Page 31 of Pretty Broken Promises

I lick my bottom lip while I try and think of something to say. I've got nothing. “You really think I'm hard to love?”

She narrows her eyes. “Do you think you make it easy?”

A dark chuckle comes up from my chest. “I'm going to work on that, and I will go to therapy. Maybe we should even go together sometime?”

A look of wonder comes across her face. “We really are going to make it this time, aren't we?”

I pull her onto my lap because she’s never close enough. “There's no other option. The last couple of years have shown me that life without you is bleak. I can't fucking do it anymore.”

She bites her lip and buries her head against my neck. “Please be careful with me. If I do this with you, and lose you again, I'm going to shatter into a million pieces.”

“Only death can take me away from you this time, and even then I will come back to haunt you until you join me,” I joke.

She grumbles against my neck. “You are picking up Sin’s sense of humor. I don't like it.”

I laugh, the tension between us evaporating. Communicating really does make a difference. “I'll work on it.”

She lifts her head and pats my chest. “You do that.”

Tessa stands up and holds out her hand. I make a sound of protest because she is no longer in my arms. “I want to introduce you, c’mon.”

A woman that I can only describe as a rock chick tosses a towel on the top of the counter and runs straight for Tessa. “Oh my God girl, you had me so freaked out! Are you back? Ready to get back to work?”

Tessa gives her a quick hug. “I'm not back yet, we're just visiting for the weekend. I wanted to show him around and convince him to move up here.”

She assesses me with shrewd eyes and a little disapproval. She jerks her chin up toward Tessa. “So this is the heartbreaker, huh?”

Tessa opens her mouth, then closes it, then opens it again and closes it. I put my hand around her waist and pull her close to me. I extend my other hand to her former boss. “While Tessa is doing an impersonation of a fish, let me introduce myself. I'm Ford Shaw, apparently, also known as the heartbreaker, but I think that's probably fair. I am trying to rectify that particular title, though.”

She takes my hand and gives it a firm shake. This is a no-nonsense woman. Despite the fact that she seems to dislike me, I kinda like her. “The name is Carol. It's not very rock 'n' roll, but what can you do? My parents had no imagination. What title are you going for?” Her eyes trace me up and down. She turns her head as she studies me. “I can think of a few. Stud muffin, hot stuff, sex god.” She looks at Tessa and winks with the last one.

I kinda like the way Tessa's face is turning bright pink. To think I once thought she was bold and arrogant, when really she is somewhat introverted and self-conscious. I can't help but tease her a little bit. It's one of my favorite activities. “Tessa has been known to shout for god from time to time, so that last one might be pretty accurate.”

Tessa groans. “Well, I can't take you anywhere.”

I give her one of my naughty smirks to warn her I'm about to say something dirty. “Baby, you can take me anywhere you want. I am always ready to go.”

Carol tips her head back and laughs. “All right, I can see what she sees in you. I mean I have eyes so I can clearly see why she would be attracted to you, but I'm sure you know the other guy and he's no slouch either.”

She jabs her finger at me. “Just remember our girl here has options. You fuck up again and there's a white knight that would love to swoop in and save the day.”

“I’m glad she has people like you in her corner,” I tell her honestly. “Bennett needs to go find a different damsel, because I don't plan on fucking up again. I mean I'll probably leave my socks on the floor, and we're both horrible cooks, but I'm going to get the big stuff right.”

“I guess I'll give you a chance. You two go find a seat, and I'll bring out Tessa's favorite. This place doesn't run itself so I don't have any more time to gab, but I will when you come back to work for me.” She delivers the last part with her eyes aimed right at Tessa.

Tessa smiles wide. “Like I would work anywhere else.”

“Damn right,” Carol says and hustles back to work.

* * *

We takeour coffees and sit outside and enjoy a rare break in the clouds and soak up the sun while it lasts. Spring in the Pacific Northwest is unpredictable, or so she tells me.

We sit in silence for a while, but it's not uncomfortable. I'm just taking in the scenery, watching the city go by. There's a different rhythm here than there is in Playa. I like it. I can see myself fitting in here.

I need to reach out to my old coach and see about maybe getting a scholarship to finish up my education here. Since I played in community college, I still have a couple of years of eligibility under NCAA rules. Then, if I'm lucky, I can enter the NFL draft and give Tessa back the life that she gave up for me.

She reaches across the table and laces her fingers with mine. It's the first time she's taken the initiative to touch me. When I look over at her, she smiles at me. “Where were you just then? You looked lost somewhere far away.”

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