Clarity Of The Other Man
a way of pushing forward, whether she was ready or not. But something had shifted within her. Caleb's presence in her life had begun to feel less
; he was starting to feel like someone she could trust, someone
would look like and instead focused on simply getting through each day. It wasn't perfect, and the healing process still felt like a ja
k she had been sorting through at the small desk in her apartment. Caleb stood in the doorway, h
d, his voice qui
subtle change in his deme
side, his movements slow, delib
in her chest. "
n the floor for a moment before meeting hers. "There's something I've been mean
ossibilities. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
est with you," he said q
dn't breathe. What did he mean? Had he been lying to her all along? Her thoughts
e finally asked, her v
"I'm not just some guy who moved here and started hanging around the park. I didn't tell you everything
at had happened with Jackson, the last thing she needed was more lies, more secrets. Yet, she couldn't bring herself
strained. "Things I'm not proud of. Things I thought I
unspoken tension in his words left a cold
l group, but... we have connections. People who don't always play by the rules. I never wanted you to get involved in th
was telling her. Was he dangerous? Was she in danger now? Her puls
for us?" she asked,
from you. It means I've been lying, and I know that doesn't make me seem trustworthy. But
re answers, but another part of her couldn't deny the sincerity in his eyes. He wasn't hiding this from her out of malic
his now?" she asked, her
, and I don't want to keep lying to you," he admitted, his voice raw. "I c
asn't sure if she could trust it anymore. She wanted to pull away, to run and never look back. But a deeper
ssed, her voice breaking slightly. "I
m you. I know I've already broken your trust once before with this. And if
mix of confusion, anger, and a strange kind of understanding. She didn't know if she was ready to fo
ut I guess... I can understand why you didn't. I don't know if I can t
brief moment, he looked almost re
und them. "I need some time to think," she said, her voice shaky but determined. "I don't know
ing as well. "Take all the time y
im, her mind still racing. "I'll be okay,
led with that same mixture of regret and ho
tside felt so far away, so distant from the whirlwind of emotions that churned inside her. She had known tha
round her. She wasn't sure what the next step was, or even if she was ready to face the realit