Free Open Heart by Marysol James Page B

jumped.
    Vicky stood up. “It’s OK. It’s probably Phil.”
    She opened the door and sure enough, Phil stood there. He was anxious and worried and walked in to the room slowly.
    “Annabeth,” he said. “You OK, hon?”
    “Yes. Well, no. But I will be.”
    He set down Vicky’s overnight bag and took Annabeth in his arms. “Come here. You scared us.”
    She closed her eyes and held on to him. Being pressed up against his strong chest reminded her of another man’s body and she flushed. God, she wanted Eric to be the one holding her, comforting her, making her feel safe again.
    Phil set her away from him. “What do you need me to do?”
    Annabeth looked in to his green eyes, so warm and kind. No judgment, no anger.
    “I – I’d like to ask you to forgive me.”
    “For what?”
    She swallowed. “I left a note with Maria at the office tonight and asked her to put it in your personal box… telling you what I’d done, and asking you to please alert the authorities. I left one for Jake, too.”
    Vicky gasped.
    “I just – I didn’t want my body to be found by a cleaning lady, or Maria, or Julie. I thought – I thought that you and Jake were the best people. You’re both so strong and steady and I thought… of everyone here, you two could handle it best.”
    Phil was very still.
    “I’m sorry, Phil. I know what I was asking was too much. It was unfair and horrible.”
    He nodded. “I understand.”
    “You do?”
    “I do.”
    She sighed. “God, I just don’t know what I was thinking anymore… all I can say is that at the time, it made perfect sense. It was logical.”
    “I know,” Vicky said. “Sometimes, it’s all you can see.”
    “But not now,” Phil said. “Right? Now you see another way?”
    “Yes.”
    “OK.” He turned to Vicky. “I called Mattie and she took Sonia from the stables up to her place. I’ll go get her now, grab her bed things and take her back to my place for the night. You’ll be OK here?”
    “Of course.” Vicky smiled. “Annabeth and I are going to drink wine and talk all night.”
    “Alright, ladies.” Phil was still watching Annabeth carefully. “Have a good night now.” His eyes met Vicky’s. “You need anything, you call.”
    “OK.”
    He kissed Vicky. “I love you, babe.”
    “You too.”
    He hugged Annabeth again. “We’re going to be here for you, hon. I swear it.”
    She held on to him, relieved and amazed at his grace and forgiveness. “Thanks, Phil.”
    Maybe I can tell Eric; maybe forgiveness and understanding aren’t totally off the table after all.

Chapter Eight
     
    “Hey, Eric. When are you coming home?”
    Eric sighed. He’d been dreading talking to Ian and had avoided his calls for the whole day since he'd left Annabeth's place. After his amazing and passionate night with her, he hadn’t wanted anyone to burst the bubble. But he had to talk to Ian at some point, he knew.
    “The day after tomorrow, Ian.”
    “You sure?”
    “Yeah. Totally. Annabeth is leaving tomorrow morning, so I’ll have no reason to stick around. I’ll take an extra day to get myself together and then I’ll fly home.”
    “Why?”
    “Why will I fly home?”
    “No. Why will you take an extra day to get yourself together?”
    Shit. I really need to remember to watch my words around my brother the cop.
    “No reason,” Eric said. “Just a slip of the tongue.”
    “Was that the only slip you made out there, little bro? Or did your tongue slip somewhere else too?”
    Eric flashed back to being buried between Annabeth’s legs, his tongue deep in her hot centre, her hands gripping the sheets as she writhed and moaned. He wanted to be back there right now, holding her body down as she came hard enough to almost fly off the bed.
    “What the hell, Ian?”
    “No. No way you turn this back on me, man. Did something happen between the two of you when you went over for dinner last night?”
    Eric was silent.
    “Oh, fuck.” Ian sat down. “Fuck, man.