The therapist secret

Chapter 12

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The bell above the door chimed as Layla walked into the book and vinyl shop, the familiar scent of paper and polished wood greeting her. It was a quiet morning, the kind of peaceful lull she'd grown to love about working here. Shelves stood tall, filled with weathered books and rows of records, each carrying stories that felt like an escape from her own. The soft sound of a record playing in the background hummed in harmony with the day, soothing her nerves—or at least, it tried.

But no amount of peace could settle the mess of emotions swirling in her chest. After what happened with Bella, everything felt upside down. The kiss. The look in Bella's eyes, filled with something deep and unspoken. Layla hadn't meant for any of it to happen, hadn't planned for things to get so confusing.

She cared about Bella, that much she knew. But everything felt too heavy now, too complicated.

The weight of the unspoken hung over her as she moved through the shop, mindlessly rearranging books, pretending her thoughts weren't a chaotic tangle. Every time she replayed the kiss, guilt knotted her stomach. And yet, there was something else too. Something she couldn't quite name—an undercurrent of feelings she didn't know how to handle.

She was still lost in her thoughts when she heard the familiar shuffle of footsteps behind her. Turning, her heart stuttered in her chest. It was him—the guy from the bar.

He was leaning casually against the doorway, a crooked smile playing on his lips. His hair was tousled, the same messy look she remembered from that night. But now, in the harsh daylight streaming through the windows, he seemed more real, less blurred by the haze of alcohol and late-night recklessness.

"Hey," he said, his voice smooth, almost too confident. "Didn't think I'd see you here."

Layla swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. She hadn't expected to see him again, especially not here, where everything was supposed to feel safe, predictable. But as he stepped closer, the playful energy between them from the bar sparked again, a tension that made her skin buzz.

"Hey," she managed, trying to keep her voice steady. "Didn't expect to see you either."

He chuckled, leaning on the counter in a way that felt too comfortable, like he belonged here. "Small world, huh? You work here?"

Layla nodded, her throat suddenly dry. "Yeah, I do. It's... a nice place."

He glanced around the shop, his eyes lingering on the shelves before settling back on her. "Yeah, it is. I like it. Kind of cozy, like you could get lost in here."

Something about the way he looked at her made Layla's stomach flip. She remembered how easy it had been to flirt with him at the bar, how natural it had felt to laugh and tease, to be someone else for a few hours. But now... now it felt different. Because she wasn't just that girl at the bar anymore. She wasn't just Layla, flirting with a stranger.

Now, she was Layla who had kissed Bella.

"So," he said, breaking the silence, "I've been thinking about that night at the bar. You were... pretty fun."

His words were light, playful, but they hit Layla like a punch to the gut. Fun. She had been fun. She had let herself get swept up in the moment, in the easy charm of a stranger, trying to forget everything else. But now, standing here, she couldn't forget. Not when Bella was on her mind.

Layla forced a smile, trying to keep up with the conversation, but guilt gnawed at her insides. The guy was saying something, something about how they should grab a drink sometime, but she barely heard him. All she could think about was Bella. Bella's eyes, dark and vulnerable. Bella's touch, soft and hesitant. Bella, who had kissed her like she meant something more.

"Are you... seeing someone?" His question cut through her thoughts, sharp and unexpected.

Layla blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

He tilted his head, a curious smile on his face. "I mean, I get it if you are. I just thought we had a good time at the bar, and I was wondering if maybe you'd want to... I don't know, hang out again? No pressure."

There was that spark again, that easy charm that made it so tempting to say yes. But Layla couldn't ignore the heavy pit in her stomach, the way Bella's face flickered in her mind every time she tried to focus on him.

"I'm not—" She started, but the words got stuck in her throat. What was she supposed to say? That she wasn't seeing anyone, but things were messy? That her therapist kissed her last night, and now she didn't know how to feel?

"I'm not sure," she finally said, her voice quieter now, unsure. "It's... complicated."

He raised an eyebrow, but he didn't push. "I get it," he said with a shrug. "Life's complicated. But if you ever want to uncomplicate it for a night, you know where to find me."

Layla managed a small laugh, though it didn't reach her eyes. He smiled back, easy and charming, before giving her a casual wave and heading for the door.

As soon as he was gone, the shop felt too quiet, the silence pressing down on her like a weight. Layla leaned against the counter, her heart still racing, but not from excitement anymore. From guilt.

Because now she knew.

She had felt it last night—the way Bella looked at her, the way her hands trembled when they touched. Bella had feelings for her. And even though they hadn't said it out loud, even though they hadn't talked about the kiss, it was there between them, undeniable.

And now, here she was, flirting with someone else. Layla buried her face in her hands, a wave of shame crashing over her. How could she have let herself get so wrapped up in someone else when Bella was still in her thoughts, still tugging at her heart?

But the truth was, she didn't know how to deal with it. She didn't know how to handle the depth of what was happening with Bella. So, she had tried to run from it, to distract herself, to be someone else for a little while. But it hadn't worked. The guilt was still there, gnawing at her, making her stomach twist.

Layla took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She needed to figure this out. She needed to figure out what she felt for Bella, and what she was going to do about it.

Because the longer she avoided it, the harder it was going to get.

And she didn't know how much longer she could keep pretending that Bella didn't mean something more.