Ann raised an eyebrow. “We’re still figuring it out, but it’s much better than it was two years ago. Trust me on that one. If you’d asked two years ago, I wouldn’t be sure if we’d see twenty years. Now? I think we’ll make it.”
“Twenty? Wow.” Jerica pressed her lips together. “And here I am just wanted to get to the third date.”
Ann chuckled lightly. “Go at whatever pace she needs.”
“I’m trying to.”
“Are you?”
Chastised, Jerica thought back to their conversations, to that first kiss she had kind of forced Bridget into. That had been why the second was so much better. They’d both wanted it, and it hadn’t been awkward and out of tune with the sense of the conversation or the moment.
“You’re right,” Jerica confessed. “I need to.”
“Start there. Being in a car accident like that is traumatic. She’s going to need some time to get over that. Meanwhile, you don’t know what else she’s dealing with unless she’s told you, but from when she was my patient, I’m betting she hasn’t actually told you much. Just remember, we all have underlying trauma. She needs to tease it out for you to see, and then you need to shut up and listen when she does it.”
Jerica smiled. “Who knew you were so wise?”
Ann laughed, her voice reverberating around the room. “I am not wise, but thank you for the compliment. I’m just well-lived, and I have a partner who has a host of trauma, most of it deep and severe trauma. It’s taken us years to even begin to untangle it. Likewise—” Ann leaned in closer, dropping her voice “—I also have trauma when it comes to relationships, and it’s not as obvious as Heidi’s. It’s taken years to recognize that’s what it is, but once we started talking about it, all bets have been off.”
“That’s good to know.” Jerica looked at the coffeepot, glad to see it was done. She made herself a cup and settled back at the table. “So you think I should ease up?”
“I think you need to directly ask her what she wants from you, and then I think you need to be very patient as she tries to work that out. The answer might change. Let it, let her guide the conversation and relationship at the beginning. See if that changes anything.”
“Okay. I can try that.”
“Good. Now, I’ve got patients I need to check in on.”
Jerica gave a half smile as Ann stepped out of the room. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, staring at the last text messages they had sent. She wasn’t quite sure how to word it all, but she did need to get it out there. It had been weighing on her mind for the last few days so much that she found herself distracted.
Hey, I’d love to see you again, but I know the timing might be off. Let me know what you want, so I at least know where we stand.
She hit the send button, pocketed her phone, and grabbed her coffee. She wasn’t going to worry about it until she had time, until she was off work and could really sit down and think about Bridget and maybe call her. Perhaps it wasn’t even a conversation they could have over the phone and she’d have to go up toIndigoagain. It would be a drive, but Jerica was pretty sure it would be well worth it. Checking on her patients, Jerica went back to work to finish out her shift.
* * *
Jerica hadn’t been able to get Bridget off her mind. They’d texted on and off for an hour after her shift and through the next few days she’d been at work, but as soon as her next day off hit, Jerica could not stop thinking about her. She’d sent a text an hour earlier and gotten no reply.
During the course of their conversations, Bridget had said she’d be happy to see Jerica again but had refused to set up a specific time. She was still just as lost as she was before. She had no more answers to the questions she was asking. She’d met Bridget nearly a month ago by that point, her broken body wheeled in on gurney, but she was a whole person now. Well, as whole as Bridget would allow herself to be.
Taking a chance, Jerica touched up her makeup and grabbed her keys and her purse and got into her car. Pretty soon she would have the road toIndigomemorized. But she was coming to love it up there. It was absolutely beautiful to be so close to nature.
When she got toIndigo, people mingled on the deck who waved at her. She smiled at them before letting herself into the house. Her stomach was full of nerves and excitement. She’d surprised Bridget before and it had gone over well enough. She wanted to do it again and see if this time would get her the same result.
Searching around, Jerica looked for Bridget or Eli in the den, then the kitchen. She found Eli, who told her Bridget was downstairs and in a sour mood. Bolstering herself, Jerica headed into the basement with one goal on her mind.Make Bridget smile.It wasn’t going to be an easy feat.
As she made it to the bottom of the stairs, she found Bridget on the couch with food and phone and drinks surrounding her, as if she’d made her own little moat of the essentials. Jerica had seen that kind of thing before. In fact, she’d done it herself before.
“Knock, knock,” she said, hoping to catch Bridget’s attention and surprise easily enough.
Bridget jerked with a start. “Hi. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I know. I hope you don’t mind. I had a feeling it would be better if I just showed up.”
“Did you?” Bridget cleared away much of the food and drink so Jerica could have seat next to her. Jerica took that as good sign.
Sitting down, she made sure she was decently close, enough that Bridget couldn’t avoid her if she wanted to. “I did. I wanted to see you, too.”
Bridget’s look was hard to read, but it seemed to be somewhere in between a pained expression and delight. An odd mix, but Jerica was determined to figure out why and what it was for.