Page 22 of The Devil in Blue Jeans
Aubrey raised her eyebrows skeptically. “Why does that sound like you’re trying to convince yourself?”
“Because I am,” Charly stated, dead serious.
Thoughts of Jaxon stayed with her all morning and into the afternoon. She couldn’t deny the spark he was speaking about. She felt it too, right down to the tips of her toes. But sparks led to fireworks and that sometimes led to love, and getting involved with a heartbreaker was not on her to-do list.
Though those sizzling touches of his lingered on her skin. The passion he exuded clenched her belly tight even now. His low voice brushing her ear sent a shiver down her spine until need was all she knew.
Dammit!
Pushing the heat far,fardown, she filled a bucket with soap and warm water and started cleaning the baseboards.
She heard Willow’s voice suddenly in the bar, startling her out of her trance.
“Don’t you think another night with Jaxon would be better than scrubbing baseboards?” Aubrey teased.
Charly glanced away from her cleaning and looked at her best friends. The absurdity of the situation hit her. Here she was on all fours, vigorously scrubbing a baseboard that was already spotless.
“I feel about ready to climb out of my skin,” Charly declared before refocusing on the baseboard in front of her. She tossed the rag into the bucket and dropped her head into her hands. “I don’t even feel like me right now.”
Willow and Aubrey joined her on the floor and held her hands in theirs.
“Of course, you areyou, and you’re wonderful,” Willow said soothingly.
Charly gave a weak smile but still felt empty inside. “I don’t like that I can’t trust my own mind and my own judgement.”
Aubrey frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t have a plan,” Charly began as a lump started forming in her throat. “I can’t think of a time when I didn’t have my life laid out and think everything through. I never doubted my instincts. I always loved going out at night and the energy and atmosphere of exciting places. I knew I wanted to bring people together over great food and incredible drinks. Even after college, I had a plan—open a bar with Marcel, get married, have kids...” Tears threatened to escape, but she managed to push through and continue. “Now we’re in this new town, surrounded by people we do not understand, and I’m kissing a cowboy that pisses me off and turns me on all at the same time.”
Willow’s eyes filled with sympathy. “You’re just finding your footing again.”
“But the ground is so shaky beneath my feet, and I hate Marcel for that,” she admitted. Somehow saying those words aloud made a wound in her soul bleed harder. “I hate him for making me feel like I don’t have solid roots in the ground anymore.”
Aubrey snorted indignantly. “You’re not alone in that sentiment.”
Charly let out a heavy breath, their hands pressed so tightly that it almost hurt. “Last night I felt so desperate for Jaxon’s affection. I wanted to feel beautiful...sexy, even.” She couldn’t stop her tears from spilling over now. “Not like a woman that can be thrown away for someone else.”
Soon enough she was embraced in a warm hug, and she melted into it.
After a long moment, Willow broke the silence, saying, “If there is something wrong with anyone, it’s with Marcel, not you, Charly.”
“I agree,” Aubrey said.
Charly stayed in the safety of their arms, letting all her pain out. “I feel broken...like I can’t decide what’s right for me and what’s not, and I hate feeling so shaken.”
“You’re not broken,” Willow said, drawing away from the hug. “You’re on a path of rediscovery.”
Aubrey said, “And we’re all on that path with you. You’re not alone, Charly. We’re all in this together.”
Willow nodded firmly. “We’ll be here with you through it all. Even when you decide to jump a cowboy and have your way with him.”
Charly laughed and wiped her eyes, looking at her two best friends who had always been there for her without fail. “I love you both so much.”
Willow smiled softly. “We love you too.”
Aubrey nodded in agreement. “We do.”
After another hug, Charly picked herself up off the ground. “All right, enough breaking down for one day,” she said, forcing a smile. “We’re opening in a half an hour. We’ve got lots to do.”
