by Kennedy Fox
“Pros of dating an old guy is getting a senior discount at restaurants.” I shrug, reaching for a couple of fries before shoving them into my mouth. “Plus, Viagra means you can go all night long. Personally, older sounds better, so you should start going to church.”
“You give out the best advice! It’s a wonder you’re single!”
We’re both laughing when the waitress asks if we’d like refills. We pass and finish our basket of fries.
“I wrote Noah in prison,” she says softly, looking down. “For years, actually.”
“Did he write back?”
“Never. Doesn’t let me visit him either.”
I tilt my head, studying her sad expression. I can tell how much it hurts her. “Do you know why?”
Katie shrugs as she quickly brushes a tear off her cheek. “No. I wish I did, though. Everleigh and Gemma think I’m holding out for his return, but the minute I see him, I plan to cuss his ass out, then slap him.”
“Has anyone else talked to him? Maybe they can ask—”
“Only Jerry and Gemma. He says it’s complicated.”
I furrow my brows, trying to think of a reasonable explanation as to why Noah would push his best friend away. Gemma swears Noah’s been in love with Katie for years, even before Gabe asked her out.
“He’s probably embarrassed and distraught over what happened and can’t face you.”
“I thought that too, but it’s been years now! I haven’t seen or talked to him since the day of the accident. I never got to say goodbye.”
“Prison’s an ugly place, and I’m sure he doesn’t want you to see him like that.”
“Why can’t he just lift a damn pen and write me back?”
“Because he’s a coward?” I guess. “I wish I had a better answer for you.”
Defeated, she shrugs and leans against the booth. “I only want answers from him, but it seems like it won’t ever happen. I was heartbroken over losing Gabe even though he was cheating, but not having Noah in my life broke me in other ways.”
“I hope for your sake he comes back and fixes his mistakes. I’ll tell you, though, life after prison isn’t easy. Especially with how long he’ll be in there.” Noah got twelve years, but Gemma told me it’s looking more like ten with his good behavior.
“I’m not welcoming him back with open arms, if that’s your suggestion.”
I chuckle at the way she scoffs. “Nope. Not at all. He’s got a lot of explaining to do and not only to you either.”
Katie smiles and finally releases a soft laugh. “Thanks, Tyler. I really appreciate you talking to me.”
“What are awkward first dates for?” I beam, and we finish off the rest of the fries.
“Good mornin’,” I greet Gemma Monday morning with a wide grin when I walk inside the lobby.
She looks up at me from the computer. “Morning. My dad’s looking for you.”
“Uh-oh. Am I in trouble?” I pretend to pout, then walk over to fill a cup with coffee.
“Doubtful. He adores you.”
Stepping toward her, I lean one arm against the counter. “And you?”
“What? No!” Her forehead creases. “I mean, wait…do I what?”
Before I can respond, Jerry enters the lobby in a chipper mood. “Tyler! Good to see ya, son.” He cheerfully pats my shoulder, then gets himself a cup of coffee, too. “Hope you’ve recovered from your hot date because we have a jam-packed day.”
“Yes, sir.” I chuckle, then flash Gemma a wink who then narrows her eyes. “A little sore, but nothing I can’t handle.”
I don’t mention it’s from working out all weekend and bruising my knuckles on the punching bag, but neither of them needs to know that. It’s clear Gemma has no idea that Katie and I decided to just be friends, or her nostrils wouldn’t be flaring with jealousy.
“Good, good.” Jerry walks past me with his coffee in hand. “If you and Katie get real hot and heavy, y’all might even beat Gemma and Robert to the altar with how long they’ve been waiting.”
I nearly choke on the hot liquid as Gemma’s cheeks burn red.
Jerry chuckles as he opens the shop door. “See ya out there.”
“Since we had a double date, maybe we should have a double wedding too? Whatcha think?” I rest an elbow on the counter.
“Why are you enjoying this so much?”
“Enjoying life? Could be the fact that I’m no longer behind bars. What’s not to enjoy, Gemma?”
She rolls her eyes with a huff. “I don’t have time for your childish games, so go do your job so I can do mine.”
I stand tall and salute her. “Yes, ma’am.”
Smirking at her displeased groan, I enter the shop and start my first assignment.
“You’re a fuckin’ asshole,” Gemma snaps the moment we’re alone in the break room. She marched inside as soon as I grabbed my lunch from the fridge.
“Excuse me?”
“I just spoke to Katie, who told me exactly how your date ended.”
“Did she now?” I muse. “Did she explain it thoroughly enough, or would you like a demonstration?”
She crosses her arms over her chest, glaring. “Cut the shit, Tyler. I know y’all decided to just be friends and shared a basket of fries.”
“Best damn fries in town.” I set down my food and take a seat.
Gemma slams her palm on the table. “Why do you insist on driving me crazy?”
“How am I driving you crazy exactly? I’m sitting here, trying to eat. So either join me or go back to your fiancé.”
“Is that what your damn problem is? You left, and years later, I finally moved on and found a man who loves me. Now you’re hell-bent on…what exactly?” She throws up her arms, flustered. “Making me jealous? What was I supposed to do, wait for you forever? You barrel back into town and—”
“And what?” I snap. Pushing to my feet, I walk until I’m standing directly in front of her. “I’m not trying to make you jealous. Katie and I decided to be only friends, but I never said otherwise because you didn’t ask. But if you’re second-guessing your loyalty to your fiancé, then that’s on you and was happening way before I came back. So, think about that instead of accusing me of being the problem.”
“I never said you were the problem…” she whispers.
“So there’s a problem?” I ask, and she lowers her eyes. “Does he always act like he did Saturday night?”
She swallows hard before licking her lips. “No. I mean, not really. He doesn’t have a bad temper, but he’d been drinking and was frustrated.”
I step back slightly and cross my arms to stop myself from reaching out and touching her. “Over what?”
Gemma shakes her head and attempts to walk away, but I grab her arm and gently pull her back. “Tell me.”
“He wants to move the wedding to November instead of March.”
I swallow hard as the vein in my throat threatens to burst. “How come?”
“He thinks we’ve been engaged long enough and doesn’t want to wait anymore.”
Closing the gap between us, I tilt her chin up until her eyes lock with mine. “And what do you want?”
“I thought I knew, but now I’m second-guessing myself.” Her voice sounds so broken that I’m tempted to lower my mouth to hers and take away the pain. But I know that’d only cause more harm than good.
“Follow your heart, Gemma. You can’t go wrong then. Whatever your gut is telling you, believe it.” Cupping her face, I press a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Then I do the hardest thing I’ve done in years and walk away so I don’t do anything stupid.
Slowly but surely, Gemma’s weaving herself back into my heart as if no time ever separated us, except she’s not mine to have anymore. I gave her up, and now we’re both paying the price of the heartache.
After work, Gemma’s nowhere to be found, which is a good thing. With what happened during lunch, we both need the reminder that she’s engaged to another man.
/> Even worse, I don’t have time to lose myself working out because I have a conference call with Serena, Eric, and the prosecutor to discuss the deposition. Serena agreed to be on the call to help me make an educated decision.
When I’m finished showering, my phone dings with a text from Serena.
Serena: Ready? They’re supposed to call in ten minutes.
Tyler: Ready as I’ll ever be.
Serena: Good. Let me do the talking so you don’t unintentionally spill any information he doesn’t need, just to be safe.
Tyler: Got it.
Then I send her a zipped-lip emoji, and she sends a laughing one in return.
Thankfully, Everleigh isn’t home, so I can have some privacy. I don’t want her knowing the details of what’s going on just yet.
Right on time, I get on the call and introduce myself and Serena to the prosecutor. Eric chimes in and re-explains the situation for Serena’s sake and the prosecutor confirms everything he says. As Serena asks questions, I stay quiet and listen. She knows more about the risks of agreeing to this than I do and drills them for thirty minutes straight. They answer everything without hesitation.
“When would you need me to come there?” I ask. I might need to request a day or two off work to fly there and back.
“These things take time, so about a month. I’d like to get a few more on board before we commit to a date, but as soon as I find out, I’ll send you the final paperwork if you’re in,” the prosecutor explains.
“Alright, I should be able to do that. Gives me enough time to tell my boss. How long do I have to decide?”
“We’ll need to know as soon as possible, but if you and Serena need to discuss, then I’d just ask that you let me or Eric know within forty-eight hours.”
“Alright, I can do that.”
“Please understand that this is a long process, and it’s going to be a while before everything is in motion, but this is one step toward justice,” he explains.
“I’ll never stop fighting for justice for Amara,” Eric grinds out. “So you’d really be helping me out.”
“I understand, man. I’ll let you know soon.”
Once the conference call is over, Serena calls me and tells me her thoughts. She explains the cons—getting involved with anything that has to do with the O’Learys again could always lead to backlash—and the pros—helping that bitch get what she finally deserves.
“It’s settled then,” I confirm. “I’m gonna text Eric and tell him I’m in.”
Chapter Fourteen
GEMMA
This morning, Robert invited me to have dinner at his house tonight. Ever since I agreed, I’ve been a nervous wreck. On the way to his house after work, I grow more anxious, but I don’t know why. We spoke a little yesterday about what happened Saturday night and mostly cleared the air, though if my pounding heart is any indication, some lingering tension remains between us. It doesn’t help that Tyler and I had a weird moment today. My head is still spinning from it all.
When I walk through the front door, I find Robert in the kitchen, preparing lemon pepper chicken and roasted potatoes. Over his shoulder, he gives me a smile, but it looks forced. Maybe it’s just me, though, because I’ve been restless the past two nights.
“Hi, darling. Dinner’s almost ready. Can you pour the wine?” he asks as I set my things down.
“Sure. Which kind do you want?” I ask. Robert’s a wine snob, and I never pick the one that pairs correctly with our food.
After grabbing the white wine he requests, I set the table, then take a seat to wait. As soon as it’s all ready, he brings my plate and glass of Sauvignon Blanc, then kisses my head.
“Eat up, sweetheart.”
“Thank you. This looks delicious.”
Robert’s a great cook. In fact, he’s good at everything he does, or at least, it seems that way. I don’t think he’s bad at anything. He always gets what he wants and works hard to make sure it stays that way. It can be intimidating because compared to him, I always feel as though I’m lacking.
We make small talk while we eat but don’t chat about anything in particular. His responses are quick and to the point, which is odd, considering he loves to talk in depth about work. I can tell something is off, but I’m not sure if I should bring it up.
After our plates are empty, I thank him again for cooking, then I clear the table. I rinse the dishes and soak the pans, then Robert mentions we should watch a movie as I suggested last Thursday.
As I snuggle against him while a war movie plays, he wraps his arm around me and squeezes me closer to his body. “So, I was thinking it’s time for you to quit your job.”
When I look at him, a lump forms in my throat. He’s dead serious.
“What did you say?”
“There’s no reason for you to work, Gemma. I’ll be taking care of you.”
My mouth falls open, and I’m almost at a loss for words. “Robert, I can’t just quit my job. I work for my family’s business.”
His eyes harden. “Then your dad needs to fire Tyler. He’s the one who hired him after all.”
I tilt my head at him and realize this isn’t about him wanting to provide for his future wife. It’s something different.
Furrowing my brows, I look at the man in front of me and wonder when the hell he changed. Or maybe I’m the one who has? Perhaps he’s been this way all along, and I’ve been blind to it.
“What does Tyler have to do with anything?” I ask. And why did he wait two days to bring this up? He apologized for his behavior yesterday, and now tonight it’s like our conversation never happened.
Robert stands, then turns on the lights. His face is red as he begins pacing the living room. Adrenaline rushes through me as I watch him getting worked up, more than I’ve ever seen.
“Tyler is dangerous!” he shouts. “I don’t want my future wife around a criminal. I don’t give two fucks if he claims he was ‘set up.’ How can you or anyone trust a convict like him?”
I glare at him as he continues raising his voice. He’s yelling at me like I’m a child, and I’m two seconds away from grabbing my keys and bolting.
“On top of his shady drug dealing past, I don’t like the way he fucking looks at you—like you’re a piece of meat and drooling over you. You are mine, Gemma. You. Are. Mine!” He picks up a picture frame and whips it across the room. The glass shatters against the wall, making me jump.
“Robert, stop! You’re scaring me,” I tell him. I see the crazed look in his eyes, and it makes me want to crawl out of my skin. “Tyler is just trying to get his life back on track. He’s not a threat to anyone.”
“Bullshit! I have lost all respect for your father. He’s useless.”
Hearing him talk about my dad makes me snap. No one gets to talk shit about my family, especially not him.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I stand and speak louder, meeting his level of rage. “You’re not going to talk about my dad like that. He did Tyler a favor because that’s the kind of man my father is. I didn’t even know Tyler was applying for the job, so you’re making it out to be something it’s not, which is seriously pathetic. You need to grow up, Robert. Not everything is about you!” Weeks of pent-up stress and frustration blow through me as he works my last nerve.
Robert snarls at me, stepping closer with darkness in his eyes. “Why are you defending Tyler again?” He studies me with a harsh expression. “Are you sleeping with him?”
My jaw nearly falls to the floor, and I'm in such shock that I slightly lose my words, and then the anger begins to boil over. His accusation is a slap in the face, and I shake my head, seeing red. “How dare you! How fucking dare you!”
“Well?” He waits with his arms crossed over this chest as if my reaction wasn’t enough of an answer.
I walk out of the living room to the kitchen island, then grab my purse. I’m not wasting another minute on this ridiculous conversation. As soon as I turn to walk out, Robert grabs my wrist and pulls
me back.
“You’re not leaving,” he demands.
“I don’t know how you have the audacity to look me in the eyes and ask if I’ve slept with another man. How can you even think that? I’ve been one-hundred percent loyal to you and our relationship the entire time. I agreed to marry you, for god’s sake!”
“What am I supposed to think when you’re dead set on defending him and your father’s choice to hire him? You’re supposed to be on my side.” He jerks me closer to him. “Not some loser convict who’s probably going to steal the rug out from under you both. He’s gonna screw you guys over big time, and y’all will come crying to me to fix it.”
“Have you lost your goddamn mind?” I hiss. Tyler would never do that, ever, to anyone.
“It makes perfect sense that you’re fucking him behind my back. I saw the way you two looked at each other as if y’all were hiding a secret. Do you know how embarrassing it was when you stood up for him in the bar? You should’ve kept your damn mouth shut.”
I forcefully escape from his grasp, and my wrist throbs from how tight he was holding me. There’s no point in even trying to talk to him right now. He’s completely out of line.
“I’m leaving. We can talk again when you can be rational.”
“We need to move the wedding up. I’m tired of waiting. So decide if you want to marry me or if you want to keep fucking that drug dealer behind my back. But don’t think for a second I’m letting you go that easy. He’ll be a dead man before I let him take my fiancée.”
My mouth falls open, and I’m so furious, tears well in my eyes at his threats. It’s been a long time since I’ve angry-cried. He glares at me, and all I can do is shake my head before I spin around and walk out the door. Surprisingly, he doesn’t try to stop me this time.
When I get into my car, I let out a guttural groan, and tears spill down my cheek. I can’t believe that just happened. Robert has never spoken to me that way, and aside from this past weekend, he’s never acted so rude to another person. Swallowing hard, I try to regain my composure, then back out of the driveway. Dad always taught me not to get behind the wheel when I’m upset, but I can’t stay inside that house while Robert’s temper spikes.