After Forever & Ever

Chapter 46

Tessa-Present

Falling asleep tonight next to Hardin is definitely not how I expected I would end today....but I am beyond happy.

I guess I thought he would hate me or that I was going to be the reason he did something.

But being in his arms knowing we are okay and together is the best feeling. And I never want it to end.

He is asleep but I feel like I don't want to fall asleep because I am just so happy.

But I know I have to because I have to go to work tomorrow I missed today and I know I can't keep missing.

When my alarm starts going off the next morning Hardin keeps saying "lay with me for 5 more minutes." And I give in until I can't anymore.

After I finish getting ready I walk back into my room and give him a kiss goodbye. "Bye babe I'll call you later" I tell him.

"Bye beautiful." He says to me.

As I am grabbing my purse in the kitchen I move Hardin's jacket because it is draped over my purse. And when I move the jacket a pill bottle falls to the ground.

I pick it up and it is prescribed to him and says hydrocodone.

I don't know if I should take them or put them back. I don't know if he is using these or if they just gave him them because of his hand.

I don't want to think he is using again because no signs point to that...but I also don't want him to start if he's not.

I decide to just put them back and I don't know if that was the right thing to do. But if I took them he would know and...I just didn't know what to do.

On my way into work i keep going back and forth with whether or not I did the right thing and it sucks because I was feeling so different and so good and then I found that...

When I arrive at work the first person I see is Kim and I can't help but think about what Vance told me about how much of an affect Hardin has on her and them. And again not a good feeling.

Kim surprises me by coming into my office. "Hi Tess, how are you?" She asks.

"I'm doing okay, how are you?" I ask.

"I'm okay...how's Hardin?" She asks.

"He's better." I reply.

"I'm glad to hear it." She says.

"I'm sorry I feel like things are weird between us and I don't want them to be." I tell her.

"No I'm sorry....I projected a lot of feelings I have towards Hardin on you...and that isn't fair." She responds.

"I get it...I know him being in Vance's life hasn't been easy on you." I tell her.

"No it hasn't...Hardin doesn't care about anyone but himself and" she stops herself.

"I'm sorry I need to stop." She says before she continues.

I take a deep breath kind of confused myself how to continue on with the conversation.

"He's trying." I tell her.

She just kind of nods and excuses herself.

I get started on some of my work since I have a ton because I wasn't in yesterday but my mind keeps wandering to the pills. And I should just ask him about them. But I don't want him to think I was snooping or make him feel like I'm accusing him of anything.

Should I tell Vance? I don't know what to do...

Maybe I should just ignore it. They probably gave him pain meds not knowing his past and that's it.