Page 118 of Always Right

Swallowing thickly, Blake squeezed my hand and forced me to look at his tired face.

“Remember that night, toward the end of your pregnancy, when we sat out at night, eating popcorn?” I hummed, remembering that night like it was yesterday. “You kept thanking me that night...and I could barely handle it because I knew what I was doing to you. What I had done to you and Derek. Stolen from the restaurant. Helping Eugene steal from the gallery.” He closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the bed...but not letting go of my hand. “I don’t deserve your friendship, Hannah. And I will forever regret what I did to you and your family.”

I glanced back at Derek who kept his distance but offered an encouraging nod.

“It’s going to take time,” I whispered, “but I still want you in my life, Blake.” His brows furrowed but he didn’t look at me. “I want you to know that I’m here. I’m your friend. And it’s going to be a work in progress for us to build trust again, but everyone deserves a second chance, you included.”

Blake’s lips tilted up but he didn’t speak. Not for a while. Finally, after giving him time to process, I leaned in for a hug, closing my eyes and letting my silent tears fall.

I’d nearly lost him.

Nearly lost the friend that had kept me afloat when it felt like I was drowning.

Finally, Blake’s arms wrapped around my body and he held me there, quietly sniffling as the emotion of the moment took over.

I spent the next hour in Blake’s room with them, listening to them talk, listening to everything I had nearly lost and when we went back to Derek’s room and he pulled me in for another kiss, I decided, I was done living in fear.

My new life started then.

Epilogue

Derek

Her body swayed as her fingers glided over each key on the piano. Everyone in the restaurant remained entranced by each note, by the way her emotions flowed through the music that surrounded us. It was Friday night, and like every other Friday, Hannah played at one of our restaurants. I told her it was for her, so she could share her music with others if only for a few minutes, but it was truthfully a more selfish reason.

I wanted to show her off.

Because three years later, she was still my wife.

And three years later, she still drove me fucking crazy.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I still think she should play here every night and make that her career.” Blake’s words earned a chuckle from me.

I’d told Hannah several times to do that—to give up her job at Nathan’s and make a career out of playing the piano, but she refused. She said playing the piano was too personal to her to make money from it and every time I saw her, I understood why.

Every time she played, it was like she bared her soul.

“Thanks for inviting me today,” Blake said.

I shrugged at him, glancing at Lisa who stood to the side, speaking with a friend of hers. L’Etoile had been a huge success, even more so when she’d brought Blake onto the team as her assistant. Blake had given her a hard time, but he accepted in the end. And now, their relationship continued to blossom. Neither of them had to say it, but I knew they spent every waking minute together.

And I didn’t question it.

Despite his mistakes, Blake was a good man.

And Lisa deserved someone who loved her like he did.

Hannah played the final piece of the night, and everyone clapped for her. A beautiful smile lit up her face and she waved awkwardly to the crowd as she walked in my direction, until she stood in front of me and wrapped her arms around my neck.

“Every time you play is better than the last,” I murmured against her lips.

“You always say that,” she whispered before our lips locked in a gentle kiss.

Blake cleared his throat, and I waved him off with a hand while the other fell to Hannah’s waist. If she didn’t care where we were, neither did I.

“We should go home now.”

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