Chapter 56: Not Crossing Lines
- DEX -
After my third dream last night, I was terrified to pick Raya up today. These dreams are intense, and I have no idea how to square them with reality. But as soon as I saw her, I felt that anchor drop again—that simple sense of security at her presence.
Now that I’ve brought her to the house and I’ve seen her reaction to the guest kitchen and bedroom and to my shower... I don’t know what to think. Not only am I having dreams of her and she of me, but I think we’re actually sharing the exact same dreams. And that is impossible. It’s impossible. It has to be.
But when we were in the guest kitchen, I watched her look up at the very shelf that she was reaching for in my dream. There is no way that’s a coincidence. And then she walked directly to the bedroom where I carried her and stopped, frozen at its entrance—staring at the bed. Just like she became frozen now looking at my shower. The only other explanation to those reactions would be if she’s some kind of psychic and can see my memories of those dreams playing out in reality.
Moira Rose meows and rubs against my leg while Raya and I stand in the doorway to my bathroom, and then my phone rings. My thoughts scatter at what seem like two warnings from the universe that I shouldn’t kiss her right now like I’m imagining in my mind. It’s too sudden, which is also crazy. Because if we’re sharing dreams with each other like the one we had last night, NOT kissing her right now is strange. She’s standing right here—right in front of me—making this room feel more like home than it has in a really long time.
Raya smiles shyly like she knows what I’m thinking and drops her gaze when my phone continues ringing. I retrieve it from my pocket and silence it, frowning at the screen when I see that it’s once again my brother. His timing is impeccable, as always. He better not have hired someone to watch the house, because I can imagine him twisting his invisible villainous mustache right now, imagining all of the juicy details he thinks Raya is going to return to him with. Honestly, I wouldn’t put anything past him at this point.
I’m glad she won’t be coming into work this week until I can set him straight. Or at least I don’t think she will.
"You’re taking it easy for awhile right? Not coming into the office this week?" I shove the phone back in my pocket and back further away from her so that we’re not still between rooms. Because standing between these two rooms feels like standing between dreams and reality.
"The doctor said to take a week off, but it’s not like I do any heavy lifting or anything..." She shrugs.
"So you are staying on with the company?" My eyebrows shoot up as I lean against the wall, a smirk playing on my lips.
"Well," she sighs, only allowing her gaze to rest on me for a few seconds at a time before it darts away again and leaves her cheeks a pinker shade. "I need to find a way to get a new place, so I guess it would be the responsible thing to do. You don’t think Lawson will be a problem for you?"
"No," I practically growl. "He won’t be a problem for you either, I promise. But why don’t you just stay home and relax this week? There’s no rush to get back, and following medical advice is usually a good idea, don’t you think?"
She sighs and nods, grabbing her arm self-consciously, and I only become vaguely aware that I’ve referred to the guest house as her home. For all the changes that have happened so quickly in her life, Raya is dealing with this one remarkably well.
It’s definitely a good thing I didn’t kiss her. How would I follow that up at this point when she is staying only yards from where I sleep?
I don’t know where kissing her would end. I’m not sure that it would. I have a feeling that crossing that line would actually transform everything I understand about reality, and it wouldn’t take much to just... stay like that—with her—believing the two of us can exist as a dream. Whatever that even means, because I definitely don’t know.
Instead of confusing things even more, I’ll just make sure Raya realizes that this is a place where she can feel safe for now. Because that flash of fear I saw alight in her eyes is not an emotion I want to be responsible for.
"I’ll pull my truck around front and lock the gate so you can get settled and feel... safe," I tell her, making my way back to the bedroom doorway so I can see her out. "Will you let me know if you need anything?"
"Sure," she smiles, bending down to scratch Moira Rose one final time.
And then I’m leading Raya back through the house and my mother’s garden, waving when she goes inside the guest house and climbing into my truck. This is all so strange, but I’m really glad she’s here.
Lawson calls again while I’m parking the truck at the front of the house, and I roll my eyes. I’ve never heard from my brother so much.
"What is it?" I answer. "And don’t tell me another ex girlfriend called you."
"No, thankfully," he chuckles. "And hi."
Instead of replying with the one word greeting and being baited into whatever game he’s playing, I wait in silence, hoping he’ll just get to the point of this call.
"Laurel said there’s a counselor coming to the office tomorrow?" He clears his throat. "Do you really think that’s necessary?"
"Yes, it’s necessary."
"Dex, I think you’re the only one who saw that accident happen," he scoffs.
"Did no one come outside and see the grisly aftermath? Was anyone friends with the employee who was harmed?"
"Sure, but we’re all adults. It’s an extra expense for the company, and I really think that if anyone needs therapy after something like that, they can go through their own insurance," he chuckles, obviously finding the idea of someone needing to talk to a professional about that ridiculous.
"The counselor is coming," I state with finality. "And I think you and I need to have a meeting tomorrow—just us."
"A meeting about the company? Or a meeting about our father?" He asks.
"A meeting about the company. Things were confusing last week with everything happening so quickly. We should really get on the same page. I want you to understand where I’m coming from."
"You’re right. That sounds like a good idea," he replies.
"Great."
I end the call before I say anything I’ll regret, because my brother always takes me right to that point—right to the edge where I’m contemplating crossing a line. It’s crazy that I have to be so vigilant about not crossing lines when he plows right through every one and never gets more than a slap on the wrist for it. Losing CEO might be the first time he’s ever actually had to face a major consequence. No wonder he’s taking it poorly.
