“You do. But you agreed to a date with her, so don’t cancel it.”
Bridget huffed. “How am I supposed to date a girl when I can’t even walk?”
“I don’t think she cares about that, and plenty of people do it, to be honest.” Eli took another sip of her tea. “You’ve got to get out of your comfort zone if you’re ever going to meet someone, because as you well know, I’m no longer available.”
“Yes, I know.” Bridget rolled her eyes dramatically.
Eli set her drink down and leaned over, her elbows resting on her knees as she pinned Bridget with a heavy look. “Here’s another thing, you need to open up to her. You’re not someone who does that naturally, and it’s going to take a whole lot of effort on your part, but if you really want this relationship—or any relationship for that matter—to work, then you need to let someone in.”
“You’rein.”
Eli shook her head. “No, I’m not. I used to be, but I haven’t been for a while.”
Bridget pursed her lips. She knew Eli was right, even if she didn’t want to admit it. “I know. It’s not easy.”
“It’s not supposed to be, and you have a lot to contend with when it comes to that, but I think you can do it. I have full confidence that you can.”
“What makes you the expert?” Bridget narrowed her eyes.
“You did, apparently.” Eli laughed and leaned back in her chair again. “This group of visitors is the last one for a few weeks.”
“Why?”
Eli raised an eyebrow at her. “Sarah’s coming into town for our wedding.”
“Your…” Bridget stopped. She’d been so damn caught up in her own drama that she’d forgotten. “Right. She doesn’t…I can leave—”
“Sarah’s fine with you being here,” Eli answered, assuming where Bridget was going with that. “She’s not too thrilled about you being in the basement with me, but she understands there isn’t really any other place to put you.”
“I can go home.”
“You just figured out how to get up the stairs on your own and you still need help in the bath. You’re not staying on your own.”
Bridget didn’t respond. She knew it was true, and she wasn’t going to offer to go to her parents’ house, ever. That was far out of the question, especially if she was going to start dating Jerica properly—if they made it beyond their first date.
“Sarah doesn’t mind, I promise you,” Eli continued. “It’s just with the wedding coming, all the family is coming in, and it will be a very full house.”
“You’re getting married here?”
“Where else would we do it? This is home, and I host weddings here all the time.”
“I suppose.”
“Bridge, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m happy for you, really, even if I made an ass of myself when you two first met.”
Eli snorted. “Yes, an ass is a good term to use. Sarah’s over it.”
“Because she got the girl.”
“Probably.” Eli smiled. “You’ll get one too someday. I have faith in that.”
Bridget wanted to tell her that it was good thing she did because Bridget wasn’t so sure on that. She liked Jerica enough, but everything was so new, and her life was in such upheaval. She wasn’t sure it would work out that way. Hell, they hadn’t even had their first date yet and she was already thinking about the future and weddings. She shook the thought from her head and focused on the here and now.One date.That was what they needed to start with, and at some point Bridget was going to have to come out to her parents, even though she suspected they already knew.
If she wanted to get married to a woman, and have any semblance of a normal life, she was going to have to take that step and stop avoiding it. She just hadn’t found the woman she was willing to do that for yet—which should have told her something about her relationship with Eli all those years before. Sighing, Bridget eyed the window as rain fell outside. The scent of wet dirt surrounded her, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the quiet moment for what it was.
* * *