No Boundaries (23 page)

Andi looked at her with a playful smile on her lips. “We may have one or two things in the works.” Andi sat down across Gwen’s lap, sliding her arm around Gwen’s shoulders. She was still amazed by how right Gwen always felt when they touched. Her skin tingled as the flood of happiness cascaded through her body and nuzzled into her soul.

Gwen reached up and placed her hand to Andi’s cheek. “You okay?”

Andi felt her entire body respond to Gwen’s touch. She slipped her hand over Gwen’s and pressed it to her cheek, relishing the warmth against her skin. Her wait was over. She hugged Gwen close. With each breath, she felt the weight of her past lift. From now on she was only looking forward into tomorrow. “I will be.” She sighed into Gwen’s chest. “I have you.”

Four months later, Andi sat in a secluded corner of the bookstore, sipping her coffee as she looked through a magazine someone had left on the table. She hadn’t been there long when another woman came up to her and asked to sit in the plush reading chair next to her. She looked up and studied the woman curiously. She had long blond hair, honey-brown eyes, and long lean arms and legs that showed defined muscles beneath her snug-fitting faded jeans and black T-shirt. J.C. was thinner than Andi remembered and her hair was longer, but she looked good, just a little too thin.

“Please,” Andi said gesturing to the empty chair.

“Thanks.”

Andi waited for her to get settled, watching how J.C.’s frame draped into the soft leather chair. “How have you been, J.C.?”

“Things are okay. I heard about the mess with James a few months back. I’m glad that all worked out.”

Andi murmured in agreement. “I never thought I would be free of all that again. I sometimes have to remind myself that it’s over when I find myself looking over my shoulder or jumping at the slightest noise in the dark.”

J.C. gazed at Andi as if appraising her. Her look was neither seductive nor malicious, but it made Andi self-conscious.

“Tell me what’s been going on with you, the past four years, J.C.”

The corner of J.C.’s mouth twitched and drew down into a slight frown. “Nothing much, work mostly.” She paused for a moment, still studying Andi. This was the first time they had seen each other in the years since they’d parted.

“Why did you ask me here, Andi? It isn’t like we’ve kept in touch over the years.”

It was Andi’s turn to assess J.C. and determine just how far she wanted this conversation to go. She pursed her lips into a thin line of determination, took a deep breath, and decided to go for it. “I know you sent the note.”

J.C. didn’t give away any sign of understanding what Andi was talking about, but Andi knew this woman, and she saw the faint flicker in her eyes that confirmed everything.

“What are you talking about, Andi?”

“I know it was you. It smelled like you. You can’t convince me you don’t know what I’m talking about. But I need to know what you meant. What did you want to be forgiven for?”

J.C. shifted in her chair. She cleared her throat as if the words were stuck. “I know you must hate me for what I did. I didn’t want to leave you back then, Andi. But there were things happening that I couldn’t tell you about. The short of it was I decided you were safer without me in the picture. I didn’t know Kevin James was part of the whole mess until it was too late. He made waves for me at work, and I wasn’t strong enough to stand up to all the guys and my dad. I wasn’t there when you needed me, and that’s something I’ve regretted every day since.”

Andi was surprised. She had always believed it had been easy for J.C. to leave. She had believed she wasn’t worth saving.

“In the note, you said you made it right. What did that mean?”

There was a long silence, and when J.C. didn’t answer, Andi began to grow more certain that her suspicions were right.

“Did you kill him?” Andi whispered.

J.C.’s eyes flashed up at her, the embers of hatred still glowing in her gaze.

“What I meant was that I had gathered evidence that James was involved in the child porn stuff with Curtis Boyd. I had enough to send him away for the rest of his miserable life. I thought if he was sent away for good, you could finally go on with your life. I wanted to give you that.”

Andi was shocked by the news that J.C. had been working all this time to help her. “Why didn’t you say something to me? It’s been years, J.C.”

“Come on, Andi. We both know I’m the last person you wanted to see. I screwed things up, and I could never take that back.”

Andi thought about it for a while as she stared at a scar that ran across the back of J.C.’s hand. It was new and she wondered what had happened to cause such an angry wound. She noted that although J.C. had an answer for the message she had sent, she hadn’t denied killing James. J.C. had hurt her, but maybe there were things that she just couldn’t understand. After all, hadn’t she done the same thing to Melissa? She had left when Melissa needed her after the attacks, and she had left without explanation too.

“I guess we all did the best we could back then. I’m not very proud of some of my choices either.”

J.C. looked down at her hands. “I’m really sorry, Andi. You always deserved more than I could give you. I wish things had been different.”

“Yeah.” Andi smiled faintly and dropped her gaze to study the pattern on the carpet at her feet.

J.C. rubbed her hands along the arms of the chair nervously. “Despite everything, you seem happy.”

Andi smiled a real smile this time. “I am happy. I’ve met someone. She makes all the difference.”

J.C. nodded. “I’m glad.”

“What about you, J.C.? Is there anyone special in your life?”

“No. Not since you.”

Andi flinched.

“I know I didn’t do a very good job of letting you know, but you were important to me. I guess I just didn’t have anything to offer you in return.”

Andi softened at the pain she heard in J.C.’s voice. It was time to let go of the anger and resentments. “I think you have plenty to offer, J.C. I hope you’ll believe that when the right person comes along.”

“Yeah, well…” J.C. drew in a deep breath. “I better get going. It was good to see you, Andi. Good luck with your new life.”

Andi stood when J.C. gathered her long body out of the chair and turned to say good-bye. Andi hesitated for a moment and then wrapped her arms around J.C’s shoulders, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you, J.C.”

J.C.’s hands slid tentatively around Andi’s back and returned the embrace. Andi felt her release a long mournful breath as if she was letting go of a heavy weight. When J.C. withdrew, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Take care of yourself, Andi.”

Andi nodded and backed away from J.C. She watched the woman who had once been the center of her world walk out of her life for the second time. But this time their parting seemed to seal a door to the past, closing old wounds and leaving a feeling of peace.

Andi might never know the truth about what happened to Kevin James, but she knew she would be forever grateful that he was gone from her life.

A cool hand brushed her arm, pulling Andi from her thoughts. She turned to see Gwen standing next to her, eyes sparkling, her smile warm. “How’d it go?”

“Good. It was good.” Andi slid her hand into Gwen’s. “I’m glad she came.”

“Did you find what you were looking for?”

“Yes. I think I did.” Andi leaned her head against Gwen’s shoulder and breathed in the crisp clean scent of her. Everything seemed to fall into place and she felt her heart warm. “I found you.”

Gwen brushed her fingers along the line of Andi’s jaw, lifted her head with two fingers, and leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. “What do you say I take you home now? I want to be close to you. I want to make love to you. I don’t want you to have any doubts about where you belong.”

Andi smiled and leaned into Gwen. “I’d like that. And just so you know, I have no doubts where I belong. You have me. All of me. Always. With no boundaries.”

Donna K. Ford is a licensed professional counselor who spends her professional time assisting people in their recovery from substance addictions. She holds an associate degree in criminal justice, a BS in psychology and an MS in community agency counseling. When not trying to save the world, she spends her time in the mountains of East Tennessee enjoying the lakes, rivers, and hiking trails near her home. Reading, writing, and enjoying conversation with good friends are the gifts that keep her grounded. She is grateful to share her life with her loving partner, two adoring cats, and one crazy beagle that keep life interesting.

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