Total pages in book: 176
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164533 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 823(@200wpm)___ 658(@250wpm)___ 548(@300wpm)
“I mean, we cross paths several times a week at work. Plus, we have dinner at my aunt and uncle’s house almost every Friday. If he bought it as an investment, surely he would’ve mentioned that. The fact he hasn’t said anything makes me feel like he made some emotional, impulsive decision to buy the place just because … because of me, and it’s just so much money. I can’t even fathom why he would go to such lengths.”
“There’s every chance that it is simply an investment,” Anna-Marie said, ever the logical thinker as she crossed one leg over the other and cast me a kind look. “Not everyone discusses finances with their friends, especially us Irish. We can be a bit awkward talking about money.”
“Right, my mom’s like that. She finds it rude to bring it up.”
“Let’s table the possibility that Rhys bought this house because of you. From what you’ve told me, he sounds like a very well-adjusted, intelligent, caring man who’s made a good life for himself despite a troubled childhood. Whatever his reasons for making the purchase, I’m sure they’re more reasonable than you might expect. What I really want to discuss is the fact you’re still in love with him.”
Damn, had I let that slip when I’d blurted everything out? I flushed where I sat in the plush, deep blue armchair. “Yes, I still love him,” I said. There was no point denying it.
“But you don’t feel ready, despite your progress this year, for a romantic relationship?”
“I didn’t feel ready, but that was back in February. Now I’m … I don’t know. Emotionally, I’m quite stable. I’m less jumpy. I don’t panic or check out when something stressful happens. I’ve been sleeping great, no nightmares or anxiety attacks. I even work out regularly at the hotel gym, which is something I’ve never done before. The exercise keeps me on an even keel emotionally. I feel good about where I’m at. I just worry that if I try to add anything more to my plate, all the progress I’ve made will begin to crumble.”
“And entering a new relationship would be the thing to cause it to crumble?”
I clasped my hands together. “Possibly.”
“I disagree.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s true that many of the people I see need to keep their lives restricted in order to maintain balance, but I don’t believe that of you. I think you’ve made incredible progress this year, Charli, but denying your heart what it very clearly wants isn’t healthy, especially since you and Rhys are very much entrenched in one another’s lives. You share a workplace, and he’s close with your relatives. Now, if I had even an inkling that Rhys was anything like your ex-husband, if I thought he could be hiding a similar nature, I would be advising you to walk away and walk away fast. But this is a man who has shown incredible maturity, understanding, patience, and love in his treatment of you. He’s not someone I would have a single concern about if you were to rekindle your relationship with him.”
Emotion rose up, clogging my throat. Anna-Marie was telling me everything my heart yearned to hear, and yet there was a fear holding me back. A fear that my stability would suffer and I’d regress, not only messing up the little life I’d built, but Rhys,’ too.
“It’s something to consider. My advice would be to take some time and decide if you see a future with another man down the line, or if, inevitably, the only future you want is with Rhys.”
Anna-Marie’s words repeated in my head for weeks after that session. Rhys had been spending a lot of time in Cork with Derek, Tristan, and Uncle Padraig. The new hotel was almost complete, and Rhys was assisting with the installation of security cameras, as well as helping hire a new security team.
It was looking like the grand opening might happen in time for Christmas.
Anyhow, I hadn’t seen a lot of him, and it only reinforced how much I missed him and how much those little glimpses of him throughout the day meant to me.
Maggie and Shay’s wedding during the first weekend of October came around fast. I hadn’t seen Rhys in almost two weeks and felt like I was going through withdrawals all over again. As Shay’s best man, I knew he’d probably be busy during the ceremony, but I hoped maybe he’d have time to sit down and talk later.
I wasn’t going to confront him about the house, but I was going to tell him I was in love with him. And I was absolutely pissing my pants. Nuala kept asking me if I was okay as we rode a cab to the church on the north side of the city where the ceremony was being held. Supposedly, it was the same church Shay’s family had been attending for generations.