,no clothes between us, with her as the little spoon. As her breathing becomes more rhythmic, I think she’s drifted off until she speaks.
“Henry?”
“Mm hmm?”
“I slept at Lester’s last night.”
The last bit of pressure lifts off my chest.
“Thank you for telling me.”
I kiss the top of her head, and sometime over the next few minutes, we both fall asleep.
CHAPTER 29
Tillie
My eyes are still closed, but I sense I’m alone in bed. I force my eyelids to lift and welcome the brightness of the day before I crawl out of my cocoon. The cold floor under my bare feet makes me flinch. I brush my teeth and hair, then throw on an old pair of sweatpants, and Henry’s college sweatshirt.
When I head downstairs, the smell of freshly brewed coffee hits me as soon as my foot touches the last step. Perfect. I make my way through the house, planning on grabbing my slippers, then heading to the kitchen to pour myself a cup. I don’t have to, though, because when I get to the living room, there are already two cups of hot, steaming liquid on the table, and Henry has a hearty fire burning in the fireplace. He isn’t here, though.
After downing a big gulp from one of the coffee cups, I go in search of Henry and find him in the kitchen. He’s standing at the sink, staring out at the view while he talks on the phone. He doesn’t seem to hear me approaching.
“Yes, Lucy. I’ll meet him in forty-five minutes.” Henry’s shoulders sag. “Remind him it’s a Sundayanda holiday, and that he’s a dick. Okay?” He pauses and listens, then sighs deeply.“No, don’t really say that. I’m kidding, mostly. Just tell him when I’ll be there. Okay, bye.”
Disappointment washes over me, but I force it away. It’s probably for the best that we don’t linger after such an intimate morning. Sure, no sex was involved, but letting myself indulge in him taking care of me—washing my hair, holding me while we slept naked pressed against each other—shouldn’t happen again. Yes, we can hang out as friends, but we need to maintain our boundaries.
That’s what my brain says, anyway. My heart is trying her damnedest to give her opinion, but I can’t trust her since she’s the one who got us in trouble in the past. I push the thoughts from my head.
Henry turns around and gestures for me to come to him. When I oblige, he pulls me in front of him, my back to his chest, and wraps me in an embrace. The view from this window is gorgeous.
Well, how about that? I just went over with myself needing to keep boundaries, and then I literally walked right back into his arms. Way to go, Tillie. I try not to focus on how much I’m enjoying this moment, how safe and comfortable I feel held against him.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, but I have to leave soon to meet a client over in Meadow Creek. He says it’s the only time he has available for the next four days. We can’t move forward on this part of the project until we go over options for a different tile. For the fifth time. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I get it. I landed two big clients, and we move into the office Wednesday.I’m sure I’ll be spending a lot of time working, too?—”
Henry tenses behind me, then lightly grips my upper arms and turns me to face him.
“You’re moving into your new place in three days? When did you decide that?”
I shrug. “A little before Christmas, I guess.”
Henry’s face falls. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
When I don’t answer—mainly because I’m not sure why—he sighs. Not loud or dramatically, but still, he sighs.
“It’s okay. I’ll check and see how many of my brothers can help.”
