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“I can’t argue with that.”
She nudged him with her shoulder. “You’re lucky, cuz.”
Maybe compared to a room full of cancer patients. “How do you figure that?”
“You’ve fallen in love with two women, and they’ve loved you back.”
He would argue one woman, because he and Eddie were a misfire, but he got what she was saying.
“Some of us have never had that.” She gave him a sad shrug.
As far as he knew, Angel had never been in a serious relationship. He’d never given much thought to how she felt about that, and he felt bad for her now because it was clear she was lonely too.
“Hey, you’ll find your person.”
“I’m kind of a weirdo, Sullivan.”
“That is true.” She frowned at him and he laughed. “There’s a lid for every pot, Angel. Or should I say Mary Clare? Since that’s your given name. Maybe lean into the real you and love will appear.”
“This is the real me. I’m not two different people.”
He threw his arm around her and pulled her into his armpit. “You’ll be fine, kiddo. Love will pop up when you least expect it.” Even if it didn’t work out. He’d keep that part to himself, though. But he felt like he needed to cheer her up. They couldn’t both be heartbroken and sullen behind the bar. They’d never get any customers beyond Dave, the town drunk.
“I can’t breathe,” she said, struggling to pull herself out of his grip. “And you need better deodorant.”
He rubbed her hair like she was ten instead of in her twenties and crammed her face deeper into his armpit. Then he released her and said, “Smell you later.”
She wrinkled her nose and smoothed her hair back. “Your son is more mature than you.” She took a healthy swallow of her drink.
“That’s debatable. He still needs help wiping his ass sometimes.”
Angel laughed. He laughed with her.
Sullivan was surprised he could laugh.
Then he realized that in spite of everything, he felt optimistic for the first time in five years.
He might not have a smooth head, but he was good at the slow skate. Hang back and wait to see how it played out.
That he could do.
And in the meantime, he was going to be the man Kendra and Eddie had both claimed and believed he was. He had to prove them both right.
Because Angel spoke some truth. He was damn lucky.
For the first time in a long time, he truly believed that.
Chapter15
Two Months Later
“Hmm?” Edwina asked, glancing out the window at the city skyline.
“Are you even listening to me?” Nigel asked. “I swear, I don’t know where you are half the time anymore.”
With massive effort, she pulled herself away from the view and her drifting thoughts and forced herself to focus on Nigel. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked you to marry me.”
