“Yeah and that’s what has me confused. I know I wasn’t to blame for what happened.”
April smiled. “Well, that took you long enough. What do we owe this change of heart to?”
It had been a long process, changing her train of thought from blaming herself to putting that injustice it where it rightly should be. “I believe I have Ben to thank for that.”
“Really? You told him what happened?”
Not a chance! “No. But Ben put together a self-defense class because the women’s shelter asked him to. Liam asked me to put some flyers up in the shop and then convinced me I should take the class too. Told me it would be a good enticement for other women to join in if I was there.”
April shrugged. “I guess so. But how did that make you change your mind?”
“Some of the things he says when he’s teaching us. Ben might be a man of few words on the street but in the martial arts room, it’s a whole new ball game. Seems he has a knack for making women believe in themselves. Besides, he’s teaching us some really cool moves and it’s making me feel better about myself.”
April sniffed and Aggie looked at her closer. Were those tears in her eyes? “What’s wrong?”
“You. Finally someone has made you see sense, and it makes me want to cry so bad.” Tears trickled down April’s cheeks and she held her arms open for a hug.
Aggie leaned in and wrapped her arms around her bestie. “I’m sorry. You were right all along. It wasn’t my fault but I had trouble convincing myself of that.” She moved back to her own chair and wiped her face. “Maybe it’s how Ben says it without the sympathy that did it for me. He’s blunt about men’s behavior and how it has to change, which I think is what I needed to hear.”
“I don’t care who made you see the truth of the matter, but I’m glad you have. So very glad, Aggie. You deserve to be loved for who you are, not in spite of what happened.”
“I never said I was in love. Merely that I understand it wasn’t my fault. I still think one day Liam will wonder why he didn’t go for someone without the kind of baggage I’ve been carrying around. Don’t go getting too far ahead of yourself or you’ll be in for a big dose of disappointment.”
“So long as you give him a chance, I’ll keep my opinions to myself.”
“Ha! As if. You never miss a chance to tell me what you think.” And I still haven’t said I’ll let myself fall for him.
“I can’t help it; comes with the territory of being best friends.” April grinned. “I want you to be as happy as I am. Give him a chance and let him prove how much he loves you.”
“It’s not him, April. It’s me. He couldn’t be sweeter, honestly. I just—I don’t know—I probably still think that one day he’ll look at me differently, and I’ll start to wonder if he’s thinking I did something to encourage that guy. That somehow it was all my fault.”
“But you just said you don’t think you were to blame. I don’t understand.”
“I don’t believe I was but that doesn’t mean everyone else will think the same way. Why do you think so many women never press charges? People automatically think their dress was too short or they were drunk or leading the guy on. It’s never the rapist who goes on trial; it’s always the woman because she has to prove she didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Liam’s not like that.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself. So far, ‘self’ is having trouble believing it.”
* * *
“I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“I don’t know, Liam. I wouldn’t mind an early night.”
He sighed. “But you used to love them, Aggie. Your bedroom wall was covered in their posters. How often do they come to the island to play? Hardly ever. You have to come with me, help me relive our childhood.”
Silence met his words, but he wasn’t about to give in. She’d regret it if she didn’t go. He knew she would. The nights they’d both sung themselves hoarse while dancing along to the band were now far behind them, but the passion to rock out to those songs was still there. At least, it was for Liam.
“Okay. But I don’t want to be out late. I need a good night’s sleep. I’m ready for bed.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll have you home at a reasonable time. See you later.” He hung up and grinned like a fool. So far, things were working out well. He’d managed to take her out and spend more time with her in the last couple of weeks than he’d done in the previous years. Things were looking up. Miss Aggie Hope was making him dream big, but he wasn’t about to scare her off by telling her that just yet.
When Liam pulled up at her house that evening, Aggie was sitting on the front deck waiting for him. He smiled to himself as she bounded down the stairs before he could get out of the car.
She pulled open the car door and slid into the seat in a cloud of perfume. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.” He leaned over and gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek. “Ready to rock the night away?”
Aggie laughed. “You’re kidding, right? I’m an old lady now. The only rocking this one does is in the shower with nobody looking. We’re not all as brave as you are when it comes to putting ourselves out there in public.”
He drove down toward the boat club, where any band worth going to see played. “You’ll always be young to me. Funny thing about growing older—not that we’re anywhere near old—our gray matter doesn’t know
