“Gin and tonic,” I say to the bartender as I take a seat. The dive bar I found close to the airport seems as good a place as any to wait to check in for my flight.I try not to think about Beau as I down my drink but it’s hard. The last time I was out drinking because of him was the night we created our baby. Our poor child, they never got to see the world.I throw back the rest of my drink and ask for another. It wouldn’t be a good idea to get drunk and miss my flight, but one more won’t hurt.While on my second glass, I’m surprised to see Beau walk into the bar. He takes a seat at one of the booths, joining a man I haven’t seen before. What is he doing here? Even if he wanted a late-night drink, there are bars closer to the estate.I’ll have to get closer to them to figure out what’s going on. Taking a seat in the boot opposite theirs, I drop my head and use my hair to cover my face. It’s wrong to eavesdrop, but I can’t help it. Beau shouldn’t be here, and I know if I were to walk o
I play with my glass as I watch Hannah rub herself against Beau, who doesn’t seem to be enjoying her company very much, but that doesn’t matter. He’s still marrying her. I’m going to have a drinking problem by the time this wedding is over. The rehearsal dinner is tonight, and it’s going horribly for me.Everyone keeps talking about how they’re such a good match for each other. I’m already imagining how awful tomorrow will be. I can’t believe I agreed to stay. What the hell was I thinking?The only reason I decided to come tonight was because I was hoping to get a chance to talk Beau out of getting married, but all I’ve done is drink.I finish my fifth glass of wine and call the server over for a refill. My alcohol tolerance has increased recently, and I don’t want to think about how much drinking I must have been doing lately for that to happen. After my glass is refilled, I go to take a sip, but someone grabs it from my hand.“I think you’ve had enough for tonight,” Beau says, holdi
DELILAHI stare at myself in the mirror and blow out my cheeks. Beau’s getting married today. I don’t know what I thought would happen, but I didn’t think it would ever get to this point. Looking at my dress in the mirror, tears fill my eyes as it’s not the dress I had hoped to wear on Beau’s wedding day. It was foolish for me to have agreed to stay when he asked me. I must have been possessed because only a fool would stay and watch the love of their life marry someone else.Using my hands, I fan myself and take deep breaths to calm down. I don’t want to ruin my makeup. Since I already agreed to stay, I might as well see this to the end. I’m picking up my purse to leave when someone knocks on my door. I go to open it, wondering if Tamara changed her mind about meeting me downstairs and needs something before we go. But Tamara isn’t who’s standing in the hall.“Beau?” I say, shocked.“Can I come in?” he asks, smiling.Why is he smiling? And most importantly what the hell is he doing h
Thirty minutes later, we’re flying to Chicago in Beau’s jet. I had planned to come check on Axel even before Beau and I worked things out, and once I explained to Beau what was going on with Camila and Axel, he agreed that we should go. Axel has refused to answer any of my calls the past three days, and Camila has been worried sick about him.I would be a lot more upset about the situation if I didn’t have Beau’s support. I still can’t believe we’re here together. It’s like a dream. I touch his face to make sure it’s real.“I’m sorry again for everything I did while I was pretending to have lost my memory.” Beau says, placing his hand over mine.“There is nothing to be sorry for. I know you didn’t want to hurt me. I’m sure it must have pained you to do it.” I run my other hand through his soft curls. I’ve missed doing that.“You can’t imagine, my love. My heart was pierced every time I hurt you. I am truly sorry.” He stares into my eyes, and I can tell he means every word.I smile sof
I walk out of the elevator once it reaches Axel’s floor. After we landed in Chicago, Tamara and I immediately came to Axel’s apartment complex, while Beau went to the hotel with our bags. The plan is to meet him there later. Speaking to Axel couldn’t wait. His mom even texted me to say she’s worried about him.He hasn’t shown up to work the past few days and is shutting everyone out. His mom, my Aunt Caroline, tried talking some sense into him but it didn’t work. She’s hoping Tamara and I will have better luck. So much so that she even met us in the lobby to give us her set of keys to his apartment in case Axel wouldn’t let us in.Just as we’re about reach his door, I stop in my tracks. “Camila?” I say, shocked to see her standing there. She didn’t tell me she was coming.“Hi Lilah, Tamara,” she says, her voice low. She doesn’t look good. There are bags under her eyes, and her nose is red. She’s obviously been crying. If I hadn’t seen her without makeup before, I don’t think I would e
One Year LaterI stare at Beau’s handsome face as he sleeps soundly beside me. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe that we’re finally together. I softly peck his lips before slipping out of bed, making sure to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake him. I pick up my purse and walk to the bathroom with it. Opening my handbag, I take out the object I’ve been hiding from Beau since I bought it yesterday.How wonderful will it be if the result comes back positive?I take the pregnancy test, then set the timer on my phone and wait impatiently in the bathroom. Beau will be so happy if I’m pregnant. We haven’t been trying to have a baby, but I know he’ll be pleased regardless. We’ve spoken about starting a family one day, so I know it’s something we both want.After what feels like an eternity, the timer on my phone goes off. I pick up the test and see two lines. I’m pregnant.“Two lines!” I scream. I can’t believe it. It feels like a dream come true. I know this isn’t the first tim
Standing up from my chair and walking to the window with a cup of coffee, I look out and take in the scene before me. Many cars are trying to beat traffic and make it to work in the city of Austin. A crowd of people swarms the sidewalk heading towards the various buildings in the center of the city. I take a deep breath as the morning sun shines on my face. A ring sounds, snapping me out of my thoughts. Setting my coffee mug on the table, I pick up my phone. The caller ID reads Daddy with a crown emoji beside it.“Hello, Dad,” I say, answering the phone.“How are you, Delilah? Are we still on for lunch today?” “You saw me before I went to work this morning,” I reply, shaking my head and smiling. I can’t believe he’s worried about how I’m doing. “It doesn’t matter. A lot can happen in an hour or two.”“Really, Dad?” He’s nothing if not protective. If the man had his way, I wouldn’t work at all, but it hasn’t always been like this. We only became close after my mom died and I moved to
I pace up and down my office, thinking about ways to murder Beau. It felt so surreal seeing him after all this time. The nerve of him to show up today as an investor. Did he expect me to smile and welcome him? He must be on something to think I would forget what he did to me. Seven years have passed, but it doesn't mean I would open my arms wide and welcome him as if nothing had happened. It’s going to take longer than that for me to forgive him."Lilah, you need to calm down. You look like you’re about to kill someone," Camila says, sounding worried as she watches me."That's because I want to, or rather I need to." I say, fuming with anger."I’m very sorry I invited him. I swear if I knew it was the same Beau who broke your heart years ago. I would’ve never picked him to be our investor. I’m so sorry." Beau and I started dating when I was sixteen and broke up before I went to college, so Camila never met him. But she’d heard the stories."I know. You don't have to apologize. I’m sur