The Foster Girls #2: Finland

Chapter 10: Finland

Three weeks after I'd told Dominic I loved him, I was still feeling uneasy about having blurted out my feelings only to find out he didn't return them. There is something especially humiliating about telling a man you love him and him not saying it back. I think even an I'm just not there yet would have been more helpful than what he'd said back to me. Since that night, Dominic had been extremely gentle with me, approaching me carefully as if he was aware I was poised to run and was constantly trying not to spook me.

His watchful behavior could also have been related to Harper having disappeared on his stupid ass brother, not to mention Elizabeth leaving her hockey player -- emphasis on player -- to flee to England. Two of the Foster girls were in flight mode, and he wanted to make sure that count didn't go up to three.

We were both at my place watching TV one night, cuddled on the couch, when Dominic's phone began pinging with text alerts. Then it started ringing repeatedly, until he finally reached for his phone on the coffee table with an irritated scowl. "Probably club business," he grumbled, then looked at the name of the caller.

He answered, and he suddenly sat up after listening for a minute, his body tense. "Where are you? OK, I'll be right there." He listened another beat, then "OK. I will."

"That was Camille," he said, his voice agitated. "She's in the emergency room. Her boyfriend beat her up tonight."

"Oh my god! Is she OK?"

I mean, as OK as you could be after something that horrible.

Dominic was already pulling on his shoes. "I'm going to go to the hospital and take her home once she's checked out."

"I'll come with," I said.

He shook his head. "She asked me to come alone. I think she's feeling embarrassed."

Hmmm. I guess I could see that. But it didn't mean I liked it.

I would come to like it even less over the next two weeks. Dominic was staying at their house with her at night because she was so afraid her now ex-boyfriend would come back to finish the job.

One night, he and I were supposed to go out to dinner and guess who came along because she couldn't bear to stay alone at their house? Yep! Was I happy? Nope! Was I even unhappier when I saw that she was no longer respecting the boundaries Dominic had set and he was letting her get away with it because she was in such a fragile state right now? Hell, yes.

I tagged Dominic on it when he walked me to my door. (Yes, I was getting dropped off after dinner and he was continuing on home with Camille.)

"Really, Nic? You had to bring her when you've already spent the last five days and nights with her and I haven't seen you at all?"

That did sound kind of petty, but...he was staying at their house with her.

"Finland, I'm sorry but I've never seen her like this. She's terrified of this guy, she still won't give me his name and I have no idea if he's going to try anything again. She's my responsibility and I feel like I let her down."

I sucked in a breath and then let it go, trying to understand her fear and Dominic's need to protect.

But then it happened again, and she came on a second date with us. I hadn't spent the night with him since she'd been attacked and while I could understand her fear, I couldn't understand why I couldn't go over to their house and spend time with them. When I'd suggested that, Dominic had said she just needed time to calm down and it was better if I didn't come over because she was extremely agitated when anyone else was around.

Knowing I was upset, he tried to soothe me with the promise of a date with just the two of us for Friday night. He said he'd put a prospect on Camille watch that night so he and I could have some much-needed time together. However, since I knew Camille, I suspected she'd maneuver her way onto a third date with us. Like the good girlfriend I was, I decided to prepare and to illustrate the problem for Dominic.