Five
DANIEL
My fingers tap against the table with impatience, and I check my phone again—both for the time and to see if I missed a message from her.
“She’ll show.”
I glance up at Agnes, the older woman who owns this little hole-in-the-wall diner that makes the best brunch in the world, as she tops off the coffee I’ve barely touched. She looks down at me with a twinkle in her eye like she’s thrilled to have both of us back in our old regular booth.
Ali and I used to come here for brunch every weekend she was home during the season, and every weekend during the off-season. She hasn’t been here since we broke up, which I know because I’ve been here every weekend on my day off, and Agnes would have told me if she’d been in.
“I know she will,” I respond, but even I can hear the doubt in my voice.
It’s been over twenty-four hours since we’ve seen each other. What if she took that time and talked herself out of giving us another chance?
Agnes gives me a sympathetic smile and opens her mouth to say something, but before any words come out, the bell over the door rings and both of our gazes shift toward where the love of my life has just entered.
Alison’s gaze locks on mine, and my chest feels tight from how much I love her. There has to be a way I can convince her to take a chance on me. That it’ll be worth it, even if she’s scared.
I honestly don’t think I’ll survive without her in my life. My heart has been hers since the very beginning.
A small smile graces her lips, and that tightness in my chest loosens. When she reaches our table, her gaze swings to Agnes, and her smile brightens as her eyes soften with warmth.
“Agnes. It’s so good to see you.”
Agnes pulls her into a hug, and Ali stiffens slightly before wrapping her arms and hugging the woman back.
I can hear Agnes murmuring something, but not the words.
Alison tears up and then looks over at me, and there’s so much love in her eyes that I have to actively fight my body’s urge to get up and pull her into my arms.
I promised myself I wouldn’t push today—at least not as much as I have been lately.
Agnes finally releases her. “Alright, I’m bringing your usual,” she says and then bustles away.
Ali watches her go with a peaceful smile on her face before she turns back to me.
I stand as she steps closer to the table because it feels rude to stay seated, but it takes great effort not to touch her.
“Hey.”
Her eyes have a spark in them that they haven’t had in a long time. “Hey,” she says. “Brunch was a really good idea. I’ve missed Agnes’s eggs Benedict. Every time I’ve tried to order it, they just throw ham on there.”
I gesture to the table as I talk, and we sit down across from each other. “You know she adds the chorizo to yours because you love it, right?”
Ali looks affronted. “You’re lying.”
I struggle to hold back a laugh. “Not in the slightest. She told me once she overheard you talking when we were sampling all the different menu items before you landed on eggs Benedict. She remembered how much you loved the chorizo, so she thought she’d give it a try, and you acted like it was the best thing you’d ever put in your mouth.
So she just kept making it for you that way. ”
“You’re serious right now? Eggs Benedict doesn’t actually have chorizo on it?”
“Google it.”
She hastily pulls out her phone and her fingers fly across the screen while she types. I know the moment she realizes I’m right because her entire body sags against the backrest.
“Holy shit. I can’t believe it.”
“I can’t believe it took you this long to look it up. It’s been a year since we found this place.”
“Why would I? That was the first time I ever had it, and I never thought to question it. I’m shook right now.”
I barely stifle my laugh, but I can’t hide my smile. “You’ve got weird tastes, my love. Agnes just happens to like feeding them.”
Her cheeks flush and it takes me a second to realize what I said.
My love.
I grab my coffee and look out the window while I take a sip. I need something to occupy my mouth so I don’t accidentally say something else that hints at how close I am to bending down on one knee and proposing to her right now.
She clears her throat. “How was work?”
I almost tell her about the arsonist. She’d know if she watched the news—it’s been all over the headlines—but I know she doesn’t.
She’s always said the world is depressing enough without watching the news.
Instead, I say, “It was uneventful.” It’s not really a lie—we hardly had any calls and no fires.
They were mostly car accidents and one fall at a retirement home.
“The team’s looking really good this year. Lots of murmurs about them going all the way,” I say.
She smiles wide, pride glowing in her eyes. “Yeah, they’re good guys and have found a stride this year that’s made them unstoppable.”
“Every interview I’ve seen them do, they’ve given you large credit for that.”
She keeps her shoulders back and her head held high, confident in her position, and suddenly I’m the one who’s proud—proud of her and all that she’s accomplished. “It’s nice to be listened to. It’s not always easy for female coaches in a male-dominated field.”
“You proved yourself a long time ago. They’re only giving you the respect you more than deserve.”
She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “You and Mark were always going on about that.” The smile slowly slides off her face, and her gaze turns serious. She opens her mouth to speak, but Agnes interrupts by placing down a coffee mug and filling it up with the pot of coffee in her other hand.
“Your orders will be right out.” She steps back and glances between the two of us with a happy smile on her face. “It’s so good to see the two of you back together again. I knew you kids would work it out.”
“Oh! Um…” Alison sputters, glancing at me. I probably shouldn’t let her flounder the way she is, but I’m curious what she’s going to say.
I don’t want her to deny it, but my body braces for her refusal.
Alison’s gaze stares at my face with something that almost looks like longing. When she speaks, her voice is soft. “He’s been more patient with me than I deserve.”
My heart nearly stalls out—afraid to hope that she is really willing to give us another chance. No more hiding from her feelings or denying what we have.
Agnes leans down and says quietly—but loud enough that I can hear—“He knows a good thing when he sees it.” Then more pointedly at Ali. “Do you?”
God, I love Agnes.
Ali blushes, but then nods. “Yeah. I just forgot for a minute.”
Agnes hums, pleased at Ali’s response, while I remain speechless in my seat, afraid to look away from the love of my life for fear this might all be a dream.
I couldn’t tell you exactly when Agnes walks away—I’m too mesmerized by Ali—but eventually I realize she’s not standing next to our table anymore, and Ali and I have just been staring at each other. There’s a lot to be said, but there’s also so much being communicated with just her eyes.
The guilt filters into her expression, and my heart drops to my stomach. She’s going to do it again. I knew it was too good to be true.
“I owe you an apology.”
“For what?” My throat feels dry and scratchy as the words come out. I don’t know if I’m ready for this conversation. After all these months of trying to win her back and being so close, I don’t know if I can take her pulling away again.
“For how I handled things after Mark died. I…well, I didn’t handle it well. Losing him was a blow I wasn’t prepared for. Although I suppose you can never really be prepared for that kind of call, can you?”
“No, I don’t suppose you can.” My muscles ache from me clenching them as my body braces for her to vocalize my fear.
“I knew his job—your job—was dangerous, but that danger didn’t seem real until Mark died.
” She smooths down her ponytail quickly before dropping her hand and rubbing one finger along her thigh.
It’s a nervous gesture I haven’t seen from her in a long time.
Mark said she did it all the time after their parents died, but I’d only seen her do it once or twice when she was afraid of losing her job because there was talk of Coach Denton retiring.
New coaches are notorious for making changes to the coaching staff based on their preferences.
“I was completely blindsided by his death, but when I walked up to his casket, it wasn’t his face I saw lying there. It was yours.” Her voice cracks as tears pool in her eyes.
All the tension fades and is replaced by an ache to hold her, comfort her, and give her all the love inside of me that’s only ever belonged to her.
But I don’t know how receptive she’d be to that, and the last thing I want to do is make her uncomfortable.
She has a hard enough time expressing herself.
“All I could think about was getting that same call, but telling me you were the one who would never come home again. And it broke me, Danny. It was devastating to lose my brother, but the thought of losing you was unbearably terrifying. It seemed like more than my heart could take, so I did the only thing I thought I could. And then I spent the last five months missing you and more miserable than I’ve been in my entire life.
I am so truly sorry I let my fear destroy us-”
“It didn’t,” I cut her off as a tear slides down her cheek.
“What?”
I lean forward and reach my hand out across the table.
She places hers in mine, and I give it a gentle squeeze.
“It didn’t destroy us, Ali. I’m still right here waiting, and I’ll be here when you’re ready to give us a chance again.
I’m in love with you—completely. I’ve loved you since the moment we met.
I have no doubt that you’re it for me, but if you’re not sure because my job is dangerous, I understand.
I’ll wait until you’re sure. But I’m not giving up on you, or on us. ”
The words are so honest, it hurts.
“Even after everything I’ve put you through these past five months?”
“I’m not gonna lie and say it’s been easy.
It’s been hell. I miss you, love. More than I could ever put into words.
But I also get it. I’ve seen other first responders go through similar situations with their partners.
But I’m telling you that you’re all I want.
If you decide you want to give us another chance, I’m in.
I’m in one hundred percent. My heart is yours, and only yours. ”
Tears spill down her face, and I can’t take the distance anymore.
I slide out of my side of the booth and sit next to her, immediately wrapping her in my arms. I hold her close, soaking in the feel of her and enjoying this moment where she’s not pushing me away.
She nuzzles her face against my neck, and I shiver as goose bumps go up and down my arms.
It feels so good to have her in my arms, to have her close, where she belongs. I kiss her forehead, and then she tilts her head up as she slides one hand up my chest until she’s cupping my neck.
“I want another chance,” she whispers, her eyes filled with hope and fear and all the love I know is mirrored in mine. “I’m still scared, but I love you so much, and I don’t want to keep pushing you away anymore.”
My lips descend on hers instantly, giving her every piece of me with a kiss that evaporates any distance she’s put between us over the last five months. She moans quietly into my mouth and slides her fingers into my hair.
A throat clears, interrupting our brief make-out session, and we pull away, both a little dazed from the haze of lust that just took over us.
Agnes watches us with a knowing smile.
I simply grin back and say, “Check, please.”