Loving Him (Him Series Book 1)

Twenty-Five

The days melted into one another.

I had no place to go, which wasn't a problem since I didn't want to leave my apartment. Most days I spent in bed. Sometimes I'd try to catch up on laundry, cleaning, or bills, but it was difficult to focus. For all the sleep I was getting, I always seemed tired.

A week after the drama with Kyle and Ava, I dragged myself out of bed and made my way to the kitchen for the strongest cup of coffee I could make and still be able to drink it.

Katie and Izabelle sat at the kitchen table waiting for me, the coffee already made.

"Hey." I blinked, surprised. "What are you guys doing?"

"We need to talk." Izabelle handed me a mug of coffee.

I got a weird feeling. "Oh, ok. This isn't an intervention, is it?" I asked jokingly.

They didn't laugh.

"I'm won't ask if you're okay because I know that's getting old, but we've noticed a change in you, Lucy."

I took a sip of coffee while I tried to think of how to respond to Katie. "I take it you don't think the change is for the better."

"It's two o'clock in the afternoon and you're just getting out of bed. You haven't shown up all week for your appointments, and the kids have missed you."

Izabelle studied me, taking in my pajama bottoms and oversized sweatshirt. When Aunt Karen and Lindsay looked at me like that, they were trying to find fault, but Izabelle's eyes were full of pure sympathy. "You don't look good."

"She means you look like a week-old shrimp," Katie chimed in, looking me in the eye. Izabelle kicked her under the table. "Ouch!"

I smiled, thinking how much I'd missed the two of them lately. "I appreciate the honesty. Adding the shrimp really drove your point home."

"Maybe it would help to talk to someone," Izabelle suggested.

Katie smiled. "She hasn't lost her sense of humor, but I agree she should talk to us."

"I meant a therapist," Izabelle corrected, sliding her gaze to Katie.

"She doesn't need a therapist when she has us."

"There's nothing wrong with seeing someone that can help you straighten out your problems."

Katie frowned. "I didn't say there was anything wrong with it, but Lucy lost her job. She doesn't need to waste cash on someone to talk to when she has friends."

I savored a sip of rich coffee, my gaze zipping back and forth between them. They fought like siblings, but they loved each other.

"Are you saying that only people who don't have friends need to see a therapist?" Izabelle was clearly offended.

"Of course not, Izzy. Calm down. I wasn't saying anything about people in general. I'm talking about what's best for our girl here."

"How can you know what's best for her when you can't even figure it out for yourself? You think I don't know what's going on with you and Jase?"

I perked up. "What's going on with Katie and Jase?"

"Maybe you should make an appointment with your therapist and discuss your nasty attitude," Katie fired back, both of them ignoring my question.

I held up my hands and made the 'time out' sign. "I thought this was my intervention." I reluctantly drew the attention back to me so they'd stop arguing.