“There’s a fabulous café near the edge of the park just around the corner. Come on. My treat.”
Aggie blanched, her legs trembling as she looked around.
“Didn’t you used to work at a pub near here on the weekends?” April stood, waiting for an answer, but Aggie couldn’t form one. Eventually, April turned back to her.
“Honey, what is it?” She reached for Aggie. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Aggie stared over April’s shoulder at the wide expanse of grass surrounded by bushes and swallowed. “It was here,” she gulped. “It happened over near those trees.” Her heart raced and her breathing became labored as her throat closed up.
April opened the car door and pushed Aggie in. “Buckle up. We’ll go home.” She hurried around to the driver’s side and got in, started the car, then pulled out into traffic.
Once they were on the road, it was easier for Aggie. The tension eased from her shoulders and she relaxed against the seat. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I should be better by now, but I’m struggling.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to apologize. Not to me. But we’ll get you some help, I promise. This has gone on long enough.”
Tears clogged her throat and she couldn’t hold them back. They spilled over her lashes. “No. I’ll be fine. We need to stop for food, and I need to get myself together before I go home. Dad and Gigi wont leave me alone if I arrive looking like this.” She wiped her fingers under her eyes. “You have to eat and take care of yourself and my new baby niece or nephew.” She sniffed and gave her bestie a wobbly smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lose my shit there.”
The panic attacks, the fear that dogged her every waking moment—Aggie agreed with the PTSD theory but had no idea what she was going to do about it. Two years of living in fear was far too long. She needed someone to talk to. Bradley was too familiar and it would feel weird talking to him because she’d known him ever since she could remember. But speaking to a stranger didn’t hold any appeal either. Aggie felt limited by her options, which only added to her anxiety.
April seemed to relax but kept her attention on the road. “This okay?”
It was an outdoor café on a busy street overlooking the water, not far from the ferry building.
Aggie blew out a breath. “Perfect. Thanks.” They parked, got out, and together, walked inside to take a table near the window.
“This is lovely. Thank you.” Aggie leaned over and squeezed April’s hand in gratitude.
Once they were seated, April took her hand. “Aggie, you know I’d do anything for you but I won’t stay silent any longer. I’ve probably done you more harm than good by letting you hide what happened.” She held up her finger as Aggie tried to protest. “Let me finish. I’m not going to go and tell your family what happened; that’s up to you. But what I am suggesting is you talk to Bradley; use his years of experience to help you. If you can’t stand to discuss it with someone so close to you, arrange a visit to Seattle once a month. I’ll get you a list of good psychologists so you can choose one. You need to deal with this and stop letting it ruin your life. You have to stop hiding and live your life again.” She plastered a smile on her face when the waitress approached their table, forcing Aggie to hold back the retort she wanted to throw at her friend.
Once their order arrived, the steam had faded from her mood and all she wanted to do was eat and go home, but April wasn’t letting her wallow in her pain. With a hot French fry in her hand like a pointer, she spoke again. “I know you didn’t want to do it at the time, but have you reconsidered talking to the police about it?”
Aggie shook her head as April dipped the fry into the sauce. “No point. I didn’t see his face or any distinguishing marks. I heard his voice but it wasn’t clear enough to identify him. All it’ll do is make me relive it, and for what? So some detectives can grill me and give me nightmares again?”
April grabbed another fry and jammed it in her mouth like a starving woman. Must be a pregnancy thing. Aggie felt guilty for making her wait for food. “But what if someone else was attacked and they saw more than you did?”
“There’s nothing I can give the police to identify the guy that attacked me. Nothing. I’m not going to waste my time on this when I’m already flat out at work. Just forget it, please.”
“Only if you talk to someone. I mean it. Drew is all over me to find out what’s going on. I can’t tell him, but I won’t be able to lie to my husband forever. For your own sanity, honey, you need to get help.”
Maybe she did. But what if talking about it revealed the one thing she was most afraid of—that there was no way to cure the ache that filled her heart? No way to go back to the woman she used to be?
She’d rather not know how damaged she really was.
Chapter 5
“What am I supposed to do, Drew? April won’t say what’s going on and if I try to talk to Aggie, she closes up on me.” It made Liam sick to think he’d been mooning over her for so long and nothing had changed. He crossed his legs and stared at his best friend over his desk. Their habit was to catch up after the last patient had left and the staff was gone
