AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I blew it by telling her how I felt about her. I blew it by showing up in Chicago. Or maybe I blew it at least ten times before then by not reading the obvious signs that she was always on her way out. But she’s here now. That has to count for something.
My mother squeezes my forearm in support. Then she joins in the conversation with Archer and Benji, while Will sips his bourbon.
Vivian approaches me cautiously. She’s fiddling with her purse strap as her eyes flit around the room. Walt introduces himself to my family.
I hear Will say, “Steele? Your name is Walt Steele?”
Vivian’s eyes snap to mine. Those moments when I told her I knew her name, and after when she collapsed in my arms, come back to me in vivid technicolor. My arms ache to hold her and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
I love her. I probably always will.
“Hi.” Her voice is quiet, but I hear strength there. She’s nothing if not strong. I expected her to bounce back from our breakup without a problem. I wonder if she’s here for closure. I’m not sure if I’m prepared for it, but here we go.
“I didn’t expect you to be here,” I admit.
“Walt made me come.”
I should’ve known. He’s been cagey about her, limiting what I know. I thought he was taking her side and evidently I was right. She is here for closure. I must’ve misinterpreted the look on Walt’s face when he walked in.
“Can I get you a drink?” I offer.
She shakes her head. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”
“This is the most private room in the bar, although it’s about to be flooded with fifty or so people. Whatever you have to say, you should probably go on and say it.”
And fast. Maybe once my heart is shattered beyond repair, I can let her go. I have a coffee mug with a chip on the edge. I keep it because it’s my favorite. If I dropped it and it shattered into a thousand pieces, I’d finally let the damn thing go and buy a new one.
I don’t want a new one, I think as I study her face. The freckles dotting her nose. The cautious yet gentle way her brown eyes meet mine. I allow my gaze to slide past her blouse and jeans to her shoes. She’s wearing flats. Not Louboutins. Maybe this whole thing was a dream.
“Okay.” She licks her lips and adjusts her purse on her shoulder, accepting the gauntlet I’ve thrown.
I steel myself. I’m ready to hear whatever she’s going to say. So then why is my heart beating triple time? Why do I have the urge to grab her up and hug her, beg her to come home?
I manage not to do either. Instead I take long pull of my draft beer.
And wait.
Vivian
Well. This isn’t going the way I expected.
Okay, that’s not true. This is going exactly the way I expected.
I’m nervous. Nate is unavailable. His shoulders are rigid. His stubborn jaw is set. I pushed him away and this time, it was for good.
“Congratulations. On the site,” I say, off to a rocky start. “And thank you. For Walt, I mean. For not firing him.”
Nate’s eyebrows close over his nose.
“Not that you would, but I appreciate that you didn’t. I was considering moving to Chicago. For good. Walt doesn’t want me to.”
I search Nate’s face for a sign that he’d welcome me back to Ohio, to him. That there is some way to salvage what I’ve destroyed. I’m holding on to the barest flicker of hope, but he snuffs it out when he lowers his voice to speak.
“I shouldn’t have talked you into the Grand Marin position.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did. I could tell by your hesitation you weren’t comfortable accepting the offer.”
