Chapter Thirty-Four
Blue
A fresh cup of coffee steams in front of me, and I can’t even enjoy it.
The paperwork in my hands may as well be written in a foreign language, because I don’t understand a single thing I’ve read.
The deadline to make the fixes at the center is fast approaching and I don’t even know where to start. In fact, thanks to Seth’s absence, I’ve made exactly zero leeway since we were handed the violation.
I didn’t expect this project to be easy, but I sure as hell didn’t expect it to feel impossible.
I take a breath and settle deeper into the booth, listening as the quiet banter lulls around me.
Through the cutout that opens up from the kitchen, Uncle Dusty calls for an order pickup, and this place still feels like a second home.
It’s why I chose to complete this stupid paperwork here.
I thought it’d put me in a calm headspace.
Nope, I was wrong.
“Ugh!”
I say that a little louder than I mean to, earning myself a stern look from the old guy in the next booth, but I hate this.
Honestly, a couple days after seeing West, I was tempted again to give up, but then I remembered the promise I made him.
That I wouldn’t let a few setbacks stop me from finishing what I started.
“Let’s see,” I sigh, flipping the page.
The technical jargon is giving me a headache, but I push through, taking notes on what I believe to be the next steps. But just as I reach the point of needing another break, a warm hand grips the back of my neck, giving it a soft squeeze.
Peering up, my eyes land on West’s green stare, and I swear seeing him just unleashed an entire swarm of butterflies inside my stomach. He slides into the bench across from me, legs nearly too long to fit. He sets a folder down on the table but doesn’t call attention to it.
My eyes flash back to his.
“H—hey,” I say, sounding every bit as confused as I feel. “What are you… doing here?”
He smirks and the butterflies dance on cue.
“Checked your location,” he clarifies. “I’ve been working on this for almost a week and thought you might be interested.”
My head tilts as my eyes land on the folder again. “What is it?”
Perfect teeth flash for a brief second when he smiles. “Redemption. Hopefully,” he adds with a laugh.
The response only leaves me more confused, but I’m intrigued enough that I set my paperwork aside to grab the folder instead.
“I heard what you said during dinner last weekend, and I also couldn’t ignore how my behavior added to your stress. So… I did a bit of research with hopes of lightening your load.”
Okay, now I’m super confused.
I open the folder and, at first, I’m not sure what I’m looking at, but when I focus, things start to make sense. It’s résumés. About fifteen to twenty of them, all with highlights where I’m guessing West thought certain skills stood out.
“I pulled them off a local site where contractors compete for bids. I chatted with a few over the phone, had them send over their resumes, and I held onto the ones I thought you’d like.”
I blink at the words on the pages, seeing how much time and care he put into this, and I’m… overwhelmed.
“You didn’t have to do this.” My voice is softer than I mean for it to be, because I’m so caught off guard by the gesture.
“I hated seeing how you’ve been struggling to get this done, and I also know it’s on me that Seth is gone, so…”
“Seth leaving isn’t on you,” I cut in, correcting his wrong thinking. “Seth is gone because he doesn’t have any self-control, and he messed up. Big time.”
West lets that sit with him for a second, then nods. “Still, I thought this might help.”
It was one thing for West to say he supports me, my dream, and another for him to show his support.
“I don’t know what to say.”
I peer up at him, and it feels like my heart’s in my throat. For so many months now, our time together has been marred with feelings of doubt, anger, frustration, but as I stare at him now, it’s like that’s all melted away.
Not in an instant, and not because of this one gesture, but because… this feels different.
The setback with Seth made my emotions flare.
I was furious at first, but once that burned away, I saw what was underneath.
West wasn’t just acting recklessly. He was raw and lost his cool in the heat of the moment.
He loves me, and he doesn’t always know what to do with that when he feels threatened.
He speaks differently, handles himself differently, and not only am I loving what I’ve seen.
I miss him.
Like, really miss him.
It’s gotten to the point that I can hardly fall asleep without him. It wasn’t always that way. For a time, I couldn’t find peace with him, now the opposite is true.
“Well, look these over when you get time, and let me know if I can help in some other way.”
“You’re leaving?”
He nods. “Yeah, I have an appointment.”
That’s all he says, and my head tilts.
“It’s… another therapy session,” he admits like he’s holding his breath, and yet again, I’m caught off guard.
“Another therapy session? As in, there have been others?”
He didn’t tell me…
There’s this moment where he pauses, like he didn’t intend to share this with me, or maybe just not like this, but he eventually nods.
“Yeah, this will be my second appointment. I’m on schedule to go every Tuesday.”
I swallow when a lump forms in my throat, and I’m now certain the man sitting before me isn’t at all who he was just a few months ago. No, he’s not perfect, but he’s something far better than that.
He’s healing.
I can see it in his eyes. Not that he’s got it all figured out or that he’s found some miracle cure, but he’s finally focusing on himself.
Which I love for him.
“Wow, I’m not sure what to say.”
He shrugs. “It’s okay to say you were right. Just this once.”
I laugh a little, but honestly, I’m so unbelievably proud of him.
He checks the time again, and knowing he has to leave, something inside me feels broken. Out of place.
“I’m gonna take off. Text you later.”
I nod, staring aimlessly into his eyes, fighting myself because there’s something I desperately want to say.
But… I’m scared.
Scared I’m misreading all the signs that he’s changed, scared I could get hurt again.
He slides out of the booth, then stops to place a kiss on the top of my hair as he passes. I’m tempted to stand, tempted to block his way, but I don’t move. It’s like my feet are glued to the floor.
Every instinct in me screams to stop him, to say what’s been sitting in my chest for weeks. To stop pretending I’m not already halfway back, just short of making that final step.
I stay planted, trying my damnedest to ignore the voice screaming inside my head, but when I hear that bell ding over the diner door as West exits, I can’t fight it anymore.
I’ve spent weeks trying to silence that voice, but this time… I listen.
He’s halfway across the parking lot when I burst through the doors, breathing wildly because my heart’s on the line, and I’m about to make that known. But as his name rolls off my tongue, I don’t regret chasing him out here.
Not even a little.
“West!”
He stops and spins, surprised to see me standing there. My shoulders heave with every breath as I go to him, rehearsing what I’ll say, giving myself permission to fall hard and fast.
“Do you have plans tonight?”
His brow tenses with concern. “No. Why, what’s up?”
My heart thunders behind my ribcage, my hands are shaking at my sides.
“I wondered if you could help me with something.”
His head tilts with confusion as he slips both hands into his pockets. “Whatever you need.”
I force my breathing to steady because I can’t mess this up. “I was thinking… you could help me move my things back home. If that’s okay.”
West blinks, like he’s not sure he heard me right, but then awareness sets in. His expression softens, and he doesn’t break his gaze. I still can’t steady my breathing, and I need him to respond. Need to hear him say he wants this too.
But before he says anything, I see it. There’s no smile yet, just this unmistakable look of relief.
“You’re sure?” His voice is low, steady, cautious.
“I’m sure,” I nod.
He doesn’t blink as the wind moves between us. “Because I know I bring it up sometimes, and I just need to know you’re not doing this because you feel pressured.”
I’m already shaking my head. “West… I’m coming home because I want to.”
He holds my gaze a little longer, and I feel the moment he finally gets it. That’s when the smile I was waiting for finally shows up, and the large, warm arms I could live in forever pull me to his chest. So tight I can’t tell whose heartbeat is whose.
“So, tonight?” I ask.
He squeezes tighter. “Tonight.”
*
@QweenPandora:
Wow, lovelies.
It’s been a long time coming, but according to this pic, it seems the royal couple have FINALLY rekindled their love.
A hug shared in the parking lot of Dusty’s Diner is a fitting place for these two to make amends, and while I was just as addicted to the drama as the rest of you, I’m actually glad they got their act together.
I mean, now we can finally shift our focus to other members of the #GoldenCrew.
For now, there seems to be peace in the city of Cypress Pointe, but I think we all know the drill. There’s always a moment of calm right before a storm rolls in, leaving a path of destruction.
So, rest easy for now, but be on guard for whatever comes next.
Because something always comes next
Later, peeps :)
—P