everything together, Tori looped her own arms around her knees and smiled at Nicole. At least she could spout the textbook advice. “There’s no deadline, Nicole. Recovery is an intensely personal experience. For some, it takes longer than others. Have you tried counseling as a couple?”
Nicole blinked, her clear blue eyes glittering. “Joey won’t. He says he doesn’t need to talk about it. He just wants to forget it ever happened. He wants me to forget it too.”
Red flags flew at full staff in Tori’s brain, but she kept her face composed. “Nic, why don’t you try to get him to come with you for your personal session next week? Maybe if I talk to him—”
“I’ll try.” Nicole didn’t sound as if she held out much hope and anger flitted through Tori. Didn’t the guy realize how much Nicole needed him right now?
Silence descended on the group for long seconds. Lisa Davidson picked at tufts of grass, her pretty face set in tight lines. “At least he stayed with you,” she said, her voice quiet. “My boyfriend dumped me afterwards. I was used goods to him. Jerk.”
“All guys are jerks.” Patty Bennet lay on her back, one knee bent over the other, her gaze on the cloudless sky. The textbook from her college English course rested on her stomach.
Tori slanted a look at the nineteen-year-old, a seething mass of insecurity and resentment. “Why do you say that?”
“Because it’s true. My old man who smacked me around when he was drunk and pissed off. The guy who raped me. The pricks at school who think I must be an easy lay because of it.”
“Oh, Patty.” Nicole reached for her hand, but Patty jerked away. “That’s only three examples. Not all guys are like that.”
Sitting up, Patty tossed her golden hair over her shoulder. “Well, your precious Joey makes number four. He wants you to forget it ever happened. Like that’s possible.”
Lisa glanced up. “Tori? What do you think?”
“I think Patty’s entitled to her anger.” Tori smoothed her hair behind her ear. “I also think there are many great guys out there. Joey’s going through a lot of his own. Men with a partner who’s suffered a rape have a whole set of issues involving recovery.”
Patty narrowed her eyes. “Name one. One of those great guys. And your brother doesn’t count.”
Mark Cook . Tori swallowed. He was decent. She fiddled with her watchband. Funny how her mind went there first. “Investigator Cook with the sheriff’s department.”
Face drawn in a suspicious frown, Patty watched her for several moments. “For real?”
“Yeah. For real. He’s a good guy.”
Patty reached for her discarded English book and bag. “I’ve got a class. I need to go.”
Squinting against the sun, Tori tilted her face up to look at her. “Same time next week. And call me if you need to talk.”
“Yeah. Sure. Later.”
“I should be going too.” Nicole rose in a fluid motion. “I’m supposed to meet Joey for lunch. Want a ride back to work, Lisa?”
“Please.” Smiling, Lisa wrapped Tori in a quick hug. “Have a good day, okay? You look sad.”
Tori returned the hug. She’d learned a while ago that Lisa craved affection from her female acquaintances, something she was still unable to accept from any male she knew, father and brother included. “Thanks. Take care.”
With the others gone, she stared down at the river. The brown water moved with deceptive slowness. Under the muddy surface lurked wicked currents, just waiting to pull someone under. A lot like life. A lot like those jerks Patty kept pointing out.
She rested her chin on her knees, doubts crowding in. How could she help Nicole rebuild intimacy in her relationship when she’d never even had a genuine relationship of her own? She couldn’t really be helping any of them, especially if underneath it all she was afraid to step out and take a chance on a relationship.
Mark had tried to call her back Saturday night and she’d run from him.
Nicole blinked, her clear blue eyes glittering. “Joey won’t. He says he doesn’t need to talk about it. He just wants to forget it ever happened. He wants me to forget it too.”
Red flags flew at full staff in Tori’s brain, but she kept her face composed. “Nic, why don’t you try to get him to come with you for your personal session next week? Maybe if I talk to him—”
“I’ll try.” Nicole didn’t sound as if she held out much hope and anger flitted through Tori. Didn’t the guy realize how much Nicole needed him right now?
Silence descended on the group for long seconds. Lisa Davidson picked at tufts of grass, her pretty face set in tight lines. “At least he stayed with you,” she said, her voice quiet. “My boyfriend dumped me afterwards. I was used goods to him. Jerk.”
“All guys are jerks.” Patty Bennet lay on her back, one knee bent over the other, her gaze on the cloudless sky. The textbook from her college English course rested on her stomach.
Tori slanted a look at the nineteen-year-old, a seething mass of insecurity and resentment. “Why do you say that?”
“Because it’s true. My old man who smacked me around when he was drunk and pissed off. The guy who raped me. The pricks at school who think I must be an easy lay because of it.”
“Oh, Patty.” Nicole reached for her hand, but Patty jerked away. “That’s only three examples. Not all guys are like that.”
Sitting up, Patty tossed her golden hair over her shoulder. “Well, your precious Joey makes number four. He wants you to forget it ever happened. Like that’s possible.”
Lisa glanced up. “Tori? What do you think?”
“I think Patty’s entitled to her anger.” Tori smoothed her hair behind her ear. “I also think there are many great guys out there. Joey’s going through a lot of his own. Men with a partner who’s suffered a rape have a whole set of issues involving recovery.”
Patty narrowed her eyes. “Name one. One of those great guys. And your brother doesn’t count.”
Mark Cook . Tori swallowed. He was decent. She fiddled with her watchband. Funny how her mind went there first. “Investigator Cook with the sheriff’s department.”
Face drawn in a suspicious frown, Patty watched her for several moments. “For real?”
“Yeah. For real. He’s a good guy.”
Patty reached for her discarded English book and bag. “I’ve got a class. I need to go.”
Squinting against the sun, Tori tilted her face up to look at her. “Same time next week. And call me if you need to talk.”
“Yeah. Sure. Later.”
“I should be going too.” Nicole rose in a fluid motion. “I’m supposed to meet Joey for lunch. Want a ride back to work, Lisa?”
“Please.” Smiling, Lisa wrapped Tori in a quick hug. “Have a good day, okay? You look sad.”
Tori returned the hug. She’d learned a while ago that Lisa craved affection from her female acquaintances, something she was still unable to accept from any male she knew, father and brother included. “Thanks. Take care.”
With the others gone, she stared down at the river. The brown water moved with deceptive slowness. Under the muddy surface lurked wicked currents, just waiting to pull someone under. A lot like life. A lot like those jerks Patty kept pointing out.
She rested her chin on her knees, doubts crowding in. How could she help Nicole rebuild intimacy in her relationship when she’d never even had a genuine relationship of her own? She couldn’t really be helping any of them, especially if underneath it all she was afraid to step out and take a chance on a relationship.
Mark had tried to call her back Saturday night and she’d run from him.
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