Free Heart of Light by T. K. Leigh

repeat itself. Again. “Are you sure you like the girl, or do you like her because you see her as someone you can fix?”
    Cam turned to face her. “What do you mean? I don’t like her just because I think she needs help.”
    “Oh, come off it, Cam.” She rolled her eyes. “Every girl you’re attracted to is messed up in one way or another. That’s what you like. I don’t know if it’s your shrink background or trying to make amends for what happened to your sister, but you only seem to fall for girls that appear to need fixing. Or, at least, need fixing according to you . Based on what Benny told me about Tomorrow and what I’ve seen with my own eyes, she’s ninety-nine shades of messed up.”
    Cam’s eyes went wide and his expression turned severe. He opened his mouth to defend Jolene, but Elsie cut him off before he could utter another word.
    “But she’s sweet, Cam,” she admitted, her voice soft and caring. “And nice. That just seems to be the type of girl you go for…emotionally unstable with a beautiful smile and gorgeous eyes.”
    “I am not only attracted to girls with emotional problems.” He stood up, indignant at what Elsie was saying to him. “And don’t even try to say it’s because of Marley.”
    Elsie snorted as she took a sip from her wine glass. “Oh really, Casanova? Name me one girl you were attracted to that wasn’t messed up in one way or another.”
    He crossed his arms, looking out over the ocean, searching his memory for someone he dated in recent history who was relatively normal. Long moments passed and he came up empty.
    “See? You have a type, Cam.” Elsie got up from the couch and walked over to the windows. Standing next to him, she placed her hand affectionately on his shoulder.
    He met her eyes, her expression full of understanding.
    “You know I love you. And I admire the fact that you love helping people so much that you seem to be attracted to women who are, in a way, lost. But is it healthy for you?” Her eyes searched his. “Today, right now, I see the old Cam again…the Cam that’s been missing from all of our lives since you met Olivia and pushed her back into the arms of the man she was in love with. I’m thrilled that you’re back and I’m definitely grateful that Tomorrow’s had this effect on you. I’m just worried that if you fall for her and it all goes to shit, you won’t come back to us next time.”
    “But there’s something about her, Else,” he declared passionately. “I’ve never felt this strongly about someone before. Even Olivia. I didn’t have this feeling toward her.”
    “Cam, you just met her! How can you be certain that you actually feel this way toward her and it’s not simply because you’re…horny?” She shrugged, unable to find a better way of putting it.
    He laughed a little in response before his expression turned serious once more. He wanted Elsie to know exactly how deeply he felt for Jolene in the short time since she had walked into his life.
    “Elsie, I went in the house.”
    Her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. “When?”
    “Today. When she was visiting you. I felt so guilty for the way I had treated her when I first met her and I wanted to prove that I’m not an asshole. So I went to the grocery store and stocked the kitchen for her. At first, I thought I wouldn’t be able to stand being in that house, surrounded by the constant memories of everything that happened. But when I stepped inside, I didn’t feel Olivia. I felt Tomorrow… Her soul. It’s there in that house, even after just one night. Ever since looking into her eyes this morning, I’ve barely thought about anything else. Maybe it’s fate that Benny put up the house for rent without my permission. Maybe Tomorrow was brought into all of our lives for a reason. Maybe she’s exactly what I need to finally move on, like you’ve all been wanting me to.”
    Elsie sighed. “You know I’m a strong believer in fate, but I just don’t