Dominic
“Dominic,do you mind if I take my break now? Tommy said he’d watch my tables for the next few minutes.” Jordan’s face twisted in a grimace as she leaned on the bar. They’d been at each other’s throats not a week ago, but once again, Tommy folded like a deck of cards when Jordan batted her eyes in quest of his forgiveness.
If I was a betting man, I’d wager she wanted an early break to go outside and scream at her boyfriend like she’d been doing all week. I’d also hazard a guess she was leaning on Tommy again while this douche she was dating gave her daily trouble, but it was none of my business. I did hope poor Tommy would stop pining over a woman who gave him nothing but grief.
“Go on,” I told her, nodding outside. Her shoulders drooped in relief before she rushed outside, already digging her cell out of her pants pocket. I guessed when it came to love, we were all a little stupid. I’d been reminded recently of just how much of an idiot I was.
The woman I wanted was back in my life but couldn’t bear to even look me in the eye. Since I’d seen her on the boardwalk today, a torturous reel of our memories had played on repeat in my head, old events now feeling new and raw.
I scanned the busy July fourth crowd. Since Memorial Day, we’d been non-stop, and I was nothing but thankful. Now to figure out how to bring the crowds to the new space. I was excited to run the new restaurant and have a place I could almost call mine, even though I ran The Beach Pub with Joe and he valued my opinion on most decisions he made.
At some point, during the past four years, Ocean Cove had gone from a place I’d escaped to, to my home.
My eyes landed on a familiar form. She was one of two women who occupied a table in the back corner, and my pulse jolted with recognition as I peered closer.
Thea was here. She wasn’t scouting the place this time or here because she had to meet with us on business. The selfish asshole in me wanted to believe she was here for me.
I came over to her table, trepidation and hope pumping through me as I got closer.
“Good evening, ladies.” Thea and Moira swiveled their heads in my direction. “Glad to see you could make it.” I flashed them a wide grin, but Thea only nodded as she focused on swirling the liquid around in her glass.
“We’re glad we made it, too,” Moira said with a snicker. “We almost didn’t get in. You guys have a big line.”
“This band usually draws a good crowd. I bet I could even get them to play a little Backstreet Boys for you.” I lifted a brow at Thea, but she didn’t look up. “Anyway, the next time you come here, and there’s a line, tell the hostess to come get me, or any one of us. You shouldn’t have to wait.”
“Shouldn’t, but I seem to anyway, right?” Thea raised her wine glass at me and took a pull, glaring at me over the rim. The way she snapped at me caught me off guard. Even towards the end when things had been so tense between us, I’d been the broody asshole always lashing out.
I noticed her sister nodding to the back patio with her chin. Moira was always about as subtle as a heart attack.
“Can you talk for a few minutes?” Thea glanced over my shoulder. “I know it’s busy but—”
“Of course. The patio is a little crowded, but come with me to the office where we can actually hear each other speak.”
Thea rose from her seat, and I stepped behind her, dropping my hand to the small of her back as I led her into the hallway.
“Everything okay?” I asked, my stomach in a knot as I shut the door behind us.
She plopped onto Joe’s couch and raked a hand through her hair.
“You asked to have lunch so we could clear the air in case we ended up working together. I didn’t say much, but now that wearegoing to be dealing with each other all summer, there are a few things you should know.”
She sucked in a long breath and let out a slow gust of air. My breath stilled when she leveled her eyes, narrowed to angry slits, at me.
“You broke me, Dominic.”
My heart dropped into my stomach as I fell back on the edge of the desk. When I opened my mouth to voice some kind of reply, I had nothing. For once in my life, no words came out.
I knew I’d hurt her, but the thought of breaking her drained the air from my lungs.
“Do you have any idea how it feels to have the person you love suffer right before your eyes and there isn’t a damn thing you can do about it?” Her voice cracked before she swallowed. “For a whole year, instead of leaning on me, you pushed me further and further away until I had no place in your life. But I hung on because all I wanted to do was help you. And keep you. And I felt awful for being so selfish when you were going through something so terrible.”
“Thea, I ...”
She shot me a glare and shook her head. I nodded, letting her continue.
“As stupid as it was, I waited for you to come back. For months. I guess, in the back of my mind, I’d always expected you to come to me and say you needed me after all.” Her shoulders jerked with a sad chuckle. “You said you couldn’t be with me anymore, yet, I didn’t quite believe you.” She leaned her elbows on her knees and clasped her hands under her chin.
I scrubbed a shaky hand down my face, overcome by the realization of all the damage I’d done.
