Page 182 of The Secret We Keep
“Poor choice of words.”
I rest a hand on her leg. “Did you speak to your mum and dad after I called?”
Morgan nods. “Yeah.”
“Do you feel any better?”
“About being lied to for three years? For living a life wondering why everyone treated me so differently, only to find out it’s because I’m crazy.”
“You’re not crazy,” I interject.
She rolls her eyes. Every conversation we have at some point nose dives this way. “Aren’t I?”
Moving my arse to the edge of the chair, I lean forward, taking her hand in mine.
She watches me closely, that frown still firmly in place.
“You’re beautiful.” I kiss the back of her hand. “Humble. Honest. Sexy as hell.” The flush of her cheeks warms my heart. “Should I go on?”
Her shoulders begin juddering with her laugh. “I think you should stop before I think about ripping your clothes off.”
“Confident. I forgot to mention confident.”
She snorts. “I’m the least confident person I know.”
“No, baby. What you’re overcoming takes a lot of fucking guts. Nobody else I know could do what you’re doing.”
“Paddy, stop.”
My head spins with how amazing my girlfriend is. “I’m serious.”
Assessing me, she then leans forwards, lifting off her chair, keeping the blanket wrapped around her. “I need a hug.”
Opening my arms, she nestles into me, her head hitting my chest.
“I couldn’t do this without you, Paddy.”
I sigh, kissing the top of her head. “I wouldn’t let you.” Then I pull her closer, syphoning some of her warmth. “I’m so sorry, curly fries.”
Craning her neck, Morgan looks up at me. “You don’t have to apologise to me. No one does. You were all doing what you thought was best for me. I know that.”
“I would have told you sooner.”
Pulling a fistful of my jumper as though she isn’t close enough, she closes her eyes. “I know.” We sit in silence for a beat. “I can’t wait to come home,” she breathes, her body relaxing into mine.
Running my hand up and down the length of her body, I soak up this time with her. “It won’t be long.”
Electric eyes captivate me when she looks up. “How long?” she pushes.
“Once they know you feel independent and comfortable with everything.”
“I’m already independent.”
My thumb strokes her cheek. “I know you are.” As far as I’m concerned, I want her to come home with me today. “What about everything else?”
She shakes her head. “I can’t ask my family to babysit me for the rest of their lives. I won’t do that, Paddy.”
“Listen to me.” I run my hand to the back of her hair. “We love you. You’re not asking us to do anything we haven’t already been doing. All that’s changed is you now knowwhythose little things are so important to us.This place,” I gesture to our surroundings, “is simply helping you recover while accepting that you might need help and support when you go home.”
