Josh laughed and shook his head before lifting his beer glass toward all of us.
“And, to my favorite niece, Victoria. The beautiful girl who’s kept us old men organized since she was in high school. I’m sure you’ll all miss her in the new year.”
My head jerked up at what Billy said.
“Where are you going?” A voice called from across the table. I didn’t turn to see which one of the guys it was because my attention was zeroed in on Victoria.
“I start an internship at school in January. It’s for spring and summer, so I might be back in the fall.” She smiled, but it never made it to her eyes. “I’ll miss all of you. Don’t give my replacement the hard time you sometimes gave me.”
Of course, she’d gotten it. I remembered her saying back at my apartment they’d laugh at her application, but she was too talented for them not to want her. I didn’t even know what the internship was for, but how could anyone, anywhere, not want her?
Lou stood and raised his glass high.
“To Baby Falco!”
She laughed, a blush filling her cheeks as she peered around the table with a smile. No one noticed but me when her grin shrank the second she caught my gaze. I held up my beer bottle, tipping the neck in her direction as our eyes locked. This felt much more like a goodbye than when she left my apartment Sunday morning.
This felt final.
She wouldn’t be working at Falco’s anymore, so now, she was really gone. I’d wiped her out of my life. For two people who could barely utter a word to each other, we had a long, silent conversation.
Congratulations.
I’m sorry.
I miss you.
I love you.
This internship was only the beginning of what she’d accomplish. She’d have the world in the palm of her hand. Now, without me to hold her back, she had no limits and could meet someone who could give her anything she wanted.
But would they know what she needed?
Sure, they’d see her gorgeous face and body, but would they reallyseeher? Would they notice that big, pure heart and the little girl wounds she tried to hide?
Would they appreciate her love of superheroes and the beautiful words she wrote?
Maybe I’d never be the man she deserved, but I’d be the only one who loved her the way she deserved, with my heart and soul and every cell in my body. All of me belonged to her.
But I’d lost her. Panic filtered through me as I realized what I’d done. I threw her and us away and had no idea how to fix it.
The clouds were clearing, and I was finally able to see.
25
Anthony
Josh closedFalco’s on the day before Christmas Eve so the guys could spend as much time with their families as possible for the holidays. I didn’t have to go back to the shop until the New Year, and it gutted me to think of someone else at Victoria’s desk.
I’d pushed her to move on without me, but that’s the last thing I wanted. Now that I’d woken up, how the hell was I supposed to get her back?
I muttered a curse when I tripped over the package next to my bed. After scouring the internet for weeks after that day in the diner, I’d finally found what I hoped was the Wonder Woman doll Victoria wanted when she was a kid. Before I’d screwed everything up, I couldn’t wait to give it to her. But now, I had no clue what to do with it.
Kicking off my boots and taking a seat on the edge of my bed, I let my head fall into my hands. I’d always planned on being alone for Christmas, but I didn’t anticipate I’d be drowning in all this regret.
My lips curved in a smile thinking of how she insisted on being with me both days, and all those times she pushed me into so much I never thought I could do. It began with the comic book, and then I started opening up to her without realizing it, other than that one important detail I was terrified to reveal. I was excited for things to come for a change because she made everything good. So damn good I didn’t know how to function without her.
I’d thought of myself as mostly dead inside since I’d gone away, all the guilt and shame eating up any hope of real happiness. But that’s all I had with her—real happiness. The world had faded away becauseshewas my world.
