Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84370 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Look what the cat dragged in!” a male voice calls out, and when I turn my head, I smile when I see Bowen, Macklin, and Dixon in the back corner booth. All heads turn our way, and my face heats with the attention.
Copeland leans in close, his lips next to my ear. “We can go,” he offers.
“No. They miss you just as much as I do.” The words fall freely from my lips before I can think about them. His chocolate eyes flare with an emotion I can’t name. I open my mouth to backpedal, but there’s no use.
I do miss him.
However, he’s here now, and doing and saying all the right things, and I need to take each moment as it comes and hope they lead to a future we planned all those years ago.
“It’s our night,” Copeland grumbles.
“They’re our friends.”
“Come join us,” Macklin says, nodding to the chair he just pulled up to their booth.
Copeland squeezes my hand as we make our way to the booth. “No one is sitting by my girl but me,” he tells our friends.
“Your girl, huh?” Bowen smirks.
Copeland stares all three of them down, his hand still entwined with mine.
“Some things never change.” Dixon laughs as he slides his plate to the end of the booth and takes the single chair, allowing Copeland and me to take one side of the booth.
“So”—Macklin waggles his eyebrows—“date night?”
“Was supposed to be,” Copeland says, his tone flat.
All three of them crack up laughing. “We’re almost done here.” Bowen points to their mostly empty plates. “We just wanted to say hi, and we’ll be out of your hair.”
I give Copeland’s hand a squeeze, and he turns to look at me. I nod and smile, letting him know I’m not upset, and his shoulders relax. His lips find their way to my temple.
“This took longer than I thought it would,” Dixon says, popping his last fry into his mouth.
Copeland tenses, so I answer this time. Not that there’s a question. “We’ve been getting to know one another again.”
“How’s that going?” Bowen asks me.
“Good.” I smile, assuring him that things are well.
“Look,” Bowen says, tossing his napkin onto his plate. “I’m just going to say this and get it out of the way. You left all of us, but the pain you put her through was… hard to watch.” He points his index finger at Copeland. “Don’t fuck this up, or we’ll have a problem.”
Copeland’s shoulders grow even more tense. “You don’t know,” he says, his voice eerily calm. “You might think that you know, but you don’t.”
“I know that I was there to wipe her tears. Tears that you caused.”
“Stop.” My voice is quiet, but they hear me, and four sets of eyes look my way. “Bowen, I love you. You’re one of my best friends, and yes, you were there for me, but this isn’t about you. This is between Copeland and me.”
“I don’t want to see you hurt that like again, Ellie. He didn’t leave just you, you know. He left all of us, and you might be able to forget that, but I can’t. What happens when you leave again?” he asks, his eyes locked on Copeland.
“I won’t hurt her,” Copeland says, his voice gravelly. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve learned from past mistakes. I go where she goes.” Copeland’s voice is firm and resolute, making my chest flutter.
“Copeland’s right. You don’t know.”
“Then tell me,” Bowen says. “Tell me. Oh, that’s right…. You don’t have to tell me; I was there. I watched your heart break. Not just weeks or months, but years, Ellison. Years. Now, he’s back, and everything is just okay? The two of you are back together like the pain he caused isn’t still festering beneath the surface? Fuck that. You left us,” Bowen says, his voice cracking, showing his pain, something he’s been hiding well all of these years.
“Bo.” I sigh. “We’ll talk soon, but I need you to understand that I’m here with Copeland because there is no other choice for me. He and I have a lot to work through, and who knows where this will lead, but we owe it to ourselves to find out,” I tell him. My sisters and Kinzie would be so proud of me right now.
“Fine.” Bowen drains the rest of whatever it was he was drinking, pulls out his wallet, and tosses some cash onto the table. “Enjoy your date night,” he says, standing.
“Bo,” Copeland calls, and Bowen stops and gives him his full attention. “I love her. I’ve always loved her. I’ll tell you anything you want to know. But I’m sorry. I’ve never said that to you, to any of you, and I’m sorry.” Bowen nods. “But remember this, I don’t care what you helped her through. You talk to her with respect always, or you and I will have a problem.”