AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Merrick
“We’ve missed you, Mer.”
Chloe reaches across the table to squeeze my hand. “Feels like you’ve been gone for years instead of weeks.” We’re seated in one of our favorite restaurants, getting together for the first time since my return.
Leaving town was the perfect solution to an incredibly fucked up situation. I got on a plane a few days after losing Davis for the second time, taking my heartache and disappointment with me across the US. My folks were understandably surprised to see me, but thrilled that I was able to stay through the Christmas holiday.
I hated putting Aiden in such a tight spot at work, but I really believed I had no choice. Living next door to Davis after all that transpired between us was physically something I could no longer do. I’m still not sure I can, but returning home after being gone for four weeks has given me the opportunity to tuck some of my pain away and look at what’s happened from a different perspective. I’ll not be getting over him anytime soon, but at least I’m no longer so miserable that the pain is eating me alive.
“I’ve missed you too.” My eyes meet Aiden’s. “Thank you for holding down the fort while I was gone.” It was a bonehead thing I did, leaving town without giving him any kind of notice. I’ll spend years making it up to him.
“What are friends for?” The slight edge to his voice denotes the anger he still feels toward me—toward Davis too, I suppose. Aiden has always been a fully supportive best friend, but my recent behavior has certainly pushed the boundaries of our friendship.
“Why don’t you take Chloe away for a few weeks? Go sit on a sandy beach somewhere and drink cocktails with umbrellas in them.” I give my two friends what I hope is a contrite smile. “You both deserve some time away.”
“Make love in the moonlight.” Gunner quips, setting his phone aside and diving headlong into the conversation. “But make sure to keep the sand out of all thosespecial places.” He air quotes and chuckles to himself.
Chloe and Aiden share an intimate look, then she peers over at me and Gunner and shakes her head. “Thanks for the suggestion, but I think we’ll stick close to home for a while.”
Gunner glances at me, then back at our friends. “Okay kids, what are you keeping from us?”
She shrugs and shakes her head, blonde curls bouncing around her pretty face. “We really wanted Rolene and Jack here with us tonight.”
Gunner instantly tenses in the booth seat next to me. “Jack is busy, like usual.”
It appears that there is a lot going on that I don’t know about. I dart my eyes around the table at my friends. “What are you not telling us?”
“We’re pregnant,” Aiden replies, a content smile sliding across his face.
No wonder he’s pissed at me….they probably found out when I was gone and he wanted me to be one of the first to know. That would be so like Aiden, wanting to share such a private, special moment with his very best friend. Just as he did when they got engaged, calling me in the middle of the night to tell me their news.
I immediately reach out and take their hands in mine. “I’m so happy for the two of you. What a blessing.”
“Congrats, guys. “Gunner chimes in. “I’m going to rock this uncle thing,”
I wave the waitress over and order a bottle of sparkling cider, shoving aside the ache of longing that instantly appears. Davis should be here with me, with us, celebrating this wonderful news with our friends. Instead, we’re no longer speaking to one another and I’m avoiding going outside my house to keep from accidentally running into him.
“You okay?” Aiden whispers when Chloe and Gunner start talking nursery design.
“No, but I’m trying.”
“Have you talked to him since you’ve been back?”
I’ve told Aiden very little about what transpired at Thanksgiving, only that Davis and I are over for good and I needed time to cope. He understands without me saying so that I’m completely brokenhearted. He also knows that I’m dealing with it in the best way I know how.
“No, and I doubt I will. I’m sure he and Chantal are busy putting their lives back together.”
Gunner bursts out laughing, then peers at me below a thick layer of dark lashes. “They are not back together, you big dummy. Davis is living with Grady. Has been since you left town.”
My mouth drops open in shock. “He’s….wait….what?”
He rolls his eyes dramatically. “He’s living with Grady. The divorce papers have been filed and in a few months he’ll be a free man.” Another eye roll. “Finally.”
“How do you know all this?”
“Seriously, Mer? You know D and I are good friends.”
D? When the hell did he start calling him by that nickname? “Okay. So what else do you know that I don’t?”
