Page 42 of Chosen Road

He stepped closer, his face intent on my face. “Tell me what you want me to do. Tell me how I can fix this.”

I threw up my hands. “That’s just it. I don’t know. If I knew I would tell you. I can’t get certain thoughts out of my head,” I admitted, a single tear rolling down my cheek.

He stepped forward abruptly and brought his palm to my damp cheek.

I refrained from pressing my cheek into his big palm but could not make myself pull away. Suddenly, I was starving for his touch, but not in a sexual way. I craved the closeness, the time when he knew what I needed before I did, the time when I allowed him to see to my needs.

He swept the tear away with his thumb. “Okay. That’s enough. Enough sadness. You never deserved it.”

He brought his other hand up to lay his palm against my other cheek and dipped his forehead down to mine.

I breathed in his scent and pushed my forehead gently into his, the tension in my chest easing to make room for something that felt suspiciously like peace.

He continued to speak peace into the space between us. “You deserved better than what you got. I’m going to do everything in my power to make your life easier.”

“That won’t make me change my mind,” I warned softly. I couldn’t keep this gentle man on the hook while I attempted to mend the cracks in my heart.

“I’m not doing it to change your mind,” he tipped his chin up and whispered his response against my forehead. I stilled, held captive by the sweetness and agony of his lips brushing my skin in not quite a kiss. “I’m doing it because there is nothing I want more than to ease your way.”

Chapter 15: It’s Complicated

Amber

Sunday morning Alex bounced out of bed with a huge smile. “Is Dad coming today?”

“N-no,” I stammered, not having a ready response. “He’s busy today. Lots of work to get caught up on. He was away yesterday. It can’t be helped.”

His entire being deflated, and he grumbled something about getting ready.

I pressed the heels of my hands against my forehead. What the hell was I doing?

Alex didn’t speak during the short drive to Yiayia’s and barreled inside like a storm.

Ruby called to him immediately. “Ela, levendis mou,”

I watched him go to my sister and rest his forehead against her chest.

“What’s wrong, agapi mou?” she asked, stroking his fair hair.

He was wired tight, my boy, so much like my sister, his feelings huge and always on display.

“I asked my dad to come for dinner today, seeing as dads are allowed now, and he said no.”

His words pierced me, and I held up a hand as if I could protect myself from them. I stood frozen, absorbing the hit.

Ruby raised her eyebrows in question, and I indicated to her that it was me who said no, not Gus.

She lay her cheek on top of his bent head. “Honey, I bet he wanted to come really badly. Your dad loves you. So much.”

Alex wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed in close. “I miss him,” he said tightly.

Oh, God! I covered my mouth and raised my eyes to Ruby’s, easily reading the plea in hers. She was right. I had to do something. I slipped away into the dining room, allowing her to comfort my son with an ease I often envied.

After I few moments, I heard him laughing and scuffling around the kitchen with her. I headed outside to sit on the cold step.

Ruby came out a few minutes later and dropped my sweater over my shoulders before sitting down beside me.

“Please don’t say anything,” I begged, near to breaking.

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