Page 9 of Fight for You

“Alright. What’s on your mind?” Miles asks, joining us at the booth.

There are topics I can’t discuss with my sister, making Miles my only male friend for those conversations. Sad, but true. Due to my work hours, I don’t have much of a social life after I began my practice. Miles knows I will be there for him when he needs me. Our friendship has stood the test of time well.

“Okay,” I sigh, “Brylee and I made up. Well, sort of...”

“Really?” Nina exclaims, her freckled face lighting up.

Before Brylee abandoned me, my sister loved her. Like everyone else, she would expect an explanation. There were some unresolved issues from her past, but it wasn’t my place to share them. Nina would need to ask Brylee herself.

“It was...unexpected.” I hesitate, recalling the encounter. The way her eyes lock on me as she takes me in her mouth. The way she whispers my name right before she comes.Fuck!

“Unexpected? How so?” Miles prods, genuinely curious.

“Well, we talked for a bit. Tried to provide each other some much needed closure.” My voice trails off as I remember how the conversation stirred up old emotions, ones buried deep within. The depth of our connection has always been undeniable, but seeing her again after all this time, it frightens me. “It was needed on both sides.”

It isn’t necessary for them to know all the details. Nina has a habit of making a big deal out of small things. She always has. The fact that we slept together didn’t imply anything. The best thing to do is to keep those two in the dark about the long, sex-crazed night. There’s a possibility she woke up this morning and questioned having me in her life.Fuck.I realize that having no expectations prevents disappointment. Don’t get me wrong, I fucking love that woman, and I always will, but if she has taught me anything, it is to be cautious with my heart. Now that she’s back, treading lightly is the best thing to do.

That didn’t mean we can’t sleep together. Cause last night was… finger licking good. The way she responds to my touch, moans my name, and the way her nails dig into my back while I bite her neck, balls deep inside of her… there is a reason I fell so hard for her before, and I’ll be damned if I get my heart broken a second time by the same girl. Right?

“Leo,” Nina says, placing a hand on my arm, “Brylee means a lot to you. Don’t let fear hold you back. She might break your heart again, but you can’t find forever unless you open yourself up to it.”

Brylee left me high and dry, and the whole town knew about it. I was a total wreck for months. The worst part was I didn’t see it coming. When I returned home from work anddiscovered most of her belongings were gone, my initial reaction was concern. She didn’t answer my many calls. It was one of the worst fucking days of my life. How could someone cause so many good and bad days?

I stare into my glass. Nina is right, but admitting it means confronting feelings I’ve tried so hard to suppress. Right now, my attention is solely on Brylee’s re-entry into my life and the uncertainty that accompanies it. Yet, whenever she is present, doubts and worries disappear. In order for us to be together again, we’ll have to have a conversation and address our issues first.

Before starting a new relationship, I need confirmation of her long-term intentions.Marriage. Kids. The whole shebang. If not, my best choice is to move on. It might sound silly, but I’ve always wanted three or four kids running around, tee ball practice, dance recitals, and all the things that come with having children. Brylee might be the love of my life, but that is a dream that I won’t compromise on.

“Come on, man, you’re looking like someone ran over your favorite dog,” Miles says, nudging my arm. “Shouldn’t you be happier than this right now?”

I adjust my posture and face the worried looks. “It brought back a lot of memories. Painful ones.”

“Leo, look at me,” Nina insists. “From what I remember, you two had something special. Lead with that.”

Miles chimes in. “Besides, if you don’t go for it, someone else will snatch her up in a heartbeat. And you’ll really be kicking yourself. She’s a good-looking girl.”

“Alright, alright,” I relent. “I... I’ve been burned before, but you’re right. Brylee is amazing, and she’s worth taking the risk. We’ve got a lot to figure out first though.”

“Exactly!” Nina exclaims, her eyes lighting up. “You’ve always been one to take chances. Why should this be any different?”

“Give it a shot, buddy,” Miles encourages, clapping me on the back. “You won’t know unless you try. And we’ve got your back, no matter what.”

The encouragement from my sister and friend weighs on my decision, and deep down, they are right. I refuse to let fear control my decisions, especially when it comes to Brylee.

“Thanks, guys,” I say, raising my glass in a toast. “Here’s to taking risks.”

“Cheers!”

We all clink our glasses together.

The moment stuck in my mind is when I first noticed her things missing. Most people define me by it. The poor guy who got ghosted after he was about to marry the woman he loved. High school sweethearts. Again, the worst fucking day of my life. But even after everything happened, I still thought about her almost every day. We vibed on such a level I never experienced with anyone else. Where the fuck was I going to find that again if we didn’t work out? The wound was still raw.

“Everyone gets scared, man,” Miles chimes in. “I remember when I first started dating Carrie. I was terrified she’d find out about my past and run for the hills.”

“Really?”

“Of course!” Miles snickers, running a hand through his dark hair. “But instead of hiding from it, I took a chance and opened up to her. It brought us closer together, and now we’re happier than ever.”

Nina smiles. “And look at me and Tom. It was hard for me to trust anyone after what I went through. But he showed me not everyone is out to hurt me, and I’m so grateful I took that risk.”

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