Loving You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 2) by Leeanna Morgan

me?”
    Annie watched him carefully. “I can’t even imagine what it must have been like. I’ve seen some documentaries on TV and it doesn’t look great.”
    Dylan swallowed the sick feeling gathering in his throat. “It was the worst time of my life.” Annie didn’t say anything for so long that he was sure she was going to leave.
    “And this wouldn’t lead to anything else?”
    He didn’t want to sound desperate, so he simply shook his head. Annie seemed satisfied with his answer, but he wasn’t so sure he was. He wanted it to lead to something else, but that was beyond where even he thought he could end up with her. He had so many dark places inside his head that it wouldn’t do either of them any good to be more than friends.
    Annie looked at her notebook, then at his laptop. The interior photos he’d found yesterday flashed in front of them. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
    “Pardon?” Dylan didn’t think he’d heard what she’d said. She looked so serious that he was sure he must have misheard her.
    “I’ll do it. I’ll help you learn to feel comfortable touching people again. But I really need to go. I’ve got to be at work at seven o’clock tomorrow morning.”
    He let go of the breath he’d been holding. “Thank you.”
    Annie bit her bottom lip. “Don’t expect too much, Dylan. I’m not a professional counselor. I don’t know the best way to do this. I’m just me.”
    For the first time in a long while, Dylan felt tears fill his eyes. “You’re all I need, Annie. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to pay you back.”
    Annie put her paint samples back in her bag and stood up. “You don’t need to pay me back.” She glanced down at his laptop. “Don’t buy any paint until we’ve seen a few properties together. I’ll print off some listings. Are you doing anything at six-thirty tomorrow night?”
    He shook his head.
    “Good.” Annie crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Come to my home. I live at 404 Enterprise Boulevard. I’m in apartment two.”
    “I’ll be there.” Dylan followed her out of the room and onto his front porch.
    She fished her keys out of her back pocket and sent him a small smile. “We could have our first lesson tomorrow, if you like?”
    Dylan nodded. It was the only thing he could manage.
    “I’ll see you later.” She backed down his front path so quickly that he was worried she’d bump into something.
    Before he could warn her that she was close to the edge of the garden, she turned around and headed toward her car. With a final wave, she left him standing in front of his house, wondering if he’d just made the biggest mistake of his life.
     
    ***
    Annie typed the last of Adam’s notes up on the computer at Osborne and Sons. It had been a long day, not because of her late night, but because she was worried about tonight. She still couldn’t believe she’d agreed to help Dylan. Helping brides in distress was one thing. Helping a man who looked like a movie star was something else again.
    “You’re thousands of miles away.”
    Annie jumped, then looked guiltily at Adam. He’d been a lawyer in Bozeman for longer than she’d been here. She’d be forever grateful to him for offering her the job as his receptionist when she didn’t have any experience for the position.
    “Sorry. I’ve got things on my mind.”
    “Why don’t you finish early? My last appointment left half an hour ago and we’re pretty much up to date.”
    Annie looked at the stack of paper on her desk. “I wanted to get your invoices in today’s mail.”
    Adam shrugged his shoulders. “One more day won’t make any difference. Go home and enjoy what’s left of the afternoon.”
    The front door opened and Tess walked inside. “Hi, Adam. I brought you these muffins as a bribe.” She handed Adam a brown paper bag.
    “You’re already engaged, so it can’t be my incredibly defined body that you’re after.”
    Annie tried not to smile, but as soon as she caught the