Maybe This Time(66)

The first people I see are Jade and Tag, who both throw me sympathetic glances. Ryan told me to take a few days off, so this is my first day back at work. The bar is completely dead and spotless. These two must have been bored.

“Hey,” I say as I walk in and shove my handbag under the cash register.

“Hey, how you holding up?” Jade asks, looking concerned.

“I’m doing fine, but if someone asks me again, I won’t be responsible for my actions,” I say, giving them both a threatening glance.

Tag chuckles. “That’s the spirit.”

Reid takes that moment to walk into the bar, his eyes only for me. I ignore him completely, and start to pour myself a vodka sunrise.

I dare him to say anything about it.

“Happy hour, is it?” he asks, looking amused.

“Figure I’m gonna need it. Jade, Tag?” I raise the bottle in question. They both decline, looking back between Reid and me. All they need is popcorn.

“When are you gonna forgive me, baby?” Reid asks bluntly, getting straight to the point.

“I’m not.”

“Beauty…”

“Mia was right about me, you said. So what exactly did she say about me?” I ask, deciding that if he wanted to have it out right here right now, so be it.

Reid looks uncomfortable and I find myself enjoying watching him squirm a little. “I said I was sorry.”

“That isn’t what I asked.”

“Baby, fuck Mia, who cares what she-”

“Clearly you do since you brought it up that night,” I snap, my eyes narrowing.

“She said you were young, immature, untrustworthy... shit like that,” he reluctantly admits. And all this coming from a lying, cheating whore. How rich.

“And you agree with those things.”

“Summer-”

“You keep saying you fucked up, Reid, but you more than fucked up, you broke my fucking heart. Now, all I need to do is get through these last few shifts, and then I’ll never have to see you again.”

With that parting comment, I turn and head out the back.

When I return, Reid is gone. Tag stands there watching me and I know he's dying to say something.

“What?”

“I’ve known Reid for a long time, and I’ve never seen him put himself out there for a woman like that. You shut him down cold, that was harsh, girl,” he says, looking a little disappointed in me.

“You don’t know how he treated me that night,” I say slowly, my eyes starting to water.

“No, I don’t, but when you fight you don’t need to fight dirty, you’re better than that.” He walks over and wraps him arms around me. “It’s empty here. Why don’t you go sit out front for a little while?”

“Okay,” I say, taking my drink with me. I take a seat in one of the outside tables, sipping on my drink. I see Reid walk towards me from the car park. Guess he didn’t leave after all. He takes the seat right next to me, our shoulders almost touching. I smell a hint of his cologne, and it makes me feel homesick. So close, and yet so far.

Right next to me, but worlds apart.

“You’re it for me,” he finally says. “I’m not gonna give up on you, ever.”

I don’t reply.

“I’m gonna go see River. I’ll come and see you tonight,” he says, his blue eyes studying me.

River.

My heart shatters.

Jade walks out, looking scared and confused. She gives me a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes before walking up to Reid.

“Can you drop me home?” she asks.

He pauses for a moment. “Sure, come on, I’m leaving now.” He lowers his head and kisses me on the forehead before he leaves.

I skull the rest of my drink, and then get back to work.





**


My phone rings in the middle of the night, over and over again. I reach out to pick it up from the side table, but knock it to the ground instead.

“Mother effer.”

With an exaggerated groan I get out of bed, and get down on my knees reaching under the bed blindly. I finally find it, only for it to stop ringing. I slide back under my sheets, trying to get warm and comfortable again, when it rings again.

“Yeah?” I answer.

“River isn’t mine,” Reid says, his voice cracking.

I’m suddenly wide awake.

“What?”

“Jade, she knew, fuck, Summer. I love him, I fucking love him,” he says.

I sniffle a little. “He’s still your brother’s blood, it's okay to love him.”

Silence on the other end. “How did you know it was Reece’s baby?”

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

“Reid-”

“Great, my own fucking woman knew, and I didn’t, and she didn’t even fucking tell me,” he growls, his tone a mixture of hurt, pain and anger.