What You Do To Me (Unexpected Love) (26 page)

             
I hadn’t been on a run in a few days and
the
run felt so freeing. My mind was processing everything that
had
happened in the few short days and I had myself convinced I was doing the right thing for
the girls and myself
. I think I
might
have believed
it,
until his voice was heard in my thoughts. I
realized
I hadn’t removed any of the
Awakening
songs from my playlist and
so I
imm
ediately
changed
the song. I
ran
harder,
trying to out
run my thoughts of Alex, but I couldn
’t. My lungs
felt as if
they
were
going to
explode,
so I
stopped
and
grabbed
my knees so I could
catch my breath
. That is when I
realized that
tears we
re running
down my face and I knew the pain I was feeling wa
s because I miss
ed
Alex.
The
past few
days without talking to him had been pure hell.
My feelings were so
torn and
conflicted.
I felt so alive with
Alex.
He
listened
to me a
nd I
thought
he really cared, but I couldn
’t risk him not
loving me
,
or the
girls.

             
I left the
trails,
feeling
as if
I had
been in a
fight.
In
a
way,
I had
been in a fight
…
with myself. I just need
ed to keep telling myself I was
doing the right thing for the girls. I need
ed
to put t
he girls first, because I could
not
and would
not have my girls feel unloved ever again. They deserve
d
so much more than what I
had
given them and Lily’s pain
was
my
fault.
All
of it
was
my fault. No
seven-year-
old should ever question being loved.

             
I
got home and took
a quick
shower, then
changing
into my O’
Hare
tan
k
and
a fairly short jean skirt. I
threw
my hair into a
ponytail
and slip
ped
on a pair of white canvas Kids
shoes, after which,
I grab
bed
my bag and head
ed
out the door. When I climb
ed
in the
car,
I realize
d
I better
hurry, because
I
was going to be
late. Of course,
it wasn’t like Daryl
cared.
It
was
just on
e more thing
that
he
could
harass me about throughout the
tonight.

I pull
ed
into the back and
smiled;
I love
d
working at the pub. I love
d
seeing people I
had
known my whole life and I love
d
talking and catching up with them. When I walk
ed through the
door,
Daryl wa
s smiling
.

“Well, well, well, if only I was the boss’s daughter, I could come in late.”

“I wish you were the boss’s
daughter.
I’d love to see that ass in a mini skirt.” I smile
d back and go
t a laugh from the few guys sitting at the bar.

The night was a typical summer night. We had our regulars coming in and a few tourists that made their way in for dinner and drinks. I was talking to a few of the fisherman from town and wiping down a table when my Godfather
,
Bruce
,
gr
abbed m
e for a hug.

“
Seriously,
make Daryl wipe down the
tables.
Every man
is eying you as you bend over the tables to wipe.”

“Shut up,
that’s
not true. So what drags you in here tonight?” I
had
always loved him like a second dad. He
wa
s the one I called when I got my dad’s truck stuck in a ditch and the one I called drunk from a party in high school, after my boyfriend left me when I told him I wouldn’t have sex with him in a bathroom.

“Last I checked
,
it’s Thursday and you work Thurs
day nights
. Plus, I had to fly a man in and for some strange
reason,
he was fixed on finding you tonight, so I brought him.” I look
ed
at Bruce with confusion in my eyes. I turn
ed
and look
ed
over his shoulde
r and
in an instant,
my stomach dropped
. Holy shit, what
was
Alex doing here tonight
?
He
should have a show tonight or tomorrow,
so
why
was
he here?

“Abbs, he couldn’t stop talking about you on the plane. He had no clue the relationship I have with you and I’m telling you that boy is smitten.” I look
ed up at Bruce as he wa
s grinning at me. “Go on, he had a lot of travel to make it here, just to see you.”

I slowly walk
ed over to Alex and he closed
the distance by meeting me. “Why are you here?” The words
were
out before I realize
d
I
even
spoke.

“
Well,
you won’t return my calls or my
texts,
and after the phone conversation with you the other night, I think we should talk.” His
eyes
were
so intense, but there wa
s a pleading look behind them.

“Alex, this isn’t going to
work.
It’s
easier
just
to cut ties now.” I turn
ed
to walk back to the bar.

Alex
gently
grabbed
my arm to turn me
back to face him,
causing
my skin
to tingle at the spot
were he touched me
,
making a
sensation travel
all through my body. I felt
so betray
ed by my very own body at that moment
. “
Abby,
are you kidding me? After everything you said and what I
said,
you are doing this? How, why?”

“I was
drunk.
I don’t even remember talking to you.” I now
saw
hurt in Alex’s eyes. I
didn’t
want to hurt him
more.
I need
ed
him to leave. “Look, I have to
work.
I’ll call you a
cab.
Where
are you staying?”

“With you and I’m not leaving.” I look
ed at him and I was
getting really pissed.

I felt Bruce behind me and he tapped
me on the shoulder. “Abby,
honey,
you are giving the whole town a show right now, so either finish the conversation in back or leave it be till later.” I turn
ed
around
to
see most the heads at the bar looking right at us. Fuck, just my
luck,
more t
alk of me around town, but I kne
w Bruce
wa
s right.

“Fine, if you won’t
leave,
find a seat, I’ll have Daryl
get
you a
beer.
”
With
tha
t,
I turn
ed
and walk
ed
away.

Bruce put
his arm around
Alex and led
him to a barstool next to his usual spot. I look
ed up and sh
ot Bruce a nasty
look and he followed by shooting me
a smile.

I
did
my best to avoid A
lex all
night.
I
told
Daryl he wa
s Alex’s
personal
waiter and to make him
comfortable, hoping
tha
t
way,
he had no need to talk to me. As I was
cleaning one of the
tables,
Jimmy, one of the
locals,
came
up to me placi
ng a hand around my waist. I could tell he was drunk, but I didn
’t want to make a scene with Alex
there
.

“So, is he the one t
hat is buying you all the flowers?” I look
ed
at Jimmy
wondering why the hell he cared
.

“Does it matter?”

“Abby you have always felt you are better than this town and the guys in it.” I look
ed at him confused and wondered where that wa
s coming from. I remove
d
his hand from my wais
t and I slid
away from him.  “You never once dated any of the guys from
here.
You
ran off and married the big city
guy,
who only ran around wi
th everyone else in town.” I could
fe
el
my
anger boiling over and I had to check my temper.

“Jimmy, what the fuck is your problem?”

“I don’t
know.
You
would think after David died you would look around here for someone who could make you happy.
Y
ou are like the
Holy Grail
in this town. No man in this town has ever
been able to
get you in
bed,
and believe
me,
we all want too.”

“Jimmy, you have had way too much to drink and I am going to forget about this conversation.” I turn
ed
and yell
ed
to one of the guys with J
immy to get his stuff and to
take
him home.

Jimmy
pulled
one of my wrists
,
pul
ling
me back to face him. “This conversation isn’t
over.
You
are such a
tease. I mean, come on,
who dresses like that and
is
not willing to give it up?”

Feeling like I was ready to
erupt,
I lean
ed
in closer to Jimmy, “This conversation is over and the reason I don’t give it up to you
,
is because you are a classless pig who has always been an asshole
ever
since I’ve known you.
Now, let
me fucking go.”

Jimmy let go of my hand, but brought his finger up and pointed
it at my chest,
but
befor
e he
could
say anything,
his
hand wa
s being
yanked away
. I look
ed up and saw
Alex with his hand around Jimmy’s finger.

“I believe she told you the conversation was over,
so
maybe you should meet your friend ove
r there by the door.” Alex looked
pissed off and
it reminded me of the
night at the club. I
couldn’t
help
seeing
the vein in
Alex’s neck throbbing and I saw
his other hand in a tight ball next to his side.