Page 23 of Harmony Island Gazette
I pushed off the door and headed through the kitchen to my room. I slipped out of my Godwin’s Grocery shirt and khakis. I took a fast shower and towel dried. I used my hand to wipe the steam from the mirror and stared at my reflection.
Kevin’s handiwork had disappeared. I reached up and gingerly touched my cheekbone. The bruise was gone, so was the pain that followed any pressure to the site. But the pain of what he did to me remained. My body no longer held the physical manifestation of his abuse, but my soul would forever be scarred. And I was never going to heal from the pain he inflicted on me.
I shook my head as I opened the top drawer to my vanity and pulled out my foundation. I wasn’t taking Kevin back. I’d already made up my mind. We were finished. I was going to pay a visit to the lawyer to get the paperwork started. I was no longer his wife, and he was no longer my husband.
I just needed to suss out how he felt about the baby without actually saying he was going to be a dad. If he repeated what he’d said from the beginning of our marriage—that a baby was not in his future—then I would walk away without telling him. I needed to do what was right for the baby, and being some trophy for Kevin to parade around would kill that child.
I wasn’t willing to hurt someone so innocent.
Tears pricked my eyes as I pressed my hand into my stomach. I wished I could change the situation this baby was going to be born into. I would give anything to give them the family and future they deserved. I felt so selfish to for trying to allow myself to be happy. How could I be happy bringing a child into this mess?
I closed my eyes and stifled a sob that was trying to escape my lips. I shook my head, feeling so frustrated with myself for being so weak. This baby needed a strong mom. Not someone so weak she couldn’t get herself together enough to do her makeup and go to dinner.
I blew out my breath. Once all the air had left my lungs, I opened my eyes and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was going to be strong. Ineededto be strong.
I had no more room for weakness. This baby was counting on me.
I finished my makeup, pulled off my microfiber head wrap, and combed my fingers through my damp hair. I would diffuse it once I was dressed and my curls had some time to dry on their own.
I settled on a calf-length floral dress. It had puffy sleeves and made me feel feminine yet strong. I walked back into the bathroom and turned on my hair dryer. After my hair fell in soft curls around my face, I inspected my reflection one last time before switching off my bathroom light and gathering my white sandals and purse.
I pulled open my bedroom door and glanced down the hallway, wondering where Boone was. The sound of someone cooking carried from the kitchen, so I turned that direction. After all, I was going to have to go through the kitchen to get out to my car. I might as well get my interaction with Boone over with.
I paused when I got to the doorway that led into the kitchen. Boone was standing at the sink, washing a pan. His back was to me, so I took a moment to study him. He was wearing a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. I’d never really studied this man from the back, which meant, I’d never really noticed his rear. I wasn’t normally a butt girl, but this guy had me changing my mind.
The way his muscles strained against his sleeves as he raised the pan to rinse it under the running water flooded my mind with thoughts of running into him this morning, shirtless and still wet from the shower. This man was sexy with and without clothes. My mouth turned dry, and I tried to swallow, but it was in vain. I felt like a fish on land.
What was I doing, standing here admiring this man? It wasn’t like I was a free woman. I wasn’t that kind of girl. I had so much going on already, and I needed to keep my head on straight or I was going to drown. The last thing I wanted to do was take this innocent, unsuspecting man down with me. I straightened my shoulders and pushed thoughts of shirtless Boone to the darkest corners of my mind.
“I’m gonna head out,” I said, a bit too loud. When the sound made it back to my ears, I winced.
Boone didn’t stop what he was doing. Instead, he just glanced over his shoulder in my direction. My heart picked up speed when I saw his mouth part slightly and his gaze glide up and down my body. My cheeks flushed as he brought his gaze up to meet mine. I wanted to believe that there was a hint of desire behind his dark blue eyes, but I didn’t dwell on that thought.
It was ridiculous to think that a man would want me and my mess. Especially when I was carrying the child of another man.
No. To Boone, I was just a paycheck. He was transient. He’d made it clear to me that he had no intention of making Harmony his home. And there was no way I was leaving. Entertaining thoughts of a relationship with Boone was ridiculous, and I couldn’t afford to be ridiculous.
“You look beautiful.” Boone’s voice came out low as he reached over to turn off the water and then faced me fully.
My heart fluttered at his compliment. I glanced down at my dress, my hands swishing against my skirt making the fabric dance around my legs. “Thanks,” I whispered. Kevin rarely complimented me, and if he did, it was when he was six beers in and I was standing in front of him naked. Then it would be something crude that I would force myself to justify as he yanked me closer to him.
He never looked at me the way Boone was looking at me right now.
To Boone,Iwas beautiful. Fully clothed. Standing in front of him. No promise of anything physical. I was just…beautiful.
His pure affection scared me. I dropped my gaze from him and stared at the ground, hating how uncomfortable I was with his praise. It was too much.
“I should get going,” I whispered as I walked over to the door. Once I was standing on the mat, I slipped on my shoes and then reached for the door handle. But before I could grasp it, Boone’s hand beat me to it. Not wanting to look up at him, I kept my gaze focused on the door in front of me.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
From the corner of my eyes, I saw him study me. “It’s okay,” I said. I glanced over at him and smiled. “I just don’t want to be late.”
His gaze searched mine as if he were looking for an answer to the question that I didn’t want him to ask. “Do you want me to come with you?”
My entire body froze. “What?”
“I can come with you.”
