Love's Someday Read Free

eyes. Did you sleep?”
    Erica shook her head and took a sip of her coffee. “I don’t think she did, either. She stared at the ceiling most of the night when she thought I was asleep.”
    “Did you talk?”
    Erica made little rows in the Styrofoam cup with her nails as she thought. “Not much. She asked me not to press her for answers last night. She needed time to deal with whatever she’s done.”
    “What exactly does that mean?”
    Erica shrugged and took another sip. “There’s a lot more to this than her having a music career that she didn’t bother to tell me about. She’s done something that she’s afraid to admit.”
    “Aren’t you afraid of what that might be?” Kaitlyn asked as she studied Erica’s face.
    “No, it’s something that happened twenty years ago.”
    “Then why do you look so troubled?”
    Erica looked at Kaitlyn as though the answer was obvious. “She kept this from me.” Erica’s lip trembled. She put her cup to her mouth to hide it.
    “I asked Drew to let it drop for now. We’ve got another three hours on the road, and I don’t want it to be any more uncomfortable than it already is. She’s pretty upset, too, and you know how she is.”
    Erica took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, forcing the lump in her throat to recede. Lack of sleep lessened her ability to cope and keep her emotions in check. What she needed was time alone. She wasn’t looking forward to the drive ahead.
    “Do you think you could take the wheel today?” Erica asked Kaitlyn. “I’m exhausted.”
    “Sure.” Kaitlyn turned when she heard a hotel room door open. Ashleigh stepped out with a suitcase and tossed it into the SUV. “It looks like Ash is ready. I’m going to get Drew and we’ll hit the road.”

    Erica rode in the front passenger’s seat while Kaitlyn drove. Drew and Ashleigh were in the back, and Erica noticed that Ashleigh had molded her body as tightly as she could to the door with her forehead resting on the window. Drew to her credit was quiet. The only conversation they did have had been about going home and returning to daily routines. Ashleigh hadn’t said a word all morning.
    With her eyes closed, Erica leaned her head against the headrest and let her mind wander. Their yearly vacation had been wonderful. Nashville would not have been her first choice of vacation spots, but she’d enjoyed it nonetheless. She’d managed to leave all thoughts of work behind and enjoy the company of the woman she considered her wife. It had been perfect, then ruined in a matter of hours.
    She found herself dissecting the last five years and looking for any clues of Ashleigh’s former life that she might’ve missed. The first time she visited Ashleigh’s home, she’d noticed how sparse it was. There were no framed photos of friends or family. Erica remembered thinking that odd, but when Ashleigh explained that her family had disowned her when they discovered her sexuality, it made sense.
    Ashleigh had been a loner then. There were only a handful of people she worked with who were considered acquaintances. Erica never had to worry about making a good impression on the “best” friends as Ashleigh did with her. It never occurred to Erica that Ashleigh was hiding away from anything or anyone.
    What had she done twenty years ago? Was it criminal? Until the previous night, she believed that she and Ashleigh could face anything together come what may, and that’s what gnawed at her. She’d been cut out of the loop. She’d bared her soul and told Ashleigh everything. She’d shared all her experiences and her shortcomings. And Ashleigh had kept hidden from her a pivotal part of her life. This revelation cast doubt on their existence together. What else didn’t she know? Was the whole relationship based on a web of lies that she had been content to believe? Erica was jarred from her thoughts when she felt the vehicle slow and exit the interstate. She opened her eyes, stretched, and looked over