Page 176 of Voices
The smile on Shane’s face has my heart fluttering. “He’s been fined five hundred thousand dollars for corporate tax evasion as well as five years in prison. They are still investigating the fraud accounts, but according to Ryder’s dad, he’s not leaving a cell any time soon.”
I should be happy so why do I feel like I just did something horrible?
“What’s that look for, beautiful? He can’t touch you now.”
“I know. I just feel like I’m forgetting some-”
Oh no!
I twist around to face him, immediately regretting it when my head spins.
“What about the house staff? There are at least twenty housekeepers that live in the small houses on the property. Did-did I just make them job and homeless?” Fuck, I think I’m going to throw up.
Gloria and her kids, Jeffery, Simon, and everyone else now without a job or a place to live.
Shane pulls into his usual parking spot in front of his condo and turns the truck off.
“Hey, it’s okay. Look at me.” He tilts my face up. “My dad has a few friends in real estate, and they were able to get everyone in a house. The houses are set up as rentals right now but if they decide they want to own it, we have the paperwork already set up for them.” He strokes my cheek tenderly. “And I’ve deposited five thousand dollars into each of their accounts with Ryder doing the same. We’ve got them covered, baby.”
This man.
“Have I told you how much I love you,” I croak, trying not to cry.
He leans over the center console, still holding my face. “How much do you love me,” he whispers over my mouth.
Looking into the eyes of the man with the most beautiful heart, who I’m unequivocally in love with, I give him the biggest piece of my heart.
“I love you, Shane Eli Hawkins, more than all the stars in the galaxy. I love you more than the strongest bond in Avatar, more than the warm Florida sun. You have filled my heart with love I’ve never felt before, and I know that I’ll always have you. Just like you’ll always have me.”
We kiss like we’ve never kissed before. Like oxygen doesn’t exist. Like all we need to live, is each other.
He reluctantly pulls his lips from mine, connecting our foreheads with a gentle grin.
“Even after everything you’ve been through?
I run my fingers through the side of his hair where it’s gotten longer and pull his lips back to mine.
“Always. It’s always been you, Shane.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Charlie
Three months later
“You’ve come a long way over the last few months, Charlie. I’m proud of you and the work you’ve put into yourself.” My therapist, Jennifer, smiles as she sets down her notebook.
I kept my promise to Shane that I’d try therapy again. It took a lot of reassurance from him, and with the help of a few of Lily’s friends in the medical field, we found Jennifer shortly after I was released from the hospital. It was awkward at first because I kept waiting for her to pull out her prescription pad, tell me to try this new pill, and dismiss me. But that’s never happened.
Instead, Shane and I dumped all the random pills my mother had been giving me and started fresh. Because of my history of misuse of benzos, I’m on a non-habit-forming anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medicine. It took a few weeks to start feeling its effects, but so far it's going well, with the only side effect being nausea every now and then.
Shane came to the first couple of meetings and helped settle some of my nerves about telling a stranger some of my darkest memories. He encouraged me to be open and honest, and between Jennifer’s willingness to listen and Shane’s ability to keep me calm, I slowly shared my story with her.
“Thank you. It feels good to talk these things through with you. Shane’s a good listener but he’s been under a lot of stress with the Frozen Four Championship game tomorrow.”
“That’s wonderful to hear. I know you were anxious when he went away to play in the playoffs. Do you plan on traveling with him for the game?”
I bite my lip as I nod.
