Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
I have the strangest urge to cry. I can’t remember anyone ever kissing me like that, making me feel like I’m special to him. Am I being stupid?
“We won’t be long, Ford,” Andrew responds. Something unspoken moves between the two men as they stare at one another. Ford seems reluctant, but finally nods. He kisses the top of my head this time, walking away after winking at me.
I smile, watching as Ford’s lips stretch out to match mine. It could be possible that this man is insane. I shake my head, forcing my attention back to Andrew. I’d rather have my teeth pulled than talk to him. I’m sure he can tell that. I start walking to the table over in the corner of the coffee bar. It’s up to Andrew if he follows or not.
Once I sit down, he takes a seat across from me. “You look good, Grace,” he says, wincing with his words.
I roll my eyes, but I do it while looking down at the table. I don’t want to fight or make him feel sorry for me. I just want this conversation done so I can walk away. He doesn’t have a place in my life anymore. From watching him tonight, I’m not sure I ever had a place in his. I wouldn’t have fit in. Maybe Andrew always knew that and that’s why he kept me away from his club. Of course, he never really gave me a chance to fit either. Ford is the president of an MC, and he doesn’t seem to have qualms about being with me—and he probably should.
“Thanks, Andrew. I’m not sure what you wanted to speak about. I don’t think there’s anything for us to say to one another—not after all this time.”
“I wanted to apologize to you. I was an asshole, and you truly didn’t deserve that.”
“You’re right, I didn’t,” I exhale. I let my gaze move over the man that I once thought I was completely in love with. He has more lines on his face now. You can tell he’s spent hours in the sun and lived hard and fast. I guess you could say the same about me—except for the sun. It is his eyes that are the most different, however. They don’t hold that sparkle of mischief that I always loved. They look older now, wiser. They did sparkle at the table when he was with Sloane. She makes him happy. I know Andrew enough to recognize that instantly.
“Grace—”
On instinct, I reach out to place my hand over his. “Whatever it is you think you owe me, please stop. I’m fine. What we shared was a lifetime ago. I’m divorced with a son. I have my own life, and you are just a memory of my past. Honestly, that’s all we are to one another—the past. I wouldn’t change that, because if I did, I wouldn’t have my son, and he’s my entire world.”
“A son? Fuck, Grace, did you, did I—”
I feel a chuckle bubble up before I can stop it. “Please, get that terrified look off your face. You’re not my baby daddy.”
For the first time, the surrounding mood lightens. “You deserved better. I shouldn’t have shut you out. I was just … I was a mess, Grace. My head was messed up. I was in pain and fighting to—”
“There’s a reason they say war is hell, Andrew. You did survive and you seem … happy.”
“I am getting there,” he says. “I have good people around me and Sloane …”
“I’m happy for you,” I reply, wincing because I’m overusing that word happy. I can’t help it. I just want this entire conversation to end so I can leave. He is clueless. The man doesn’t even realize how much he’s hurting me by making it clear that he didn’t want me to be one of those good people around him while he healed. If I needed a clearer picture of exactly how little Andrew thought of me, I have it now.
“You’re being nicer to me than I deserve after refusing to accept your letters or your calls, Grace.”
“I won’t say you didn’t hurt me. At the time, I felt like my world was ending. I was desperate to find out if you were okay. I wanted to be by your side. After speaking with your father,” I shrug. “It was clear I didn’t really fit into your world, Andrew.”
“Shit,” he hisses.
“I think we can agree your father is a piece of work.”
“He was a fucking asshole,” Andrew grumbles.
“Yeah, I picked up on that.” I frown, looking around me as a chill slithers down my back.
“You, okay?”
“Yeah, it’s just, um, do you ever get a feeling like you’re being watched?” I ask, looking around behind me. When you live the life I have, you have a sixth sense about someone watching you or danger. That’s exactly what I’m feeling. I continue looking around, but I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. Maybe seeing Andrew after all this time is leaving me even more unsettled than I thought.