Page 52 of Bossy Hero

The corners of her mouth downturn, and her expression fills with pity.

Or regret, perhaps.

“Oh, Alan,” she murmurs, subtly shaking her head. “It’s not. I’m sorry.”

I adjust my body positioning so I’m no longer square with her and pick up my beer bottle.

Right before I take a drink, I mutter, “I’m sorry too.”

Chapter8

Good thing I didn't take an Uber

Big Al

The next morning, I wake with a sour stomach.

Although I can’t drink the way I did in my younger days, the malaise isn’t from a hangover. It isn’t something I ate either.

In fact, it isn’t quite my stomach that’s plaguing me. It’s slightly higher, a gnawing ache pressing at my sternum as emptiness takes hold of my chest.

For a decade, I’ve waited for her. Offered myself up to her again and again. She shoots me down every fucking time.

And yet I wait.

Well, I don’t want to wait anymore.

If I can’t have her, it’s time to move on. This is fucking pathetic.

I’mpathetic.

No wonder she doesn’t want me.

When I get home, I’ll start dating. There has to be someone out there who can help me forget her.

My secretary, Peggy, keeps asking to set me up with her younger friend. It’s time to stop declining that offer.

Fuck it.

I breeze out of the hotel, searching for my ride to the airport. With each step, I grow more confident in my decision. When I fly out today, I’m leaving Maddie behind in more ways than one.

Enough is enough.

Time to suck up the rejection and move on.

My eyes scan the horizon, not finding Sawyer. I check my watch and furrow my brows. It’s not like him to be late. He fucking knows better. Hasn’t been out of the service for that long.

As I remove my phone from my pocket to call him, an incoming text lights up my display.

Maddie:

On your right.

My head kicks back, and I sway my vision to the right.

And there she fucking is.

Gravity, rooting me to earth right when I decided to jump.

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