15. Felix

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

felix

Something has changed. I’m not sure what exactly. I mean, we kissed, and it was by far the best damn kiss of my life, but it’s more than that. It’s him opening up to me, telling me everything about Maggie.

The thing is, he insists he doesn’t have any trauma. But everything he went through screams traumatic experience.

I want to ask Andrew about it, but I’ll never betray Henry’s trust like that. We haven’t talked about the kiss last night. Or the fact that I totally fell asleep at his place after we got Hazel settled again. She slept between us, though, and we didn’t talk about Maggie or anything else after that.

I woke up before he did this morning, but there was no way I was leaving without saying goodbye, so I made sure to wake him gently and tell him I had to go feed my cat before work. I wanted so badly to kiss him before I left but settled on just giving Hazel’s cheek a quick kiss and going to my place.

I fed my asshole cat, who was clearly pissed I spent the night away, probably because I didn’t leave enough food for him, and then I went to work. The way I felt when I saw Henry and Hazel coming down the stairs this morning was borderline insanity.

Because it doesn’t really matter that he may be attracted to me that way. What does matter is that he’s been through hell and was left by the one person he was in love with.

“My class is full again.” I pull my thoughts away from Henry and the kiss last night to listen to Colby.

“You might have to add another one.”

He’s smiling, grinning from ear to ear because besides Ben, these fitness classes are his passion. “Yeah, I might have to. At least the online classes allow more people, but I hate having to turn anyone else away.”

“Yeah. I’ll let them know if they come in asking about your class to go online.”

He nods, his eyes going to Henry, who’s cleaning gym equipment while Hazel chills in the harness he wears to support her weight. “That baby is so damn cute.”

I grin because yes, she is. And her father isn’t too bad to look at either. “Yeah, she’s sweet.”

“You guys have gotten pretty close, huh?” he asks, and he’s not really being nosy. I know Colby just cares.

“Yeah.”

I hear Colby chuckle, and I realize my eyes are trained on Henry. “He seems different too, you know. Opening up more. Spending more time just chatting with Ben and even Roman. Everyone knows it’s hard to talk to Roman.”

I laugh at that because Colby may love giving his brother-in-law a hard time, but they’re extremely close. “Yeah. I think he’s finally starting to feel comfortable here.”

Though, he’s mentioned several times that he wants to start paying rent. I don’t think Ben will be able to hold him off much longer. “Has he thought about coming to the meetings?”

I look at Colby, who seems to already know the answer to his question, and I give a quick shake of my head. “I don’t think so. He doesn’t think he has any trauma.”

“Oh, I know that line,” Ethan says as he slips behind the desk and clocks in.

“Hey,” I greet him and can’t help but smile back at him when I see the big smile plastered on his face. It wasn’t that long ago that he was resisting going to meetings because he didn’t feel like the trauma he suffered in a car accident that should have taken his life was valid. He thought because he walked away nearly physically unharmed, he couldn’t be traumatized.

Now that he’s started going to meetings though, there’s been a huge change in him. He’s in a great relationship with his best friend, and the sight of a vehicle doesn’t send him into a full-on panic attack.

“Yes. You do,” Colby says with a grin and then shrugs, “I guess I fall into that category too.”

Things I’ve learned from working here and being around the trauma support group have taught me that trauma comes in all sorts of forms. And yes, I do worry that Henry is far more traumatized than he realizes.

He’s been on autopilot for so many years, taking care of everyone else and putting himself on the back burner.

Colby’s hand reaches out, and he gives my shoulder a quick squeeze. “He’ll come around when he’s ready. We all do.”

I swallow hard, trying to accept the comfort. “I hope so.”

Ethan and Colby both go on about their work, and Henry joins me a little later, letting me hold Hazel while he gets a couple of things done. I can’t help but think about our talk and our kiss throughout the day.

I want to ask him about the meetings, now that I know the extent of what he’s been through, but I don’t because I don’t want to push him.

Because okay, I’m a little afraid he’ll pull away from me.

And that, I already know, would be too much for me to bear.