with hers and leans over the table. “I’ve been talking about purple aliens and having wild, monkey sex with Matt Bomer for ten minutes and all you’ve been doing is grunting at me. Are you ok? I know that had to be hard for you.”
As I’m opening my mouth to respond, a soft voice with a slight English accent interrupts. “Excuse me. I’m sorry for interrupting.” We both look up at the blonde from Joe’s table. She points to herself. “I’m Abbey. I’m Joe’s sister. I know who you are and I know that was probably not easy for you. It wasn’t easy for him either. In fact, he’s a mess in the car with the kids.” We just gaze at her as we wait for her to get to the point. “I know it’s none of my business, but I’m moving here and Joe and the kids are going to be living with me. He’s never gotten over you.” Lexi opens her mouth, but she’s cut off as Abbey rushes on. “His marriage to Phoebe was never right. It was forced and uncomfortable and just sad to watch, but they did create those two perfect babies out there. My point is… I know he hurt you. He hurt himself too, but he’s here now and you’re here and this seems like maybe you were supposed to meet up.” She reaches over and grabs my napkin. There’s a pen in her hand. She writes. “This is his number. Now you have it. You can use it or not, but you have it.” She smiles at me and I see Joe in her face. “Again, I’m very sorry for bothering your dinner.” She hands me the napkin and turns away. “Goodnight.”
What the hell? Joe’s number. I have Joe’s number. The only man I ever loved and the man who helped me to be completely open with everyone about being me. But do I want his number?! What the fuck?! I’m in the fucking Bermuda Triangle right now.
The whole time I’ve been having my inner debate, Lexi has been watching me.
Just then, our food is brought out. Has it really only been half an hour since we got here?!
We eat in silence for a bit before she asks what I know she’s been wanting to know. “So, are you going to call him, E?”
Shrugging, I push my food around the plate and take a large gulp of my margarita on the rocks before answering her. “I’m not sure. I don’t know if that’s something I want to do or not.”
She looks at me with her whiskey eyes and I know she’s reading my mind. “What are you thinking, E? Tell me what’s going through your head right now.”
I’m tracing the condensation from my drink on the table as I work out my thoughts. Gazing at the drink, I speak as if in a daze. “My head?” I harshly laugh. “What’s going through my head? I’m shocked. I never thought I’d see him again. I never wanted to see him again. I’m pissed. How dare he come back here and how dare he talk to me. He cheated on me. He married someone else. He betrayed the both of us back then. And he now has kids. Kids! They are beautiful little versions of him. Kids he created with the person he betrayed me with. And I’m furious that a part of me was glad to see him.” I snort and look up at Lexi. She’s gazing at me with compassion and understanding on her face and it flips the switch. I’m suddenly furious. “Why was I glad to see him for a brief minute?! What the fuck is wrong with me?!”
“You were glad, because you loved him, E. You loved him. ” She takes my hand and motions for the waiter to bring the check and boxes. “He meant something to you. He’s the only man you ever loved. Of course you reacted to seeing him. It’s normal. When you love someone… when you give your whole heart to someone… they always have a part of you. It sucks, but it’s just the way things are. But it’s up to you what you do with it.” She takes my hand and pries my clenched fingers open, intertwining her small fingers with mine. “You have his number, Erik. You have the power right now. So, decide. Are you going to call him? Do you want to call him? Are you willing to forgive what happened
As I’m opening my mouth to respond, a soft voice with a slight English accent interrupts. “Excuse me. I’m sorry for interrupting.” We both look up at the blonde from Joe’s table. She points to herself. “I’m Abbey. I’m Joe’s sister. I know who you are and I know that was probably not easy for you. It wasn’t easy for him either. In fact, he’s a mess in the car with the kids.” We just gaze at her as we wait for her to get to the point. “I know it’s none of my business, but I’m moving here and Joe and the kids are going to be living with me. He’s never gotten over you.” Lexi opens her mouth, but she’s cut off as Abbey rushes on. “His marriage to Phoebe was never right. It was forced and uncomfortable and just sad to watch, but they did create those two perfect babies out there. My point is… I know he hurt you. He hurt himself too, but he’s here now and you’re here and this seems like maybe you were supposed to meet up.” She reaches over and grabs my napkin. There’s a pen in her hand. She writes. “This is his number. Now you have it. You can use it or not, but you have it.” She smiles at me and I see Joe in her face. “Again, I’m very sorry for bothering your dinner.” She hands me the napkin and turns away. “Goodnight.”
What the hell? Joe’s number. I have Joe’s number. The only man I ever loved and the man who helped me to be completely open with everyone about being me. But do I want his number?! What the fuck?! I’m in the fucking Bermuda Triangle right now.
The whole time I’ve been having my inner debate, Lexi has been watching me.
Just then, our food is brought out. Has it really only been half an hour since we got here?!
We eat in silence for a bit before she asks what I know she’s been wanting to know. “So, are you going to call him, E?”
Shrugging, I push my food around the plate and take a large gulp of my margarita on the rocks before answering her. “I’m not sure. I don’t know if that’s something I want to do or not.”
She looks at me with her whiskey eyes and I know she’s reading my mind. “What are you thinking, E? Tell me what’s going through your head right now.”
I’m tracing the condensation from my drink on the table as I work out my thoughts. Gazing at the drink, I speak as if in a daze. “My head?” I harshly laugh. “What’s going through my head? I’m shocked. I never thought I’d see him again. I never wanted to see him again. I’m pissed. How dare he come back here and how dare he talk to me. He cheated on me. He married someone else. He betrayed the both of us back then. And he now has kids. Kids! They are beautiful little versions of him. Kids he created with the person he betrayed me with. And I’m furious that a part of me was glad to see him.” I snort and look up at Lexi. She’s gazing at me with compassion and understanding on her face and it flips the switch. I’m suddenly furious. “Why was I glad to see him for a brief minute?! What the fuck is wrong with me?!”
“You were glad, because you loved him, E. You loved him. ” She takes my hand and motions for the waiter to bring the check and boxes. “He meant something to you. He’s the only man you ever loved. Of course you reacted to seeing him. It’s normal. When you love someone… when you give your whole heart to someone… they always have a part of you. It sucks, but it’s just the way things are. But it’s up to you what you do with it.” She takes my hand and pries my clenched fingers open, intertwining her small fingers with mine. “You have his number, Erik. You have the power right now. So, decide. Are you going to call him? Do you want to call him? Are you willing to forgive what happened