AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I ask him to just drive in the familiar streets of St. Peppers before we take the highway. At my request, he stops outside a bar.Rendezvous.
“Trouble in paradise?”A bartender asks as she fills a beer mug for me. When she places it on the coaster, I notice the tattoos on her hands.
My eyes fix on the wordHopeinscribed in black on her index finger enclosed in a scroll-like design. So much meaning to a simple word. I never thought Hope would bring so much hope in my world.
“So, what’s up?” she asks again. “Did your wife throw you out?”
My head jerks up. “How do you know?”
She motions toward my hand clutching the beer mug. My ring.
I flatten my hand on the wooden counter and stare at the metal band which belonged to Raymond Davis, my wife’s father.
I had Hope’s wedding ring custom made to pair with this band. I don’t know if she ever noticed and I never told her. There’s so much unspoken between us. We may be the best parents to Ray but to each other we are still strangers in so many ways. It’s another reason why this will never work between us. We were never a couple. We are two people who happened to love the same person, and in the process fell for each other. But we were never supposed to.
“Talking often clears one’s mind,” the persistent bartender insists.
What difference does it make?
“My wife said she loves me,” I mumble. When she makes no comment, I explain why that’s so fucking bad. “But I’m a sex addict.” My mouth dries confessing out loud to someone who isn’t my family or therapist.
“Aren’t we all, my friend?”
My head jerks up at her prompt, unexpected reply. “What do you mean?”
“Who out there is not thinking about sex or money? It seems they are the two most important things in life these days.”
“You don’t understand. It’s different.” I don’t even know why I fucking end up blurting my life’s crazy story to this stranger.
“Why not speak the truth? You promised her honesty, didn’t you?”
I swallow back the huge lump of fear in my throat before nodding.
“She definitely is a hard one. I mean the day she agreed to marry you, you said, just so you know, I’m going to be fucking other women. The day she said she would like to be your girlfriend, you said, okay, babe, but I’m not gonna be sleeping with you exclusively. Now that she’s said she loves you, how bad would it be if you tell her you’re a sex addict?”
Her blatant words put a sour taste in my mouth and I’m sure it’s clear in my face because she chuckles.
“I don’t sugarcoat, love.” She fills my glass with another round. “Love, as simple as it sounds, is surprisingly complex. It makes one do things that they never imagined. It beats all common sense. But you have to have the courage to embrace it. So, my advice, go tell your wife how much you love her. You might just be surprised by how much love she has for you.”
After giving me what feels like a sermon, she takes my finished glass and jerks her head behind me. “I think it’s time for you to go home before that guy physically drags you out.”
I turn around.
Shit! It’s Keith.
He’s not going to let this slide. I left the penthouse without my phone and I’m sure his team couldn’t locate me or he would never leave his house in the middle of the night.
“Fancy meeting you here,” I slur.
Fuck, how much did I drink?
“What the fuck is wrong with you? You took an early flight without telling the security who accompanied you. My team was running crazy to locate you until William informed us that you were back.” He grabs his neck before pinning me with his angry gaze. “William also called to tell me that he saw you leaving the suite, but all your cars are in the garage.”
Fuck! William is sometimes too good.
“We traced down the driver who dropped you at The Ritz from the airport. What the hell is going on with you? You’re having a party here while I’m running wild searching for you.” He steps closer, jabbing his finger at my chest. “The day I took this job, I told you I’m not some corporate suit babysitter. My daughter is home alone, and I don’t have time to waste on your fucking mood swings. If you can’t follow the instructions and keep the security close, consider my employment over.”
“You didn’t have to—” Before I can complete my reply, everything goes dark.
