Chapter 17 Winston #3
“And you don’t care what your silence is doing to her?
I love her, Hanson.” I lean forward and set my cup on the white saucer it’s paired with, folding my hands together to speak.
“I’m in love with her. I’ve loved her since the first night I saw her.
I searched for her only to find her on the plane you told her not to go on. ”
“Yeah and she almost died.”
“But she didn’t. She didn’t die. She’s her own person. She’s allowed to make any decisions she wants for herself. It isn’t up to you or me, for that matter. Do you love her?” I ask him, silencing the conversation when our waitress returns with his water.
“They’re preparing your order now, Dr. Warrick.”
“Thank you, Amy.” She gives me a small smile and meanders to another table.
“Did you love her too?” Hanson asks snidely.
A chuckle of disbelief escapes me. “You think I fucked the waitress? No, Hanson. I’m not that kind of man. I don’t go around and fuck whoever I want. Answer the question. Do you love her?”
“Yes. I’ve loved her since high school,” he says.
He rubs his hands down his face, and that’s when I see how truly heartbroken he is. He has dark circles under his eyes, and it looks like he hasn’t slept in a weak. His skin is a little pale and his eyes are a bit bloodshot as if he’s cried.
He might have. Dove is definitely the type to cry over. She’s the kind of woman that changes the soul of a man. She has no idea she wields that kind of power either. That’s what makes her so enthralling.
“I’ve loved her every single day and I never told her.
That’s on me. I was too afraid to ruin our friendship.
I don’t think I was ever honest, because I knew deep down she didn’t feel the same way about me.
So when she said she met you on the plane, when she told me you two were together, yeah, I needed space.
How am I guilty for that? Do you know how hard it is to know that the woman I love, loves another man?
Not only loves him but had his child? I remember dreaming of the day I’d get to do that with her and now that dream is dead. ”
“Did you love her? Truly? Or did you love the idea of her only having you in her life? Because that’s different than real love, Hanson.
She’s your best friend and you said you never told her how you felt because perhaps you valued your friendship over taking your relationship a step further. It’s just something to think about.”
His brows pinch together in thought as he takes a sip of water. “Yeah, that’s a good point. I’ll need to think about that. How is she? Is Dove okay? Is the baby?”
I nod. “The baby is wonderful. He’s happy and healthy. Dove is actually at the doctor now to make sure she’s healing properly, but—”
Hanson’s chair grinds across the ground as he scoots closer. “But what? What’s wrong?”
“She’s sad, Hanson. She misses her best friend. Every day, I see her check her phone, and when she doesn’t have a text from you, I see a little bit of her light fade away. She checks your social media to see what you’re up to, but you haven’t posted. She’s heartbroken too.”
“I had this plan to be in her life and the baby’s. I care about him, okay? I helped build the nursery in her apartment. I took her to her appointments. It was me. I was there when you weren’t, and it’s as if I was replaceable the moment she found you again.”
“And I’ll never be able to thank you enough for being there for her when I wasn’t.
You made her life so much easier. You can still be in their lives, Hanson.
I know she would want that and I know you want that too.
If anything, be honest with her. If you can’t be her friend anymore, then be open and honest about that so she can move on too, but I’d hate to see years of friendship go down the drain due to a relationship that even you knew would never happen.
I think you love her deeply, but I don’t think you’re in love with her, because how many men did she date before she met me, and you never did a thing? ”
He rubs a hand over his mouth. “I never thought about it like that before.”
I continue, “You’re threatened because I’m not going anywhere and you aren’t used to sharing her.
I want to make something crystal clear. If you do want to be in her life, you need to know she will be my wife.
Mine. Not yours.” I motion my hand in the air as if it’s being carried away by the wind.
“Your dream or fantasy of being with her will not exist. It doesn’t exist now.
It stopped existing the moment I saw her in Costa Rica.
As long as you know that dream is dead, you and I won’t have any problems.”
Amy picks the perfect time to bring me my to-go order. “Here you are. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“No, thank you, Amy. Have a great day,” I say with a smile.
“You too, Dr. Warrick.” She skips away again, that ponytail swaying left and right from the pep in her step.
I exhale, finishing off the last of my latte, wondering what Hanson will choose.
I’m open to being completely wrong about him not loving her, but I don’t think I am.
He’s so used to being the center of her universe and he doesn’t know how to share.
As friends go, I think Dove can do better, but I won’t be the one who tells her who she can and can’t be friends with. That’s up to her.
“I understand. I’ll think about what you said and tonight, I’ll give her a call.”
“Good. I’m glad. I don’t like her being sad, Hanson. I have more funds than your family has, and I can make your life a living hell if you ever make her sad again.”
“I won’t. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
Reaching for my wallet, I toss a couple hundred dollars on the table to cover the bill and to give Amy a large tip.
“I can cover it,” Hanson says.
“Don’t worry about it. You didn’t order anything. No need.”
“I’ll talk to her, Winston. I will. I want to. I miss her.”
I hold in my anger when I hear those last three words. “Great. I look forward to getting to know you more, then.” I snag the to-go container and begin my stroll to my car.
“Winston?”
I pause when I hear him shout for me.
I turn around, waiting for him to say what he needs to say.
“Thank you. I’ve been angry and this talk actually helped.”
Giving him a curt nod, I cross the street, wanting to get far away from the man who supposedly loves my fiancée. That was not an easy conversation to have, but it had to be done. Dove needed me to do it, even if she never asked.
Giving Hanson a final wave before entering the parking garage, I leave him there to think about his choices. All I can hope is that he makes the right one.
Me? I’m going to go get Dove’s engagement ring so she can finally feel like our engagement is real.