Go to the meeting.
Going to the meeting might help him through today's cravings, but it wouldn't fix the issues with Riley. He had to do that himself. It would take patience. He'd told Faith he could be patient, so why was he here trying to justify going into the liquor store and buying a bottle of Johnny Walker Red?
He looked at the chip in his hand again and read the words writtenbelow the number eight. To thine own self be true. Letting Riley and his loved ones down wasn't being true to himself.
Riley may have given up on them for the time being, but he refused to give up on her. She was his best friend and forever love. He couldn't lose that.
He stared at the black and bronze chip in his hand again. Eight months.
I've been sober for eight months. I won't throw that away.
No, wait. He paused and did a few mental calculations. He'd hit his nine-month mark two weeks ago, right after he and Riley got back together.
He put the key back in the ignition and started his truck.
I want my nine-month chip.
He’d go to tonight's meeting. And Thursday's meeting. Then next week's meetings. Because even though he was strong enough to drive away tonight, he recognized didn't have to do it all on his own.
Maybe I'll even sign up to be a sponsor.
He wasn't simply choosing faith over fear. He was choosing love.
Love for Riley, but more importantly, love for himself.
CHAPTER 25
Riley lowered the book she'd been attempting to read all week and rolled her eyes when a knock sounded on her bedroom door.
No, this isn't my bedroom.
It was simply the guest room at Aunt Charity's house. A room she'd occupied for far too long. She should go back to her room at the ranch.
Funny how two months ago, she didn't consider that guest room hers either. But now she did.
The knock was probably her mom trying to coax her from her room yet again. Riley loved her mother, but she was tired of being smothered.
She cringed when the door creaked as it opened. Steven or Matt, one of Charity's two oldest sons, should do something about that for her. If Damon was here, he would have taken care of it already. He was always good about things like that.
"There's my favorite cousin." Paige stepped into the room sporting a smile that lifted Riley's spirits immediately.
She let out a little squeal and sprang to her feet. Paige always gave the best hugs, and today was no exception.
Her cousin spent the day with her last Saturday, the day following Riley's abduction, and they'd talked for hours about what happened. Paige helped her remember the awkward, scrawny, blond boy who sometimes wanted to hang out with them at the lake. They hadn't intentionally snubbed him; they'd simply been more interested in hanging out with their own cousins rather than wanting to play with an awkward stranger.
"I stopped by the ranch, thinking you'd gone home." Paige pulled back and studied Riley's face. "Why are you still here?"
"I don't know." Riley shrugged as she stepped away from the embrace. "I just can't..."
She dropped down on the bed as she struggled to find the words to explain how messed up she felt inside. She'd promised Uncle James she would return to work on Monday, even though he insisted she take all the time she needed. She was tired of sitting around feeling sorry for herself, though, so she needed to get herself figured out quickly.
Paige sat beside her. "Can't what?"
"I can't be around Daniel right now, which sounds so stupid because I miss him like crazy."
And here came the tears again. Riley didn't know one person could create so much water.
"He misses you too."
