Page 27 of Always You
I raise my arm, signaling the bartender for another beer. I slump my shoulders and tuck my chin, resting my elbows on the wooden bar top at Rocko’s—the dive bar in the heart of Oceanside. Visions of Mila’s fiery eyes play on repeat in my head as her long, slender finger jabs into my chest, leaving a crimson bruise that seems to pulse in time with my racing heart. I groan. The look on her beautiful face, those emerald green eyes pain-filled with so much disappointment. The thought of having kids with Mila was always an option when we dated and mapped our future.
With Samantha, I’m not ready, I care for her, even love her. After she left, I figured in time, I would fall in love with Samantha. Perhaps I should try harder with her, maybe moving in together and taking trips. Mila wants nothing to do with me. She made it clear. Her words pierced my soul with the thought of her contemplating suicide and feeling emptiness and loneliness because of me. I could never live with myself if something would have happened to her. Why didn’t I just talk to her the day I cornered her in the restaurant bathroom? Because I let my machismo chauvinism take over, that’s why. She doesn’t need me. She raised our son on her own and wants me to be no part of it. I admire her as a young, single mother. My mother struggled. I can only imagine how hard it has been for her. She was right. I should have tried harder to find her. I knew her uncle lived in Manhattan.
Liam, my best friend since elementary school, slid onto the barstool beside me. He slumped his shoulders and ran a hand through his dark, disheveled hair before ordering a beer.
“You look like shit,” he says with a smug grin.
I quirk an eyebrow, and take a sip from my drink. “Thanks,” I snap.
Liam laughs at my irritated expression. “Shit. Who pissed in your Cheerios this morning? Did you piss off Samantha again?”
“Mila is back in town. I ran into her at a restaurant.”
His eyes bulge with shock and concern. “Don’t get drawn into her again, you’re happily engaged now.”
I scoff.Happily?Far from it. I reluctantly explain to him what has been going on. I can feel my teeth grinding together as I speak.
“I can't believe she was pregnant with my son, no wonder she looked so alarmed when she saw me with Samantha at the restaurant. She thought I was dead, and I stroll in with a fiancée.”
Liam slams his glass on the table and orders two-shots of tequila. “Fuck man, sounds like a telenovela my grandmother watches.”
A weak laugh erupts from my chest.
“So, what are you going to do? How will Samantha react now knowing you have a child?”
“I’m not sure how she will take it. I'm not sure if I should tell her or just call it quits with her. I’m still trying to wrap my head around all this.”
“Do you still love Mila?”
With no hesitation, I answer Liam’s question. A year ago, he stopped mentioning her name as if she never existed. In my heart, she always has been mine, no matter how hard I tried to let her go.
“Yeah, you know I do, after all this time. Not once did I not think of her.”
He nods. Liam has always had a soft spot for Mila since they got along. When Mila stormed out of my life, he was just as hurt as I was.
“Wow, you’re a dad now. Who knew? As my best friend, I guess it’s my job to give you some advice, though I don’t really know anything about love.”
I quirk an eyebrow, Liam giving me women advice. Never thought I’d see the day.
“If you still have feelings for her, you should fight for what you two once had. It won’t come easy, however. If you marry Samantha and she’s not the one for you, what then? You and Mila will need to stay civil when your son is around. Plus, the chemistry between you two will always be there. It’s been five years! I’ve never seen you look at Samantha the way you looked at Mila. But look, you don’t want to live in regret and have time agonizing over 'what ifs'. You should at least think about it. Unless Mila doesn’t have any feelings for you left…?”
The real question is does she still love me?
* * *
I find myself at Mila’s studio, contemplating what to say to her. It’s been four days since our argument. She’s all I think about. My head quickly jerks up when I see her step out of her shop. She’s not alone, the same guy as last time is with her. She throws back her head in laughter as he gazes as if he’s falling for her, and he whisks a few strands of hair away from her face. Her lips are pressed against his, and he wraps his arms around her waist and draws her close. My heart beats so fast like I just ran a marathon, and my stomach lurches at the sight of him touching her.
Grinding my teeth, I feel the need to jump out of my truck to rip him off her.Mine,I want to shout at him to stay the fuck away from her. Acid fills my throat, eating at my insides. He walks to his car as she digs in her purse for her keys. I take this chance to leap out of my truck.
“Angel.”
A smile escapes her lips when she tilts her head to meet mine. A frown creases on her forehead.
She smiles for him.
“What are you doing here, Dominic?” Her voice is flat.
“Can we go somewhere to talk?” I drawl.
