Page 22 of Baring All


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There’s only one person I can think of for help, but I’m hesitant. It’s super uncomfortable making myself vulnerable – something I avoid at all costs where possible – but this is important, and I don’t want to fuck it up any more than I already have.

I hit the call button and listen to her phone ring. It rings to voicemail, and I cut the call, frustrated. Looks like I’m still on my own with this. Pushing up from the sofa, I go make myself coffee while trying to figure out how the hell I’m going to word this fucking text message. I’ve just settled on my small balcony with my cup when my phone rings.

Checking the screen, I see its Indigo. “Hey sweet pea. How’s it going?”

“Hey Bear. I’m good, thanks. I saw a missed call from you, so I’m returning it. What’s up, handsome?”

And here we are – cue the vulnerability. “Um – yeah, well …” I clear my throat, majorly uncomfortable with the conversation that’s about to go down.

“Bear, you okay, honey? You sound a little stressed.”

I blow out a long stream of air, hoping to release the tension I’m feeling. “I have a favor to ask, but it’s so far outside my comfort zone I’m struggling.”

“I’ve got you. I’m always here for you. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I do. And you’ll never know how much I appreciate that.”

“Then let me help you. God knows you’ve done enough for me. Let’s hear it then.”

Crunch time. Pull it together, man. “How long do you have?”

“For you? All the time you need. You’re stalling – out with it.” The gentle laughter in her voice, instead of pissing me off, makes me feel better.

“I need your help, but you can never ask me who.”

“Ooh, that sounds intriguing. Come on, big guy, spill. Now I really need to know what’s going on.”

“I’ve met this lady, and I fucked up, so now I need to make right. I want to ask her out for lunch – not hard to do, right? And yet, here I am, begging you for help ’cause I can’t seem to string two words together without sounding like a stick-in-the mud jerk.” Dead silence meets my words. I check my phone to make sure the call’s still connected. It is. “Indie?”

“Yeah, I’m still here. Speechless, but here.” Another beat of silence. “You met someone? Honey, that’s huge.”

“Whoa there, Ms. Matchmaker. Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’re just friends.” I caution. “Please don’t say anything to Knight or the guys. They’ll just give me crap.”

A gusting sigh meets my ear. “Bear, my sweet, sweet, Bear. You make me so sad. I know you don’t believe you’re deserving of love, of a relationship – I just wish you could see how beautiful your heart is from where I’m standing.”

“Indigo –” I don’t know what to say. I’m so not good with these kinds of situations.

“You break my heart, you know that?” Without giving me a chance to answer – and honestly, I don’t if she was even expecting one – she carries on. “So what can I help you with, handsome?” God, I don’t even know where to start. “Bear?”

“Promise me this stays between us.”

“Word of honor.”

Well, it’s now or never. “I – er – like I said, I met someone. We were both having a crappy day, we’d had a few and wound up back at her place. It wasn’t meant to be anything more than that, but she gave me her number, and I never called. I saw her the other day, and she made me realize how shitty I made her feel by not calling or texting. I need to make it right, but I don’t know how. I haven’t the first fucking clue.”

“What do you want to get out of this?”

“Neither of us want something long term, but we’re open to friends with benefits.”

“Ah, gotcha. Okay, well, this is what you do.” Indie lays it all out for me.

“Thanks, sweet pea. You’re the best.”

“Let me know how it goes. And Bear?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t be so uptight about this, okay? Give yourself permission to have fun. As long as no one’s getting hurt.”