His eyes blazed with anger and he pulled his arm away and grabbed me by my shirt front, hauling me up against him. “Make no mistake, dishwasher boy. Tate’s a businessman. You really think a guy who can only earn a living washing dishes will be enough for him? You’ll be an embarrassment for him to introduce to his associates. I don’t mind that he’s fucking you now. What matters is who he will ultimately choose. I plan to be that guy.”
He shoved me away from him and I stumbled back, trying not to lose my footing. He walked away without looking back. The cocky bastard was so sure of himself and it drove me insane. Tate loved me. He truly did. I tried to remind myself but old insecurities that I was worth nothing resurfaced. The C.E.O. and a waiter. Christ, what would people think about that combination? Even in my head, it sounded wrong when it shouldn’t. Gio had planted the seed of doubt deep and it was beginning to take root.
“I never really liked him.”
At the unexpected voice, I glanced up, my heart pounding furiously in my chest. I didn’t have a clue what to expect and was relieved when instead of Tate’s dead wife, I saw a woman who stepped from behind an oak tree nearby. She had obviously been listening to the conversation between Gio and me, but I couldn’t decide if she was real or not. She looked real, her dirty blond hair and tired eyes too alive with misery for her to be dead.
“Excuse me?” I asked, waiting for her to say something else. Instead, her eyes widened in fright as though she just realized that she had shown herself. She turned and ran. My first instinct was to chase after her I found the whole thing to be so bizarre. She was probably a homeless crackhead who slept in the cemetery.
I glanced down at the flowers I had dropped to the ground and caught a glimpse of the headstones. The first was slightly bigger and had an angel on it.
In loving member of my wife, Rachel.
May your soul rest in peace
The second was smaller and also had an angel. It looked more like a cherub with a harp. My chest constricted as it really sank that he had lost his daughter when she was so young. She never had a chance to experience life.
In loving memory of my daughter, Kathleen.
Rest in peace little one.
Daddy loves you always.
I sucked in a deep breath when I noticed the dates that came right after the tribute. Oh fuck. I had screwed up. Of course. Gio was right. He wasn’t just blowing hot air but using his advantage of knowing Tate all these years. Today was the day he had lost both his wife and daughter in the crash. I wished he had been completely open about why he chose to visit today. I couldn’t have known, but if I had, I would have dropped everything to be with him today.
He had confessed to me that he had not been back here since he buried them. I couldn’t imagine the heartache he would have gone through when he came. He had wanted me to be here and instead I had allowed Gio to do the job I should have. I should have been the one there to comfort him. I was the one he had asked to be there for him.
“Oh God, I hope he forgives me,” I groaned, running a hand over my face. I stared down at the twin graves. “I’m so sorry I could not be here with him earlier to help ease some of his pain.” I hadn’t known his wife and I wasn’t even sure if I believed in an afterlife, but I felt compelled to say something just in case they could hear me. “He still hurts about the accident and blames himself. It wasn’t his fault. The driver was at fault and was convicted, but he blamed himself for it. I don’t know the how of it, but you need to give him a sign that you forgive him and that he’s not responsible. I don’t think he will truly be happy until he feels somehow you have forgiven him.
“I know you both love him and so do I. I may not get everything right, but I will take care of him. Just in case you’re listening, I wanted you to know that. Deep down I believe you would have wanted him to be happy.”
I tried to salvage the destroyed flowers and lay them at the graveside. Only then did I hurry back to my car to repair any possible damage I might have done by not being there for Tate today.