Page 91 of Stick Work

“We can’t go in, Sahara. It’s closed.” She pulls the doors open anyway, and the place is completely empty. She hurries up to one of the servers, has a talk with him, and he waves me over. I can’t help but think something is off as I cross the room.

Sahara takes my hand. “He says the event isn’t starting for a bit, so we can have a drink.” She guides me to our favorite booth, and as I sit, my heart clenches. How many times did I sit next to Elias in this booth?

I order a ginger ale, and Sahara orders wings and a pitcher of beer for the table, for when Kalen arrives. Wings do tend to cheer him up, but he’s going to be upset when I ask him not to take my mistakes out on Elias.

She texts Kalen, to let him know we’re inside and it’s okay to come in, despite the private event sign. The server comes back with our order, and Sahara keeps glancing at the door. I check my watch. It’s been a while. I’m sure Kalen will be here soon, but he’d better hurry before the private event starts.

The door bangs open and in walks Kalen, a scowl on his face. My heart lurches as he crosses the room and slides in beside his fiancée, his jaw tight.

“Hi,” I greet him nervously. He grumbles under his breath and I brace my hands on the table. “Kalen, we need to talk.” His head lifts, but then all three of us turn when the door bangs open again. My heart jumps into my throat and my entire body goes weak, when a large, familiar figure enters.

Elias.

Three more figures follow him in. His family.

My gaze flies to Sahara. “What’s going on?”

She holds her hands up and Kalen pushes to his feet, like he’s about to shove Elias and his family right back out the door. I follow him up.

“Kalen, stop,” she orders in a loud, demanding voice I’ve never heard before. She points to our seats. “Sit, both of you.” We hesitate and she adds, “Taylor, you helped me when I was having trouble with the man I love.” She glances at Kalen. “Now I need you both to sit down and listen, so I can help with the man you both love.”

I nod, and I don’t know why I’m suddenly thinking about this, but I blurt out, “What about the private event?”

“This is the private event. I helped Elias arrange this.”

“Oh.” I gulp and sit, so does Kalen and that’s when Elias and his family start toward us.

His family sits quietly at the table to my right, and Elias stands in between us. I catch a quick glimpse of Grandma, who offers me a warm, understanding smile. I fight back the tears and work to smile back.

“Thank you, Sahara,” Elias begins, his voice strained. He looks pointedly at me and I can’t fight the tears when I see how tired he is. No matter how much I’m hurting, I’ll always love and care about his well-being.

“Taylor. I should have told you this a long time ago. I love you.”

My heart skips a beat as I clutch the edge of the table, my mind racing. Did he really just say that? Does he truly mean it? My thoughts swirl, trying to find a way to make sense of what’s happening. And as if reading the doubt written across my face, he steps closer, his voice steady and full of raw emotion.

“I love you,” he repeats, a quiet certainty in his eyes. “I think I’ve loved you since the first moment I saw you.”

My breath catches, and just as my knees start to feel weak, he takes another step toward me.

“I didn’t do anything about it, because you’re my best friend’s sister.” Kalen shifts uncomfortably, but doesn’t interrupt. “You were in college, with your whole life ahead of you, and I never wanted to stand in the way of that. I thought if we stayed married, I’d be holding you back... and then…now, well, you’re pregnant.”

His voice drops softly on the word ‘pregnant,’ and the way he says it—full of awe and something deeper—makes me dizzy with emotion. I don’t know what to do with myself anymore, so I stand, and step toward him, my chest tight with everything I’m feeling.

“Elias,” I whisper softly, my mind struggling to find the right words, but before I can speak again, he’s already reached for my hand, pulling me closer.

“I love you so much, Taylor. So damn much.” His voice cracks slightly as he presses his hand to his chest, his eyes searching mine. He looks so vulnerable, so heartbroken yet hopeful, that I nearly collapse back into my seat, overwhelmed by the love in his gaze.

“I fought this feeling for so long,” he continues, his voice breaking in places, “But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t run from it. I love you. I always have.”

His words are a soothing balm to my soul, and yet he isn’t done. He turns to Kalen, his expression filled with remorse. “Kalen, I owe you the biggest apology of my life. I am so sorry, and while I don’t deserve it, I’m asking for your forgiveness.”

Kalen looks ready to say something, but Elias stops him with a raised hand. “I never meant to hurt you. You trusted me with your sister, and I’m asking you to trust me again. I’ve always wanted what’s best for her, and that’s why I’m here because I want to do right by her, by both of you. I should’ve been honest with you all, from the beginning. I should’ve been braver. I messed up, and I’m asking for forgiveness from you, Kalen, and from you, Taylor.”

“Elias,” I whisper, my heart swelling as I see the fight drain from my brother’s face. They’re going to be okay. And for the first time in a long while, I feel like everything might just be falling into place.

“T,” Elias says softly, his voice full of tenderness. “I know you’re young, and there’s so much you still want to experience in life. But I hope… I hope you’ll let me be the one to experience it with you. I thought I was keeping you from your dreams, from your freedom, but the truth is, I just want to be by your side. I want you to fly. And if you’ll have me, I want to soar with you, every step of the way.”

“Elias,” I breathe, my heart racing, as my mind spins with emotion, trying to process it all. “You stopped seeing the bunnies… because you loved me.”

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