She pulled her head free, resting her chin on my chest, eyes wide. “I’m sorry I left you.”
“I forgive you,” I murmured, not caring if she was talking about a month or eleven years earlier.
“I freaked out. It was so much at once. I was already upset and -”
I pressed my lips to hers, cutting her off, not needing to hear another word.
We’d been to heaven, hell, and everywhere between, and for a moment, we sailed back into the white light, her lips soft against mine as she answered my kiss tasting like coconut chapstick.
I pulled away, smiling down. A genuine smile I felt in my bones. “It’s okay, beautiful. We needed to cool down.”
If we hadn’t, I would have gone to town right on the dock, condom or not. Then we might’ve been having an entirely different conversation.
She giggled. “I guess. We were getting pretty hot out there.”
“Pretty hot? I almost fucked you in front of all sorts of wildlife.”
“Wouldn’t want that,” she murmured, eyes locked on my lips. “Smokey Bear might not like that show.”
I swallowed hard, doing my best to keep desire at bay, ready to bend her over my desk and fuck her with everything I had to make her mine again completely.
“Why’d you leave?” It fell out of my mouth, brain winning out over dick for once.
“I was scared,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to feel anymore.”
I cocked my head. “Then or now?”
I would have died for her. I laid it all on the line in that police car, slamming myself against the locked door to try to get to her, ramming my broken body against the metal, a snapped collarbone not even keeping me back.
How could she walk away?
Her eyes welled up with tears again. “Both. I never stopped.”
The words stung, not balming the wound at all. “Then why?”
Love didn’t stop. It didn’t have limitations. It couldn’t be flicked off like a switch. Not for me, at least.
“I have a child, Luke,” she breathed, pulling herself from my arms. “We aren’t teenagers anymore. I have a little boy who needs stability, and ever since I saw you that night at Greg’s, I’ve been a disaster. I don’t know how to feel.”
“But why did you leave me then?” I pushed. I needed an answer. I deserved one.
“You really won’t admit to it?” she scoffed, blinking rapidly. “You can’t even after all these years? Just own up to it. Obviously, you’ve moved on from that, but you owe me an apology.”
“Admit what? Moved on from what?”
“Wow… just… wow.” She shook her head, stumbling backward. “I can’t believe I came here. I’m so stupid.”
I caught her hand, not letting her run away from me again. From us. “Josie, tell me what I did. Tell me why you left.”
“Because you told them the drugs were mine!” she exploded, yanking her hand from my grasp. “I had no other choice! Good old Ed worked out a deal for me. One of the only decent things he’s ever done for me.”
What the fuck?
Drugs? Deal?
“Josie, what the hell are you talking about?”
“Did I stutter? You can at least admit it.”
“What drugs?” I pushed. “They pulled me over by mistake. I was released that night. The only reason I didn’t come straight to you was that I had to get my face sewn back together.”
“In your car!” she screeched, transforming from an angel to a devil, her fists balled at her sides.
“What the hell are you talking about? There weren’t any drugs in my car! You were there, Josie!”
She was talking nonsense again, hurling accusations.
“Why can’t you just tell me the truth? That’s all I want. Just be honest with me. You’re passed all that now…” The rage softened with each word back into sobs, her chest heaving.
“You really thought I had drugs in my car?” I flinched, her words hitting like a bat to the stomach.
The truth was worse than I thought.
“You told them they were mine!” she cried, wiping desperately at her face, breathing sputtering from her hysterics. “You took me away from my family! I didn’t get to see Liv grow up!”
“I didn’t do anything. There were no drugs and the fact that you believed that crock of horseshit tells me everything I ever needed to know about you. Get out.”
I’d spent eleven years missing someone who’d never loved me in the first place. It was all a lie. Every kiss. Every hug. Every “I love you.”
She glanced at the door before looking back at me. “Luke?” she choked out.
I backed away, shaking my head. I was done, for good, on my terms. “It’s over.”
Josie
“I can’t believe my baby is getting married!” Mom cried, dabbing her eyes as Liv came into the front parlor, the hair and makeup extravaganza of the last three hours paying off tenfold.
She was the most beautiful bride I’d ever seen, angelic with long lashes and radiant skin. Thankfully, the rain died down, and the forecast cleared, sparing her perfect barrel curls from their rage.
Even Dad choked up, a fist balled at his mouth, as he saw her while tying his tie. He dropped the satin, pulling her into a hug. “Oh, Olivia, honey, you look so beautiful!”
Liv smiled at me over his shoulder and rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Daddy.”
“It's finally here.” He pulled her tighter, strong arms cradling his baby girl. “This is the happiest day of my life.”
Liv met my eyes, mouthing “sorry.”
I smiled and dismissed her worries with a shake of the head. She had nothing to be sorry about. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, and he’d never change.
But it wasn’t about him. It was a day for celebration.
My baby sister was getting married.
* * *
As the first wedding I’d been to since my own, I thought I’d be a mess, but surprisingly I kept it together, even with the added stress
