Huxley goes off on some tangent. I tune him out and look around the bar. Several guys are drinking beer and laughing and talking. A bartender whose name I don’t know smiles at them, her eyes crinkling. Since it’s a slow day, she lavishes them with attention—most likely to increase her tips—and I hate it. It reminds me of what Aspen likely does here to earn tips. But she shouldn’t have to smile at anybody for money. Ever.
Her smile’s too lovely. Beyond price. Most importantly, she’s a prize worth fighting for—
The realization bursts like a bomb inside my head. But instead of stunning me, it leaves me crystal clear for the first time since she reappeared in my life. It’s the truth I’ve been denying all this time because I didn’t want to accept it, even though subconsciously, I knew.
Just the idea of her being with another guy makes me sick. Fourteen years apart, and I still feel this way. And it isn’t going to change. She left an indelible mark on my heart all those years ago, and it’s only gotten deeper.
But in order for me to embrace that, I have to forgive her for what she’s done.
Do I want to do that?
Yes. I’m sick of denying myself. I’m sick of trying to hurt her because it doesn’t give me satisfaction, just pain and guilt. She did what she did when we were in college. Everyone makes mistakes when they’re young. All she’s been trying to do is take care of her grandfather by working her ass off. She could’ve latched on to some rich asshole, but she didn’t. Surely that means she’s changed, just like I’ve changed.
If I forgive her, we can start over. And I’ll be able to let go of this anger and resentment.
Let it go. Give yourself another chance—let yourself explore this possibility with her.
Yes, forgiving her is the right thing to do. I don’t know why I’ve clung to my pride for so long. My heart feels lighter, and I’m almost giddy.
I sleep like a baby that night, knowing that I’ve made the right decision.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Aspen
Something’s very wrong.
Grant demanded that I quit my job at the bar three times on Monday and another three on Tuesday. Now, it’s Wednesday morning. I give him the day’s agenda and brace myself for the same insistence.
“Great. Thanks.” He smiles.
“Any other instructions?” I ask, wary.
“No.” The smile stays pleasant, and there doesn’t seem to be any devious intent in his gaze, either. “You go on and do whatever you need to do.”
Ooo-kay.That’s…creepy. Did he get a terminal cancer diagnosis yesterday? I’ve heard news like that can alter a person’s personality overnight. On the other hand, his meeting was with a lawyer, not a doctor. What’s going on?
But I’m the only one unsettled, because everyone else on the team is thrilled.
“We finally have our good boss back.” Larry is practically weeping into his morning coffee, all because Grant told him he did a good job on the latest deliverable.
“Thank God.” Jesse runs a hand down his face.
“He’s probably happy he has the perfect assistant,” Amy adds. “He’s been lost since Renée left.”
I give her an uneasy smile. I’d wager my right hand that I’m not the reason for the change in Grant’s mood.
“Thank you,” Jesse says to me. “Seriously.”
My smile grows even more awkward. “You’re welcome…?”
“Oh wow, that’s a big mosquito bite. Does it itch?” Larry says, pointing.
“What?” I realize he’s pointing at my neck, and my hair’s tossed back, which means the hickey Grant left is visible.
Crap. Larry must not have seen it well enough to realize no mosquito leaves a bite this large. “Actually, it was a wasp,” I say, putting my hair over the spot.
The rest of the day, as Grant’s attitude stays friendly, my alarm grows.
