Southern Girl Series: Bohemain Girl, Neighbor Girl & Intern Girl

by Cates, Georgia

  “Whenever you are, baby.”

  Bridge lifts a foot and extends it. “I think I need to get home so I can elevate these. They feel like they’re twice their normal size.”

  Swelling to the face and hands. Headaches. Blurred Vision.

  All of those things were symptoms that happened prior to the seizure Bridgette had the day she gave birth to our son. We were too young and stupid to know something was seriously wrong. I’ve never been so scared in my life. I thought she was dying.

  “None of the other problems are happening?” I don’t have to go into details about what I mean. Bridgette knows.

  “Not a one. I’m fine.”

  Warren grasps my shoulder and squeezes. “The doctor told us a little swelling was normal but said she should elevate her feet when it happens. We’re watching everything carefully.”

  Warren has only seen Bridgette carry a perfect child full-term during an uncomplicated pregnancy. He wouldn’t be so at ease if he’d seen the things I had.

  She comes over and wraps her arms around me. “My feet will go up the minute I get home. I’ll notify the doctor immediately if I have any problems or feel like something’s not right.”

  “I know you’re cautious. I just—”

  She grabs the sides of my face. “You worry too much. And you definitely enjoy being a pain in my ass too often, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Bridgette moves on to Lawrence, embracing her. It’s her way. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”

  “The pleasure was all mine. Early congratulations on your upcoming arrival.”

  “Thank you.”

  I lift Aubrey into my arms and squeeze her lightly while rubbing my beard against her face. “Love you, Bebelle. Be a sweet girl for Mama.”

  As per usual, she strokes my beard with the palm of her hand as we say goodbye. “Love you, Uncle Bou.”

  When Aubrey finishes with me, she skips over to Lawrence and throws herself into her arms, all her precious bashfulness gone.

  “Bye, Wren.”

  “I very much enjoyed meeting you, little missy. I know you’re going to make an excellent big sister when your baby brother arrives.”

  “Best ever.”

  I look at Lawrence when Bridgette, Warren, and Aubrey are gone. Her elbow is propped on the table, her head tilted so her hand can fidget with the knot on top of her head. Her eyes are wide and intently focused on me.

  “I know what you’re thinking.”

  “Enlighten me. I’d love to know what you believe is in my head right now.”

  “You’re trying to make sense of what you just saw.”

  “Maybe.”

  Maybe, my ass. “You wouldn’t be the first person to be confused by us.”

  “No one understands your relationship, and you’re okay with that. I get it and I think it’s great.”

  I can’t recall ever hearing that kind of response from anyone. I almost think she’s fucking with me. “Really?”

  “Yeah. The dynamics of your relationship are fascinating.”

  “Fascinating? I guess. Hard as hell? Definitely.”

  People love to judge. Many haven’t been kind to Bridgette, and I could never sit back and allow anyone to hurt my best friend.

  “I would love to hear more but what do you say we grab some dinner first? I’m starving.”

  “I could go for some food.”

  This girl is way more than I expected. I definitely want some more time with her.

  6

  Lawrence Thorn

  Lucas Broussard, the world’s most interesting man, just became a little more intriguing. I wouldn’t have guessed in a million years that my brother’s business partner was so enchanting.

  I’ve never been married so I don’t understand the firsthand dynamics between a husband and wife. I also don’t comprehend the relationship between a divorced couple, but I don’t think I have to in order to see that Lucas and Bridgette are the exception to every rule.

  He is incredibly kind to his ex-wife and his best friend who married her. After having only spent a short amount of time with them, I can see that he truly loves them both and their daughter. And their son, who will be arriving in a couple of months from the looks of things. I can’t help but wonder what drives this man to be that way?

  “I want to hear more.”

  “What would you like to know?”

  “Anything.” Everything.

  Lucas laughs and I notice his dimples for the first time. “Do you want the long or short version?”

  “Long.”

  “Bridgette became my best friend after I moved here. We did everything together, which helped make the move from Louisiana to Alabama much easier.”

  I try to picture younger versions of Lucas and Bridgette hanging out the way I did with Ivy and Kelsey, but I can’t quite conjure an image of him without the beard. Or broad shoulders. Or strong arms.

  “Everyone was always telling us that we’d make the perfect couple and they didn’t understand why we didn’t date. I started wondering if I was wearing blinders because I didn’t want to see how perfect we’d be together. So I asked Bridgette if she wanted to give us a try, to see if everyone knew what they were talking about.” A loud chuckle vibrates from his chest. “She told me to never mention it again or she’d punch me in the nuts.”

  I laugh, picturing a teen Bridgette and Lucas having this conversation.

  “I didn’t bring it up again but she did a couple of years later after we started college. A couple of months in, we decided to give sex a try. It was a huge mistake. I don’t think we even had our clothes back on when we agreed that it should never happen again.”

  But it must have. “You married her.”

  “We had sex that one time and she got pregnant.”

  “Oh God.” Worst situation ever.

  “We decided the best thing for our child was to marry and co-parent him together.”

  Amazing. Even at such a young age, Lucas and Bridgette chose to do what they thought was best for the welfare of their child over their own happiness. That’s far more than our parents ever did for Ollie and me.

  But wait a minute. There’s been no mention of Lucas and Bridgette’s son. Aubrey and the new baby were the only children that were talked about today. I have a sickening feeling in my gut that something bad must have happened to that child.

  “Bridgette was about halfway through the pregnancy when we found out our son had bilateral renal agenesis. His kidneys didn’t develop, which means a death sentence within hours of being born.”

  “I’m so sorry. That must have been devastating.”

  “Bridgette became really sick and developed eclampsia when she was almost eight months pregnant.”

  “Eclampsia?”

  “It’s a condition that only pregnant women get. All I really remember is how badly Bridge was swollen. She told me she had a terrible headache and blurry vision. I was a kid. I didn’t know what to do so I took her to the hospital. When we got there, her blood pressure was sky high. One minute she’s talking to me, the next she’s having a seizure. Scared the shit out of me. I thought she was dying.”

  She obviously got better. “How do you treat something like that?”

  “They gave her medicine to stop the seizure and took her to surgery for a C-section. Eli died before she made it out of the recovery room.”

  That’s so sad. “She didn’t get to hold him?”

  “Not while he was alive. But I did. And that’s where he died—in my arms instead of hooked up to machines that wouldn’t save him anyway.”

  “That must have been heartbreaking.”

  “The doctor told us that any children we conceived together would have a higher risk of developing the same disorder.”

  “So his condition is genetic?”

  “We both carry the gene for renal agenesis. It usually presents with one kidney missing, which is okay since people can live with only one. But because Bridgette and I b
oth carry the gene, our son inherited the bilateral version and both were missing.”

  That must have been terrible to lose a child and then be told any others they had would likely suffer the same fate. “I’m sure that must have been overwhelming to hear.”

  “There we were… nineteen and married with no baby, which was the only glue holding us together as husband and wife. We talked about trying to make our marriage a real one but it wasn’t possible without sex. Even if I could have looked at her as anything other than a sister, neither of us was willing to risk another pregnancy.”

  I’m assuming that means they never had sex with each other again. But they were married. Did they just go without or did they screw around with other people?

  “How long were you married?”

  “Six years by the time our divorce was final. We were about three years in when we agreed to have an open marriage.”

  Wow. They had an open marriage. “You were married six years and you were dating other women during three of them?”

  “I stopped wearing my wedding band after we made the decision to see other people, but it took a year or so for me to ease into the idea of actually being with another woman while I was married. We might not have been in love but she was still my wife, and having a relationship outside the boundaries of our marriage felt very wrong to me.”

  Knowing that he was given permission to cheat but didn’t jump at the first chance to fuck around just earned him a few points in my book.

  “Why not get a divorce?” That would have made so much more sense.

  “Bridgette went through a severe depression after Eli died. I couldn’t suggest that we divorce while she was in that kind of emotional state. It was a year before she even resembled the person she once was, and I was afraid of causing a setback if I asked for a divorce. I adjusted to being married in name only.”

  This doesn’t make sense to me. “She obviously became well enough to suggest that you have an open marriage but not divorce?”

  “We decided it made better financial sense to stay together a couple of more years. We had every intention of ending the marriage after we graduated from college and got on our feet.”

  I was once a young adult on my own for the first time. I can understand how having someone to absorb half the expenses would be beneficial.

  “Bridge and I actually had an appointment with a divorce lawyer when my grandfather passed away, and I inherited his business.”

  “Which was another delay?”

  “We refer to our marriage as a series of unfortunate events.”

  It does seem as though fate was trying to force them to stay together.

  “I’m happy that I had Bridgette by my side. She was my rock when I stepped into my grandfather’s role at the company. I couldn’t have done it without her.”

  And then she became Warren’s rock. “Did Bridgette and Warren have a thing for each other before they worked together at your business?”

  “No. Warren was my best friend from Louisiana. They didn’t know each other until he came to work for me.”

  I noticed that Warren has the same Cajun accent as Lucas, but it didn’t seem near as sexy on him as it does on Lucas.

  “They met at your company and sparks flew?”

  A smile spreads on his face. “Something like that.”

  It seems like such a horrible situation—to have lost some of the best years of your life being married to a spouse you don’t love in a romantic way. Stuck with someone you don’t feel passion for. Committed to a person you can’t have sex with.

  “I can see that all of this confuses you.”

  He isn’t wrong. I’m highly confused. “Your circumstances. Your decision.”

  “I know this must be difficult for you to understand. I’m sure it sounds irrational when I compress those six years into a five-minute conversation. Honestly, it’s like trying to recall a car accident. I can hardly remember it all now.”

  “I’m sure you were only doing what you thought was best. Your decisions aren’t for me to judge.”

  “You’d be the first person to not judge our decisions.”

  “I’m sure it was a learning experience.”

  “Bridgette and I learned some really tough lessons. I learned that marriage isn’t for me.”

  Being so engrossed in his story, I realize that I haven’t eaten a bite of my dinner, and I cut a slit down the middle of my sweet potato. “Everyone thinks I have an unconventional lifestyle, but I’d say that you’ve earned that title more than I have.”

  He watches me dress my potato with fresh vegan butter and brown sugar. “I bet you’re still plenty unconventional.”

  “I don’t know about that. I’m feeling a little inferior next to you.”

  “Tell me about Wren Thorn. I bet she has plenty of interesting facets to her life.”

  Wren. It was adorable when Aubrey said it, and strangely enough, it sounds so natural hearing Lucas call me by that name.

  He has been so open about his personal life. I feel like I owe him the same in return, but I have no idea where to begin. “What do you want to know about me?”

  “Have you ever been married?”

  “No.”

  I tell everyone that I’m content with single life, but that’s not the whole truth. I’d love to find my partner in life and start a family together. It’s what I long for.

  “Ever been in love?”

  I was never that dreamy teenage girl who fancied herself in love with every cute boy she ever met. “Not that I’m aware of.”

  “Me either but I know that you must have been in lust at some point.”

  “Not really.” I guess that makes me sound like a total prude.

  “Come on. You’ve never been with a man you wanted so badly that you thought you’d go crazy if you didn’t have him right then and there?”

  “If I’m being honest, I have to admit that I’ve never found a man who makes me feel that way.” But I want to find him.

  “Well, that’s a shame.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  Lucas’s eyes leave my face and roam my body for a moment before he briefly closes his eyes and shakes his head. “Tell me about your business.”

  “It’s a retail shop called Law’s Attraction Boutique. Named for the law of attraction and because my friends call me Law.”

  “Clever name.”

  I wonder if he knows what the law of attraction is or anything about the type of person I am. “Has Ollie told you much about me?”

  “A little.”

  Figures. Ollie isn’t known for spilling much.

  “I’m not what most people consider to be a typical woman. I’m… quirky.”

  Lucas chuckles. “I can see that… and it’s one of the things that I like about you.”

  I try to suppress my smile but I’m unsuccessful. I can’t even contain it to a grin.

  “Have you ever been to River Street in Savannah?”

  “I’ve never made it to Savannah but I hear that it’s a beautiful city.”

  “It is and I love living there. My shop faces the Savannah River. I have the best view in the city.”

  “Which probably helps bring a lot of business to your shop.”

  “I’m in a great location. Lots of tourists come to see the river.”

  “What do you sell in your shop?”

  “I have a wide variety of stock. There’s the usual merchandise like clothing, jewelry, bags, essential oils, and aromatherapy supplies. And then there are products that a lot of people don’t consider normal: healing crystals and herbs for herbalism. I’m fascinated by holistic healing but I’m not a quack. And despite what some people say or believe, I don’t sell items for witchcraft.”

  “I’m from New Orleans. Witchcraft and voodoo aren’t new subjects for me.”

  “You probably know more about witchcraft than I do. But many of the items I carry in the store are used in spells. Some people think that means I practice
the craft. And I guess it’s more interesting to say I sell rose oil for love spells rather than for its all-natural medicinal properties.”

  “I don’t know anything about either—witchcraft or medicinal properties.”

  Most people don’t. “I’ve researched it for years. It’s quite intriguing.”

  “Give me an example of some medicinal properties.”

  “Okay. I used to have trouble sleeping. A few drops of lavender oil in my bath and on my pillow fixed that. I sleep like a baby, and I’m energized when I wake in the morning. A few drops in my cleanser help my skin stay clear and healthy. Peppermint oil is great for congestion, nausea, and headaches. Those are just a few of essential-oil uses. There are so many I could go on and on.”

  “Lavender? Is that the scent I smell every time I’m near you?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s nice. Not overpowering like a lot of the perfumes that women wear.”

  He noticed my simple lavender scent. And he likes it. When was the last time that happened?

  “What do you do in your spare time?”

  “Hang out with friends, go to the beach, do yoga, volunteer at the humane society.”

  “You’re an animal lover?”

  I chuckle. “I’m an animal lover who doesn’t have pets. With my schedule, I don’t have time for them. It would be selfish to get one and leave it alone for long periods of time so I get my animal fix by helping out at the shelter.”

  “That makes sense. And I’m sure that the shelter appreciates any help they can get.”

  “My friends have tried to talk me into getting a dog for safety reasons.”

  “An alarm would require less companionship. And no puppy pads.”

  “I know, right?”

  He pops a French fry into his mouth. “Are Ivy and Kelsey like you?”

  Lucas knows the names of my best friends? “How do you know about them?”

  His eyes widen. “Oliver has talked about them.”

  I bet he has. “He crushes so hard on my girls.”

  “He might have mentioned something about them being hot.”

  No surprise there.

  “They aren’t like me at all. Ivy is a nurse so she has a completely different mindset when it comes to healing. Kelsey is a loan officer at a bank. Both of them are very analytical.”