Last Chance - L. P. Dover Page 0,13

I stared at the back door of the restaurant, willing it to open. When it did, I had hoped the blonde walking out to greet me was Lara, but it was Summer.

“Let me guess, she didn’t want to talk to me?” I asked, leaning against my truck.

Summer shook her head, her gaze sad. “Can you blame her? You’ve flaunted around here with a different girl every week for the past three months, basically throwing it in her face.”

I threw my hands up in the air. “I only did that to see how she truly felt. She hasn’t said anything, so I figured she was over it. Why is she pretending everything’s fine when it’s not?”

Dropping the tailgate on my truck, I sat down and Summer joined me. Seeing her face only made my heartache worse; it was as if Lara was sitting there with me. She placed a hand on my shoulder, showing me sympathy I didn’t deserve.

“It’s her way of coping with it all,” she murmured.

“Will she ever talk to me again?” I asked.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, Luke. For now, you’re just going to have to live with the consequences.”

“Please let me go in there. I won’t cause a scene. I just want to tell her I’m sorry, that I fell for her and it scared me.”

The door to the restaurant slammed shut and Evan marched over. “You can’t,” he answered harshly.

Summer gasped and slid off the tailgate. “I didn’t know you were coming out here.”

His jaw tensed. “Lara told me where you were. I thought you might need some help.” Evan hadn’t talked to me much over the past couple of days; especially after he found out Lara and I had slept together. He was protective of those he cared about, and Lara was one of them.

I slid off the tailgate and faced him. “Why can’t I go in there and tell her I’m sorry? She needs to hear it from me.”

“No, she doesn’t because she won’t believe it. You need to do a lot more than tell her you’re sorry. Actions speak louder than words. And until you can show everyone you’ve changed, it’s best you stay away from her. It’ll only make things worse.”

“What if I go in there anyway?” I questioned, crossing my arms over my chest. I didn’t want to fight Evan, but I was getting desperate. I needed her forgiveness, for her to know I never meant to hurt her.

Evan huffed and closed his eyes. “You’ll have to go through me first. Lara doesn’t want to see you. She’s with someone else now.”

It was as if someone had sucker punched me in the gut, the air being ripped out of my lungs as I took the hit. Summer groaned and I glared at her. “Is that true?”

“Yes, but I don’t see how that is any of your business. She’s happy, so leave her be.”

“Fuck that,” I shouted. “I’m going inside.” I tried to push past Evan, but he blocked me. We faced off with each other, the tension rising.

Summer stepped between us with a hand on each of our chests. “Guys, this is stupid. You’re friends.”

I scoffed and backed away. “That’s where I beg to differ,” I said, glaring at Evan. “If our situations were reversed and it was Summer inside, I’d let you go to her. I would give you the benefit of the doubt and accept that you’ve changed. But you’re not going to do that, are you?”

Evan’s face softened and he sighed. “I would, brother, but this night is special for Summer and Lara. The last thing they need is you and Grayson battling it out. I have no doubt he’ll come after you if you go in there.”

I faltered, the anger welling in my chest. “Fucking Grayson? That’s who she’s with?”

“Can you blame her? He was there for her, after everything you put her through,” Summer said.

Peering down at her, I hoped she could see the determination in my face. “You tell her it’s not over. I’m not going to give up.” With those final words, I jumped in my truck and sped out of the parking lot. The thought of Grayson touching her made me so goddamn furious. I didn’t care if she was with him . . . I wasn’t going to give up.

One Year Later

“You have to stop this,” Evan warned.

I could see Lara through the window, standing behind the bar of Carolina Tavern, with her golden blonde hair pulled back and her face just