Page 45 of Free to Breathe
“You look cute. You always do. Come on, I’m starving.” He grins. And because I know he’s always hungry, I can’t help my broad smile. It’s silly because I know time can’t be bent except when memories drag you back. Between the hug I gave him and his perpetual need for food, we’ve been transported back to cold winter days after his workouts where I’d agree to eat at places with nasty cheese and stale corn chips.
Fortunately, I have better taste now and can still appease his horrible taste in food. “Come on. I know just the place.”
“Does it have—”
I cut him off. “Of course it has nachos.” I let out a beleaguered sigh, even as his face lights up.
“What are we waiting for?” Moving to the back door, he unlocks it and holds it open. “I’m starving.”
A few minutes later, I’m sitting in Colby’s Jeep listening to Dave Matthews, feeling just for a moment like I did back in college.
Unburdened.
Digging in my purse for my sunglasses, I slip them on as I tell him how to get to Pancho’s.
* * *
“Now this iswhat I’m talking about,” Colby declares. He raises his Dos Equis in a toast as we’re waiting for our waiter to take our order. “When I ran into Ali last year, she refused to get nachos. Then she barely even ate. I mean, if she wasn’t going to eat, why not let me get something I wanted?”
“Likely because she didn’t want to ruin a dress with your need for spicy cheese sauce?” I reply dryly.
“I was willing to risk my uniform.”
“Which was replaceable.”
He shrugs. I can’t help but chuckle. Such a guy.
The waiter comes back with a basket of salted chips and a bowl of amazing homemade salsa. It’s all I can do to avoid diving in, but I refrain. I know, life’s short, but I’m trying to watch what I eat more because of the vast amount of blood work I’m going to be subject to. Once they clear me for surgery, I swear I’m eating a meal that will require me to undo my pants to sit.
And I’m not cooking a single bite of it.
“I’m torn, Corinna. I mean, you brought me to a place that has three different kinds of nachos on the menu. How am I supposed to decide?” Colby’s gray eyes twinkle at me over the menu.
Without much effort, it appears we’re slipping back into our old relationship. The years seem to be erased with the stroke of each of our pens. I could have lived out the rest of my days holding on to my grudge, but when the significant specter of death hangs over you, lost moments and regret seem to choke you. The anger, the harsh words, the lies you tell yourself versus the precious memories you can still have, all seem worthless.
Keeping the moment light, I reply, “You could order two of them to go.”
The waiter comes up, and we give him our order: a bowl of posole soup for me, and Pancho’s nachos for Colby. Once the waiter walks off, Colby picks up where we left off. “It’s tragic, but no. They’re never as good reheated. Not unless you’re desperate for a hangover cure. Then they’re fan-fucking-tastic.”
I laugh and am rewarded by the smile that slashes across Colby’s face. “Had a lot of those in the last few years?”
He groans. “Enough to say I should know better, and yet not too many to not be stupid with my unit.” He freezes for a moment before shaking his head.
Unconsciously, I reach over and squeeze his fisted hand. “I’m certain they feel the same way about you.” I’m pleasantly surprised when his hand flips over and he grasps mine.
“You’d say that not knowing what happened?” he asks quizzically. His thumb strokes the inner part of my wrist, sending my pulse skyrocketing. I discreetly pull my hand away.
“Despite the years, Colby, I know the kind of leader you are. You’d never have done anything to jeopardize one of your men deliberately,” I say with conviction.
He leans toward me, forearms resting on the table. “That means a hell of a lot, Corinna. I’ve gone over everything time and again in my head, but…” Suddenly he’s interrupted.
“Colby, nothing for years and then twice in a week!” a breathless voice says next to us. We both turn, and I see her.
Addison Kaplan.
Ignoring me completely, she reaches down to give Colby a hug. She doesn’t let him up even when he stands. Wrapping her skinny arms around his waist, she pushes her breasts against his firm abs and gazes up at him adoringly.
They make an attractive couple, I think dispassionately.
