“You’re driving all the way up there for an apology.”
Jacqueline nodded. “Owen’s orders. I was wrong, I admit that. ButI’m not looking forward to this. I can practically see the smug look on themanager’s face.” She sighed. “And then there’s Dad. Is this just a symptom ofaging? Or something more?”
“Aging, I think. But if you continue to have concerns, we canencourage him to go back to his doctor for further tests. I’ll support whateveryou decide and help in any way I can.”
“I appreciate that.” Jacqueline closed her eyes and pinched thebridge of her nose. “You’ve been so great, Casey. I can’t thank you enough. AndI haven’t even asked how you’re doing since you and Nina split up. Are youokay?”
“Sure.” Casey waved a hand dismissively. “In a lot of ways, thebreakup has made my life simpler.”
“How so?”
“Just—you know, there’s only so much of me to go around. And thistime of year tests my patience.”
“I remember.” Jacqueline grimaced as if recalling how Casey’stemper shortened as the fall wedding season bled into the holidays.
“Okay. I wasn’t that bad.”
“I bet my asking for help added to the stress.”
“Honestly?”
“Of course.”
“Maybe a little. But I never considered any other option.Whomever I date just has to understand that sometimes my family needs me.”
Jacqueline gave her a grateful, if lazy, smile, almost as if shedidn’t have the energy for anything more.
Casey resisted the urge to reach out to her. “You’re barely goingto have any time to relax. You should have gone home and rested before yourdrive tomorrow.”
“I’m away so much, I need to check on him when I’m around.”
“You could have called. He would have understood you not drivingdown here.”
Jacqueline twisted the towel in her hands, her eyes downcast. “Iwanted to see Dad. But you’re right. He’d have been okay. I needed to see you.”
“Jacq—”
“Please, don’t say it. I know. But,” when she lifted her gaze,Casey’s breath caught at the uncharacteristic vulnerability in her eyes, “Icouldn’t bear the thought of sitting alone in my apartment tonight.”
“Come home with me.” She didn’t know why she’d said it, but shedidn’t want to take it back.
“You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine. I can just stay here.”
“I know. But I—thinking about you—just come with me.” Jacquelineneeded company and, yes, she could have left her with her father, but forwhatever reason, she wanted to be what Jacqueline needed.
Chapter Sixteen
Jacqueline paced around Casey’s living room, wondering ifshe’d made a mistake accepting Casey’s offer to spend the night. She’d beenexhausted and didn’t want to drive back downtown. But, as she’d admitted, shedidn’t want to be alone. And even more than that, she wanted to be with Casey.Spending the evening with her had felt so good. She could easily lose herselfin the domesticity of it all. For one night, she could pretend that her triptomorrow wouldn’t feel so long and draining because she might have something tocome home to.
But those kinds of thoughts would get her in trouble. Casey hadturned her away years ago, and though Jacqueline had herself convinced she’ddetected hints that Casey wanted to let her back in, a part of her still knewit wasn’t a good idea. Even if they could somehow find the courage to putthemselves back on the roller coaster that had been their relationship, theyhad no right to force Sean to come along.
When they’d arrived, Casey had left her alone in the living roomwhile she went to get something for her to sleep in. Jacqueline had ignored hersuggestion to make herself comfortable and instead had spent the last severalminutes wandering around the room.
She paused by a bookcase, made to look like a ladder angledagainst the wall. On the shelf at eye-level, three frames held photos of Sean,two with Casey and one with her father. The placement looked uneven, as ifthere had been a fourth one that was now missing. Had there been a picture ofNina that Casey had removed? She felt guilty for how good that idea made herfeel. She probably shouldn’t have brought Nina up; it was none of her business.She’d structured the question around her concern for Casey, but a part of herhad been afraid Casey would say how much she missed her and regretted theirsplit.
“You don’t look like you’re relaxing,” Casey said as she cameback into the room. She’d changed into one of her old college T-shirts andflannel boxer shorts. Jacqueline had seen a lot of versions of Casey insleepwear, from the current one to her forays into sexy lingerie. But this onehad always taken her back to their early days, when they’d skip class and spendhours in their dorm room making love, only putting on clothes to open the doorfor the pizza guy. “Is something wrong?”
Jacqueline blinked and realized she’d been staring. Casey glanceddown at the stack of clothes, similar to her own, that she’d been holding outfor who knew how long, then back up at Jacqueline.
“No. I’m good. Thank you.” Jacqueline took the clothes. Sheturned back to the bookcase to distract herself from sexy-college-coed Casey.She skimmed over the blank space on the picture shelf and spotted one ofCasey’s old cameras on display. The Pentax had been an early favorite ofCasey’s and a go-to SLR for many years.
“Do you ever shoot with this anymore?”
“Not so much.”
“Why not?”
“I’m strictly digital now, I guess.” Casey shrugged. “I stillhave the darkroom we built in the studio, but 35mm doesn’t work for the kind ofstuff I’m doing professionally. All my proofs are digital and so are a lot ofmy package choices. Lately, I’ve been making time to shoot for pleasure again.I guess I shouldn’t complain about having too much work, should I?”
“There are definitely worse problems to have.”
Casey glanced at the clock on the wall. “You should get somesleep.”
Jacqueline nodded. They moved together down the hallway, and shepaused outside Sean’s room.
“Thank you, for this.”
