Free Love Resisted (The Real Love Series) by Melanie Codina Page B

it was thick with unspoken words. The almost-scene during the slideshow hung in the air, and she was suddenly embarrassed by it. Though he didn’t seem to judge her for it, he knew what she needed from him. She wondered if he had experience with panic attacks, or with someone who did. Unsure what to say, she went with, “Thank you again for your help today. I appreciate it.”
    He glanced across the seat toward her and nodded. “No problem.” Once again fighting the sudden embarrassment, she felt the need to explain. “Just so you know, I don’t usually have that problem. Well, not anymore at least.”
    “Really? Because that panic attack came on hard and fast,” he said.
    Dropping her head, she looked at her hands in her lap as she absently twirled the ring on her thumb. “I know it did. It took me totally by surprise. It’s just, you know … sometimes, for a few brief moments, I forget that he’s gone. The pain goes away, and I can smile … then it all comes crashing back into my heart, and it takes my breath away.”
    “Yes, Allie, I do know,” Mike said in a soft voice from the other side of the truck.
    Looking over at him, she lost some of her embarrassment over what happened. She believed that he did know what she was talking about. Clearing the lump in her throat, she clarified for him, “Well, that’s what happened today. For some reason, I found myself in that make-believe world where I never felt that pain. And then it slammed back into me and I didn’t recover the way I should have. And well, all I can say is that it probably would’ve been a lot worse if you hadn’t been there to help me.”
    “That’s what friends are for,” he said as they arrived home and parked the truck. When he pulled the keys out of the ignition, she smiled at him.
    “Yeah, that’s what friends are for,” she repeated.

CHAPTER SIX
    ALLIE was awake bright and early the next morning. She needed to be up and out the door by seven because avoiding Mike Lawson was the name of the game today. In the middle of the night she remembered him mentioning her stopping by after four o’clock with Zane’s card, and that there just might be dinner at that time. This had her setting an urgent pace. After her almost panic attack, and the confessions in the car, both before and after graduation, her mission had never been clearer.
    Her scheduled clients didn’t start ‘til mid-morning, and while she could definitely use the extra sleep, she wanted to get the card for Zane on their doorstep before there was a chance of running into Mike. Showering in record time, she threw her hair up on top of her head, knowing she could just do it at work with the extra time she’d have. She quickly slipped into her jeans and tank top as she fumbled around to find her shoes. Once ready, she grabbed her bag and made sure she had his card before heading out the door.
    As she locked the door, she heard footsteps approaching and cringed at the possibility of running into him this early. Afraid to turn around, she paused and just stood there, her back to the sidewalk as she pretended to lock her already locked door. It was a juvenile display of if-he-can’t-see-me-I-can’t-see-him for sure. When the footsteps paused somewhere behind her, she was debating whether to retreat inside. But then she heard, “Good morning.”
    Sweet relief washed over her when she recognized the voice of another neighbor—a sixty-something, awkwardly round Italian man with a comb-over. Definitely not Mike Lawson. Putting her keys in her purse, she turned around as she re-shouldered her bag and said, “Good morning to you, too, Mr. Giovanni.”
    He was making sure his comb-over was secured in place as she turned toward him. Trying to hide her snickering grin, she looked down at the steps as she ascended. “Hello Ms. Allie, lovely morning for a walk,” he stated in his thick Italian accent.
    “Sure is. It’ll be hard to stay inside at work today, but thankfully