Page 51 of Love in the Darkness

“Not at all. It takes some time to find a balance, and I know you guys will get there, but just keep in mind that she is fiercely independent. The concept of someone caring for her while she was bandaged freaked her out, remember? She needs to feel that she can take care of her own life, and that she’s in control. Even though you obviously love her, and want to help her, you can’t suddenly take that away from her or she might feel a little…”

“Claustrophobic?” I suggested.

She nodded. “Yeah. I was going to say trapped, but that’s a little too extreme.”

“Thanks, Gwen,” I said. “I really appreciate this.”

“I’m sure she knows that you just want her to be happy, but she has to feel relaxed enough to be able to speak up.” Her nose crinkled as she shook her head. “Honestly, I’ve known a lot of really quiet girls, and for some of them, speaking up at all is a real challenge.”

I nodded. “I’ve called her a tough little cookie before, and I think she really is, but yeah. She’s instinctively quiet. I’ll just be encouraging, and try to get her to tell me what she needs.”

“Precisely. Good boy,” she said. I tried to glare at her, but it was always hard when she was laughing at me when she was right. “Now you should go back to her place and clean her entire apartment.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s a great way to make women happy,” she said.

Reaching over her shoulder, I plucked an imaginary flower from the wall and handed it to her. “Thanks, Sis.”

She beamed, taking it and tucking it behind her ear. “Any time, little brother.”

As I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things, I realized that Gwen might be right. I was taking up too much room in Kayla’s life, both with time and physical space. I didn’t ever want her to feel crowded.

The second I got to her apartment, I picked up the mail, including a box of books, then went in to quickly scrub the place as much as possible in an hour. I arranged flowers on the table, and tried to make her space seem a little more open without my junk in the way.

Without even thinking, I opened up her books to place them on the shelf for her. Then I stopped, my breath freezing. She had ordered a book about personal space, yet I had opened her mail without even thinking? What the hell was wrong with me?

Dammit. Gwen was always right, but this time she was really, extremely correct. Grabbing my things, I locked up and rushed home.

I figured I could phone Kayla in a little while to wish her good night, and give her one evening alone in her own space. I just hoped that she would forgive me for being such a pushy ass, and see that it came from me wanting to care for her.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

* Kayla *

I had read Liam’s text on my way home, and had expected him to be here. As I went to get a glass of water, I noticed that the pots had been scrubbed and the kitchen was immaculate. There were fresh flowers on the table. Slowly walking around my apartment, I noticed that it was beyond spotless. And most of the little things of Liam’s that had appeared here and there were now missing.

I ran to the bathroom so quickly that I nearly tripped, and was relieved to see his toothbrush was still there. But his spicy soap and shaving supplies were gone.

Did… did Liam leave me?

Falling onto the couch, I realized that I’d gotten too much light for the day, and my eyes felt a bit weak. Plus, I should not have had that last martini.

Attempting to look around the room very methodically, I analyzed every area in turn. The purple and blue flowers on the table were very pretty, and a good sign. His laptop and knapsack were gone, which was a bad sign.

Sometimes if he was in the middle of a good book, he would leave it on the tiny side table in front of the bookshelf. He joked about starting his own to-read pile here. This time there were three books on the table. I got up and walked over to see that he had neatly stacked my books that must have arrived while he was here cleaning.

My blood ran cold as I realized what he might have thought from reading the titles. Great Art During the Great Depression, Dealing with Stress While Managing your Health, and, How to Create Personal Space.

I knew that Liam loved me. But could he have seen these books and gotten the wrong idea? Could he have thought about the way I urged him to leave this morning and put two and two together wrong?

A few days ago I would have been thrilled at the idea of spending an evening alone in my apartment just to write in my journal and take a breath. Now I grabbed my purse and coat, racing out the door to Liam’s condo. I couldn’t let him think that I was anything less than thrilled with our relationship.

I didn’t think that he would take off without a conversation, but I was still getting to know him. He did have some basic facts in his head that were completely wrong, and did not seem flexible on. Like how he thought he looked like a criminal or monster. Like how he thought people were afraid of him.

Not wanting to spend money on another cab, I walked as quickly as I could. The faster I walked, the more frantically my mind spun in circles. Did Liam really leave me? Was he upset with me, or did he think that I was upset with him?

I’d never had an argument with anyone important before. By the time I knocked on Liam’s door, I was a shaking mess on the verge of tears.

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