Page 12 of Resilient Rhythms
“You don’t have to come to lunch if you’re tired or?—”
“There’s no place I’d rather be,” I interject.
Mckenna sighs. “Why are you here, Mav?”
“Couldn’t miss this, Mckenna.”
She bites her bottom lip, her hands twisting together. I hate that she’s unsure around me. Fuck, I hate that I’vemadeher feel unsure around me. “I’m happy you came.” Her gaze holds mine. “I was hoping…well, I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” My voice is hoarse. My tone, honest. “I’m staying, Mckenna. I’m not going…” I trail off to choose my words carefully. “I’m here now.”
She nods, something flickering through her eyes. “I understand. I’ll clear out my things by?—”
“No.” Horror washes over me as I realize how she interpreted my words. “I don’t want you to leave. The brownstone is yours for however long you want to live there. I only meant that I’m back in Boston now and…fuck, beauty, I don’t want us to be strangers.”
A smile flits across her mouth. “Are you suggesting we be roommates again?”
I laugh, some of the tension seeping from my shoulders. Hell yes, I want to live with Mckenna again. But it’s too soon. And our spending that much time together would only blur lines that are already crisscrossed more than they should be. “We need time. Space,” I say gently, reminding her of what she once asked me for.
“I know.” She nods solemnly. “Besides, I might be gone sooner than I thought.”
“What do you mean?” A thread of panic unspools in my stomach even though it’s irrational. Even though I have no right to feel anything but supportive of Mckenna and her dreams.
“I’m preparing to take the Massachusetts bar exam in July and the California bar in February. If things pan out…well, entertainment law in Los Angeles would be more exciting than Boston.”
“Right.” I clear my throat. “I didn’t know you were considering a move to LA.”
She shrugs. “Things changed in the past few months.”
“Of course.”
Mckenna doesn’t say anything else, but the unspoken words expand in the space between us. We’re not together anymore. We’re divorced. Everything is different.
And still…she’s taking the Massachusetts exam first. California isn’t an option until February. I know I shouldn’t read into every little thing, but why is she sticking around here if LA is her end goal? Could there be a chance for us?
“Well, while you’re still in town, I’d like to take you for coffee, dinner, a hike, whatever,” I offer.
Her eyes flare and a hint of a smile caresses her lips. “Remember our hike to the waterfall?”
Anguish twists my gut. It’s the date I planned on our honeymoon. Back then, I thought things couldn’t get any worse between us. Mckenna had just recalled the trauma of what Bran put her through and she was retreating into herself. I was scared and angry and desperate to comfort her. But back then, she was still mine. “I remember everything with you.”
Mckenna rolls her lips together. “Me too, Mav.” She sighs. “Come on, let’s go to lunch.”
I fall into step beside her as we walk toward the parking lot. She bumps her shoulder against my arm and I glance down at her.
“I missed you, you know?”
“I missed you too.” More than she knows. More than anyone does.
“Where are you staying?”
“With my brother,” I chuckle. “I still have to clear that with him but…I crashed at a hotel last night. I got in really late.”
“Oh. I’m sure Jameson will be happy to have you.”
“Hope so.”
Silence descends for several moments.
