Page 28 of Break the Barrier

I didn’t know if it would ever happen when I met her, I had no idea if she was with anyone or if she was even interested in being more with me.

But that thought had niggled at the back of my brain for years, wondering, hoping, praying that someday we’d reach a point where we could try this out.

My gut told me that the time was now.

I look from Thea, who’s smiling at my daughter, to Lue, who has been my entire world for the last fourteen years, and I take a deep breath, calming the churning in my gut that told me this could be the moment my life changes forever.

And hoping that I’m not wrong.

11

thea

My nerves were on fire.Looking back on it, I don’t remember a time when I was ever this nervous. Even when Eric and I got married, I wasn’t this nervous.

I should have taken that as a sign.

I glance down at my slimming black jeans and flowy tank top. It was fancier than I usually wore, and that was likely why I felt eyeballs drilling into the side of my head at this moment.

“Do you think something’s wrong?” I hear Juniper stage-whisper to Annmarie.

“I don’t know. Midlife crisis, maybe.”

“She’s so dressy. Are we supposed to start dressing like that?”

“Could be. But…I’m not going to.”

“Me either.”

“Could you two maybe stop pretending you’re talking behind my back and get to work?”

“Where are you going?” Juniper asks, coming to perchherself on the bar near where I’m standing, her back to the dining room.

“I’m just…going out tonight.”

“I thought you took yesterday off.”

“June, she can take more than one night off,” Annmarie scolds, and not for the first time, backs me up as almost a co-parent to our little sister.

“I know that.” Juniper frowns and looks back at me. “I’m just worried. You never take off two nights. Are you okay?”

I smile at my compassionate sister. She was the one who was always worried about everyone else, the one who would put aside everything that she was doing to help someone in need.

“I’m fine, baby sister. Did you talk to Phee?” Ophelia was hard to get a hold of these days, her college career taking all of her time. But we try to keep up with what she’s doing.

“Yeah, she’s taking too many classes and getting tired.”

I frown and look at her. “Okay. I’ll talk to her.”

Annmarie shrugs. “At least she’s responding. Astoria ignored me today and yesterday.”

My frown remains intact. Astoria was a free-spirited, yet stubborn, girl. She had no qualms about going off the grid for months at a time, traveling all around different countries, abandoning technology for new cultural experiences.

I didn’t blame her for it. When our parents passed, we’d all taken it differently, all had roles to play. And when I married Eric, she’d been pissed. She never liked him, and when things went south, she told me, “I told you so.” And promptly disappeared.

I let out a slow breath. “Try again tomorrow.” It’s the best thing I can offer her.

Annmarie nods. “So, where you headed?”