I had pushed him away.And now I had lost my chance.
After lunch, I went outside with the children. Emma ran around the backyard with Oreo, her tiny feet stumbling through the grass while Lucas chased after her with exaggerated seriousness. Their laughter filled the warm afternoon air. Soon they were tackling me onto the grass, giggling uncontrollably as they tickled my sides. I laughed with them, letting myself fall back against the soft lawn while their little hands poked at me.Their joy wrapped around me, and for a moment, I forgot everything else. I allowed myself to simply be their mother.
After I put the children to sleep that evening, I headed back to the restaurant.
Jack and I continued working through the updates and paperwork that had piled up during the week. Other than telling me that he had dropped Cole home from the hospital, Jack did not say much else.
I did not ask.
I was not sure I trusted my voice if I did.
By eleven o’clock, a restless energy coursed through my body.No matter how hard I tried to focus on the numbers in front of me, my mind kept drifting back to Cole.
I wondered if he was resting.
If his injuries were hurting.
If he was thinking about what had happened earlier.
Jack left around that time, telling me that Maureen was waiting for him at home. I told him I would stay a little longerand change the bulbs hanging above the pool tables before leaving.
At midnight, I headed toward the pool tables, carrying two new bulbs from the storeroom.
Will stood near the front door, flipping off the lights.“I’ve locked the front door and turned off the lights,” he said. “You sure you don’t want me to hang around?”
“I’m sure,” I replied, leaning forward to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Drive safe. I’ll leave right after I do this. Don’t worry.”
After Will left, the restaurant fell completely silent.
I climbed onto one of the pool tables and began changing the first dead bulb hanging from the ceiling. The glass fixture gave a soft clink as I twisted the new bulb into place. I carefully crossed the table toward the second light, balancing myself as I reached up to screw the bulb in. My back faced the front door.
I was almost finished when a sudden noise from the kitchen shattered the silence.
I startled.
My hand slipped.
My foot slid off the edge of the table.
A yelp escaped my lips as my balance gave way.
My heart lurched into my throat.
I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the impact.
Waiting for the hard floor to slam into me.
But it never came.
Instead, strong hands caught me.
For a heartbeat, I hung there, suspended between fear and relief, my breath trapped in my chest.
Slowly, cautiously, I opened one eye.
Then the other.
And found myself staring straight into Cole’s ocean-blue eyes.
