I let out a laugh. “You’re so sure of yourself, aren’t you? Ember, what do you want?”
“I want to talk to you. I want to tell you that I miss you. I’ve been going insane this past week.”
“Katherine not keeping you company?”
“I don’t know what you think is going on, but trust me when I tell you nothing is happening between Katie and me.”
“Is that why you were kissing her the other day in front of the cafe?” It hurts to utter the words out loud. But it offers me the relief I didn’t know I needed.
“That was fucking nothing. She kissed me, and I was taken by surprise. Why didn’t you just say something? Let me explain what’s actually happening?”
“Because I do not need this shit in my life! That’s why!” I shout. “I was happy just living my life, and then you came along, and you just turned everything upside down. I cannot do this, Ember, none of it.”
I stand and finally face him. He’s still in his uniform, and it makes it harder to swallow the lump in my throat. How did I manage to do this? Lose and find men I know may leave or disappoint me. Maybe I’m drawn to thatkindof love, the vicious, poisonous kind.
“She just showed up, Shelby, out of the blue, and there are things we need to work through.”
“Then you do that, Ember, but don’t expect me to wait around. I need you to leave. You have no idea what it’s like, to be a parent. I have to make decisions that aren’t going to mess with my life. I like the way things are, you and I, we were a mistake.”
“Firefly…”
“Don’t! Ember, you have no idea what it’s like to lose a part of your soul; I do.” He hangs his head. “I won’t let you destroy everything I had to rebuild after Drew died.”
There’s a long stretch of silence that could have been a few seconds but felt like a lifetime.
His gaze meets mine; he nods, turns, and leaves.
FIVE YEARS AGO
“You’re an asshole, you know that, the worst kind.” I throw a dish towel at him. He catches it in his hands and offers me a smirk I both love and hate.
“I’ll make it up to you, I swear.”
“You were supposed to have taken the night off Drew, we have been planning this forever.”
“I know, baby, but we have our whole lives right, all of it.” He leans down till we’re at eye level. Tell me we have our whole lives?
I pout. “Yeah, yeah. Go!” I smirk.
“Not till you tell me you love me more than life.”
“I love you more than life,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He lifts me quickly, setting me on the counter. “And now you’re gonna have to take me someplace expensive with white linen and real silverware.”
“You drive a hard bargain.” He settles between my legs. Holding his face in my hands, I touch my nose to his, then place a kiss on his lips.
Deepening the kiss, Drew draws me closer, and then the scanner goes off.
“Argh,” he growls, throwing his head back.
“Gonna break that thing one day,” I tell him.
“I might just help you do it.” We laugh, and he holds me close. “I love you, Shelby. Gonna give my boy a kiss, and you better tell him we’re gonna go to the market this weekend and ride that Ferris wheel.”
I cringe at the thought.
He runs upstairs while I zip up his lunch bag. He kisses my neck and wraps an arm around my middle.
“I love you, Mrs. Brooks.”
