Page 6 of Dancing With Guilt

“No, but his parents told our parents about it later. They all put money together here and stashed some in the places we travel to, in order to make sure money was always available. June does have a tracking device, but I don’t know if she knows that. Mom probably told her it was something else, knowing how Mom is with June.”

“She’s protective, but I don’t think she ever had the same, I don’t know, feeling towards June as she does you.” Roxie knew June felt like she was never good enough for her mother, but that was a secret she’d told Roxie a long time ago. She wasn’t about to share that secret, even if Lincoln was June’s brother.

“Mom was always too hard on June, pushing her and pushing. I’m glad her father wasn’t the same way.” Lincoln moved back to lean against the headboard, his gaze inward now. “June’s had it rough with Mom, but she’s always had her father to turn to.”

“She’s lucky to have him,” Roxie said, missing her own father now.

“She is, but I am too. He’s still in my life, always there to support me, even if I’m not his stepson anymore.”

“He always did seem very nice.” Roxie’s gentle smile was one of admiration for the man who’d taken on two sons that weren’t his, but never treated them as if they weren’t.

“He is,” Lincoln agreed, his eyes on her legs now. “You have such beautiful legs.”

“Thank you.” She grinned and stretched back in the bed. “It’s a shame you decided to go back to work tomorrow.”

“Hmm, maybe I should stay home,” he said, about to reach for her, but somebody knocked on the door.

Roxie grimaced at the intrusion but knew whoever it was wouldn’t have interrupted if it wasn’t important. She went to the door and opened it to reveal one of his PAs, Tanya.

“What’s up, honey?” Roxie asked, her head tilted in question.

“Sorry, Rox, need to talk to Lincoln,” Tanya apologized with a regretful smile, her eyes behind Roxie.

“I’ll be there in a second, Tanya,” Lincoln answered and got out of bed. He walked over to Roxie once Tanya walked off and kissed her cheek softly. “I’ll try to make this quick.”

“It’s alright, I’ll go get something to drink.” Roxie threw a white robe over the black negligee she’d worn to bed and laced it up. “Might as well hydrate.”

“You may need it when I get back, yes.” Lincoln winked before he disappeared down the hall.

Roxie followed him languidly, not in a rush. Her phone beeped in her pocket, and she looked to see a message from Wendy. She replied while she walked down the stairs, then headed into the kitchen.

“You’re still up?” June asked, her eyes on a laptop on the kitchen table. She was typing something and didn’t look up when Roxie walked in.

“Yeah, Tanya needed Lincoln for something,” Roxie replied, not looking at her friend. She knew something June might not be aware of, and she didn’t want to be the one to tell her. Lincoln or her mother could tell her about the tracking device. Roxie decided she didn’t need the grief that conversation would cause. “What are you working on?”

“Just a paper I’m writing,” June paused, frowned at the screen, deleted something, then typed a replacement. She looked up once that was done. “I’m going home tomorrow, but I need to get this done.”

“Oh no, I hoped you’d stay a few days longer.” Roxie sat down with a glass of apple juice and half-faked a pout. Most of it was real. She really did want June to stick around longer.

“I have to get back to my patients. Dad will lose his mind if I don’t come back soon,” June answered, her lips flat as she shook her head. “I don’t know how he ran that place before I came along.”

“I understand,” Roxie answered, leaning back in her chair. “I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”

“You will, as soon as I can get away, I’m coming back. It’s been too long since we’ve spent some time together where stress wasn’t involved.” June put her left hand over Roxie’s right and squeezed. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too,” Roxie said with feeling, meaning every word. “It’s been way too long since I had my BFF with me.”

“I love you,” June said with a sad smile, but Roxie soon wiped away the sadness.

“Not as much as I love you,” she answered, the old reply that they’d always used back in the day.

“That was so long ago,” June said after a brief silence, her eyes far away.

“It was. Another lifetime, another person ago, it feels like.” Roxie shook her head, not sure if that was right. “I don’t feel like Chloe anymore, but I know I used to be her.”

“I think we all feel that way to a degree when we get older. The last time I saw you, I couldn’t imagine being twenty-eight, it was so old!” June laughed; her brown eyes bright with joy. “What we didn’t know, right?”

“You’re so right. Holy moly, you don’t know how right you are.” Roxie’s eyes sparkled but inside, a thousand memories came back to life, showing her just how far she’d moved away from being Chloe. That person was almost someone else, a stranger Roxie wasn’t sure she’d ever really known. Years had passed and she was someone better in some ways, but there were things about her old self that she missed.