Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 91775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“Always.” Villages run on gossip of even the smallest kind, and Croatoan and Icehome Beach are no different in that regard. I take a seat across from her by the fire. “You want me to start this for you? I’m good with fire.”
Gail waves a hand. “No. As soon as I figure out what needs to be mended, I’ll head back out and help Sabrina and Jason with breakfast. As for my men, Z’hren just told me that his pants were ripped. I said which ones, and he said all of them. I asked how that happened, and let me tell you the story…”
She launches into a funny tirade about some hunting misadventures between Vaza and their son Z’hren, who must be at least six now, and the hills, holes, and cliffs they managed to fall down in the course of the last month, all without telling Gail and hiding the evidence. By the time she finishes the story, she points at her ears with a flourish. “That’s why I got a brand new set of earrings, and they’re out hunting together while I sit here and piece together all their clothing.”
“I can help with the mending,” I offer.
“Children, both of them,” she declares, but there’s a fond smile on her face and she touches her earrings, and I know she’s just exasperated but not truly upset. “And I don’t mind the mending. It’s the ridiculous stories to hide the evidence that annoy me. You didn’t come here to watch me patch someone’s britches, though. What do you need?”
I pick up one of Z’hren’s small pairs of pants, fingering the bad rip in the knee. “I need to talk to someone about my messy situation.”
“Is it messy? Maybe I should put some tea on after all,” Gail says, moving toward the firepit. “But the others do need me. Can you give me the short and sweet version?”
So I do. I tell her all about my resonance with Rem’eb and how it happened. What it was like back in their village and how they keep the women there behind a wall to protect them. Her brows go up a few times but she doesn’t comment, just listens. I tell her all about how kind and sweet Rem’eb is to me, and how we flirt but neither of us is pushing the other for fulfilling resonance. How he’s made it clear that he wants me…and made it doubly clear that he doesn’t want me enough because he’s going back home to his people.
“I know he’s waiting for me to say yes and then we’ll fulfill resonance. But I don’t want to say yes.”
“Because you feel like he’s treating you like an afterthought,” Gail states.
I blanch at her words. “It’s not exactly like that. He’s the…honestly, he’s exactly what I need. He’s funny and polite and doesn’t take himself so seriously. He’s the most caring guy. I think that’s the problem. He cares too much.”
“Because he’s got problems back at home,” she adds, nodding thoughtfully. “And he can’t let go of his obligations to come up here and live with you.”
“Yes! Exactly.” I’m so relieved someone else sees it.
“Okay then…should he?” She tilts her head, regarding me.
“Should he what?” I’m not following.
Gail gestures at me, her earrings tinkling as they brush her shoulders. “Should he ignore that his people are a real mess and need him? So he can come and frolic on the beach with a pretty stranger?”
I’m trying not to frown, but it’s difficult. I was hoping Gail would see my side. “I’m not saying we should frolic, exactly. I just want him to choose me first. Is that so wrong?”
“It’s not wrong at all. And if we lived in a bubble, I’d tell you that he’s being unfair. But we don’t live in a bubble. The world is messy and we all have obligations. You say he’s kind and thoughtful…and of course he is. Those things that you like about him are what also make it impossible for him to stay. It sounds like if he abandons his people to stay here with you, they’re going to suffer. His father is going to run things into the ground, or he’s going to fight with these rebels, and either way, it sounds bad. He might be happy to be with you—thrilled, even—but he can’t forget his obligations. And would you really want him to? Would you really want him to be the kind of person that doesn’t think about what anyone else needs at all?”
“No,” I say softly. “It’s just…”
“It’s that you need someone to choose you first, and he’s not able to do that,” Gail replies, her voice as low and gentle as mine. “I understand. I really do. It doesn’t mean you can’t both be happy on some level, but you need to talk to him and hash things out. Trust me. After two spouses and being old enough to be your grandma, I’ve learned a thing or two about relationships, and they all come back to talking things out.”