Page 103 of Falling for Brody

"Feels like love," Rhea repeated, "but you think it's like... some kind of mind trick."

Louise nodded. "That's one way to say it. But I'm not saying that you've contributed to this. You're a beautiful woman. A good mother. And Chip is perfect and adorable."

How could she make compliments sound so... wrong?

"And who knows? When things settle. When you and Chip are settled, things might be... different. They might work with Brody, down the road."

Rhea felt her heart catch in her chest. Like it tripped over a curb and fell forward, breaking off a tooth on the hard ground.

"I've never tried to influence him."

She lifted her chin and looked at Louise, trying hard not to show tears.

"I didn't try to have any sort of feeling for me. I was happy to just be his partner on the rig. To be friends with him."

Louise smiled. "Good. See? That's what I'm talking about. This is all so new, and it seemed to come out of nowhere like a snowball rolling down a hill. Maybe, if you can just give him some time."

Rhea nodded. "Some time to... look around. To see other people." Every word seemed to make Louise happier, but it only felt like a punch to her own gut. "I see."

Louise's smile was broader and she closed much of the distance between them.

When she reached out and grasped Rhea's arms, Rhea felt a little light-headed.

"I'm so glad you see it, Rhea. I had a feeling that you'd understand."

Rhea nodded, but she couldn't manage another word.

"Now," Louise crossed back to the stove and lifted her wooden spoon from the stand, "do you want to taste this sauce?"

Just the thought of anything on her tongue made Rhea wince.

The last thing she was was hungry.

"You know... I don't feel all that well. I think I should go home. I have to be on for shift tomorrow and it's better if I just isolate for a few hours."

Her gaze turned to the carrier on the counter. "I'll leave the pies. Do whatever you like with them. I can get the carrier back tomorrow on shift."

She backed up toward the door and managed an expression that was as mild as she could manage. "I'll see about having Chip stay home, too."

"Oh, don't worry about Chip, dear. He's welcome to eat with us. Sarah adores him."

Rhea nodded and opened the front door. She put one foot in front of the other as she moved to hear car, cringing when the door closed a little too hard to be polite behind her.

It wasn't nice, but it felt just like she did. Rough and raw.

* * *

Brody spentmuch of dinner trying to distract Chip.

When he heard that Rhea had gone back home sick, he'd been ready to head over himself, but his mother assured him that they should stay. To give Rhea some time to herself to rest.

He planned on taking Chip and Bea home and then he'd see to her himself.

But he was getting some strange looks from his aunt.

That was what gave him the most concern.

Aunt Helene was as sweet as they came and she'd always been there to help him no matter what.

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