Page 90 of Whatever It Takes

He leaned forward, talking over the loud music and the chatter of customers. “Very rarely does a first love end up being your last. You and I were lucky enough to have that big love. The one and only. It sounds like you’ve learned from your mistakes, but there’s only one way to learn and grow. Just be patient.”

“That’s your big advice?” I questioned. “Be patient?”

He chuckled. “I’m not done.” He cocked a bushy gray eyebrow. “What I want you to do is to look back on your life. All your accomplishments and your failures. All that you’ve built for yourself so far. Then I want you to fast forward about forty years. Could you imagine wasting all those years and not spending them with the woman you love?”

I couldn’t even imagine it. The only thing I wanted to do with the next forty years was spend it with Charlotte and Emery. Even the years when we were apart, she always lived inside of me. There hasn’t been a day since we met that I didn’t love her. After all this time, I couldn’t see that changing anytime soon.

“Are those your kids?” I jerked my thumb to the family photo next to Lottie’s.

“Stepkids.” When he saw my reaction, he smirked. “Lottie married someone else during our years apart. He was a fireman. He died when Allyn was three months old and Addy was two.”

“Wow.”

“Yup. I came home from serving my country, found out the love of my life was not only a widow, but a mother of two. I knew that God was sending me a sign. I fought like hell to get her back, adopted those kids and never looked back. Best thing I ever did.”

He turned and walked away to pour a draft beer for the customer who just sat down, leaving me alone in my thoughts. I replayed our conversation in my head while staring down at the worn wood flooring.

I had so much running through my mind and Claude’s story hit too close home. While I never cheated on Charlotte, I still fucked up and broke her heart. She ended up marrying another man and had a kid with someone who wasn’t me. Yet none of that mattered, because I had a second chance to be with her. And like Claude, I would make her see that we belonged together and that everything happened for a reason.

Maybe Marco wasn’t as dumb as I thought. I actually think he had a point. Whether it took me a day, a week, or a year. I would show her in every way I could that we were meant to be together.

If all I had in my life was her and Emery, then that would be enough. They would be more than enough. End of story.

I pulled out my wallet and threw a hundred-dollar bill down on the bar. Next I dialed up an Uber to drag my drunk ass back to my apartment. I had a lot of planning to do tomorrow.

My phone lit up with a text message from Charlotte.

Are you home?

I pausedbefore I typed out my reply.No, I’m out.

The bubbles jumpedand stopped across my phone screen, letting me know that she was typing while I finished off my drink. I looked at the visitors log today while I was at work, so I knew she had finally paid a visit to her husband.

Canyou can come over so we can talk?

I stareddown at my phone and prayed that she had finally come to her senses. If she wanted more space, I wasn’t sure I could give her that. Patience wasn’t my strong suit, and I was already running out.

Claude grabbed my money and rang me up. He slid my change across the bar. “Keep the change,” I told him. I figured my therapy session tonight was more than worth it.

“Good luck to you, kid.”

“Thanks. Maybe I’ll see you again soon.”

“I hope not.” He smirked and picked up my empty glass and placed it in the sink.

My eyebrows pinched together as I climbed off the stool. He laughed at my expression. “Don’t waste your time here. Life is too short. Spend it with the people you love.” He looked behind the bar at the black-and-white picture. “Everything can be gone in the blink of an eye. Never forget that.”

Damn. This old man and his words struck something inside of me. I nodded my head, too choked up to talk and walked out.

I pulled my phone out and tipped the Uber driver that just dropped me off and climbed the three steps to her front porch. She opened the front door before I even had a chance to ring the bell.

We stood with a heavy, awkward silence stretching between us. Just the sight of her made my chest tighten. My gaze trailed down her body. She had on a low-cut top that exposed the swell of her breast. Her plump lip was practically begging me to take it in between my teeth. Then like a bucket of cold water, I remembered that she was with him today. A deep possessiveness took over me.

“How was your visit with Grant today?”

She swallowedand took a step back. I hated that there was an invisible line between us. One that she felt she had to draw to keep me away. “It was harder than I expected.”

I scratched the back of my head. “I’m sure it was tough.”

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