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“No, you didn’t.” Gage tossed back. “Do you know why she wasn’t?”
Heather huffed, placing her hands on her hips. “No, but I guess you’re going to throw that at me, too.”
“Cause she likes a boy in her class, is embarrassed to jump around and play in sports, thinking he’s watching her.” Gage focused his eyes to the ceiling, releasing a huge breath and shaking his head.
Heather spoke lowly. “I like my job, Gage. Actually, I love it. I feel accepted, like I’m needed and—”
“No one said you couldn’t love your job, Heather. But there’s this thing called balance,” Gage said. “Look around, Heather.” Gage tossed his arms out to his sides. “You were always accepted here, fucking needed, too, but,” Gage turned, started for the door, and threw back. “That time has run the fuck out!”
Gage woke the next morning on the couch. His body screamed as he sat up, raising his arms above his head to stretch out the numerous kinks. Once he stood, Velvet jumped down from her spot on the recliner, tail wagging. “Never thought at the age of forty-six that the only female that got excited to see me would be a damn dog.” He grumbled and started toward the kitchen.
Velvet followed at his heels, jumping as she went. They made it into the kitchen. Gage eyed the note near the coffee pot but ignored it. Moving toward the back door, he let Velvet out. He moved to the note and read—I’m sorry, I am. The glass is cleaned up. I love you.Gage stared at the last three words. Her face popping into his head, and despite how he felt, he still smiled. It was another part of them he missed...they fought hard but loved harder; it was how it had always been with them.
Grabbing a cup of coffee, he settled at the island and called Dom.
“You’re late,” Dom said as a greeting.
Gage huffed. “I know. You think you can handle today?”
“Of course,” Dom said, then got quiet and asked, “You going to see—”
“No,” Gage snapped.
Dom quickly added, “Okay, just the last time you took a day off, you—”
“I know very well what I did the last time I took a day off, Dom,” Gage told him firmly.
They both got silent for a beat before Dom broke it. “You gonna talk to me?”
Gage took a gulp of the hot dark brew before he started, “Last night, Heather—”
“Oh shit,” Dom said, cutting him off. “You had a night planned with Heather.” He heard the smile in Dom’s voice. “That roll over into today?”
“Not exactly.” Gage admitted. “Didn’t happen.”
“Ohhh,” Dom replied in understanding. Being with Gage more than his own wife, Dom knew the trials and tribulations of Gage’s marriage more than his own wife did. Furthermore, knowing Gage as long as he did, he could read him better than anyone else. “How many things you break?”
“Just a glass.”
“Progress,” Dom said lowly.
“Yeah,” Gage muttered, thinking about the night two weeks ago when he and Dom were sitting in his living room having a few beers. Heather had texted him that she was going to be late, for the fourth night in a row, and Gage picked up the closest thing within arm’s reach and hurled it across the room. He followed that with his cell, but Dom was quick and caught it mid air. Dom helped him clean up the broken beer bottle without question. But the question of whether it had to do with Tilly or Heather had lingered in the air. Dom knew the answer. It was Tilly.
“Maybe the weekend away at the convention will clear your head. We can grab a few guys from the Workermens crew, head over—”
Gage spoke over Dom. “She’ll only be an hour away.”
Dom took a hefty breath and said lowly, “I know, buddy.”
Gage and Tilly had talked about a weekend with no consequences, a getaway for only them. The words weren’t directly spoken that they’d chosen each other for that getaway, but both knew who they were talking about. Fuck. That thought played too nicely inside Gage’s head.
“I’m gonna text her.” Gage told Dom as he stared at the mug in front of him, but not seeing it.
“Gage—”
“No,” He stopped him. “I can’t sit here, Dom, and keep thinking about what might have been. I need to know.”
“What if she says no?” Dom asked.
