Want You Back - River Laurent Page 0,67

between us.

“I wish I’d been there for you,” he said.

“How could you when I’d walked out of our marriage?” The words slipped out of my mouth before I could filter them.

I stopped dicing lettuce and faced Alex. “I’m really, really sorry for the pain I caused you. You didn’t deserve any of it and if I could turn back the clock, I would.”

I was apologizing for so much. For fleeing our marriage, for keeping his son away from him, and for destroying our dreams. I remember how happy and simple our lives had been and I wanted to cry.

We had such a short time together, but it had been the happiest period of my life.

“It was the happiest period of my life,” he said, echoing my thoughts.

“Tell me about your life back in New York?” I said. “I remember how excited you were to work at your father’s law firm. Was it everything you wanted it to be?”

“It’s a job,” he said. “I don’t mean to pile on the guilt but you asked, so I’ll tell you. All those dreams meant nothing when you left. They were important to me only if we would do it together.”

Pain sliced through me. I didn’t know how to respond. The raw honesty and pain in his voice almost brought me to my knees.

“I can practice law anywhere,” he said. “What about you? What happened to your dreams of opening your own sandwich shop?”

Mine was easy to answer. “Life happened. Responsibilities took over.”

“Kayden?” he asked, as we both returned to our tasks.

“Yes.”

“I would be happy to loan you the money you need to start. I’ve made piles of money to be honest and I’ve spent very little of it,” he said.

I stared at him, shocked that he would even make such an offer. “You can’t spend your hard-earned money like that.”

“I can spend it anyway I like. Then of course there’s my trust fund money. Following your logic I can spend it how I wish, since, I haven’t worked hard to earn it.”

“No, Alex,” I said.

“The offer is open. You can change your mind anytime. You mean a lot to me Chaz. You always will.”

Alex

It was Saturday Morning and I stayed in bed and caught up on my subscriptions most of which were law magazines. I kept thinking about Kayden and Chaz. It was almost ten and depending on what time Kayden had waked up, it was almost time for his morning nap.

The weekend stretched out before me and I contemplated asking them to do something fun together. Like taking Kayden to the zoo. I’d done some research and there was one about twenty minutes away in the next town.

I picked up my phone to text Charlotte and then it hit me that I’d never seen her texting. Was her eyesight that bad that she couldn’t text? My phone vibrated as I was still musing over Charlotte’s vision problems.

I looked down and was surprised to see Charlotte’s name flashed across the screen. It reminded me of the time we had been married. We’d been so close that we had fallen into the habit of finishing each other’s sentences.

I swiped a finger across the screen to answer.

“Morning, I was just thinking about you.”

“Morning to you too.”

I could hear the smile in her voice. Charlotte was one of those people who was perpetually happy irrespective of time. She never had a bad day or woke up feeling down. The Charlotte I remembered viewed each day like a gift to be savored.

“What were you thinking?” she asked.

I could visualize her cradling the phone. Kayden’s voice sounded from the distance and I found myself smiling and wishing that I was home with them.

“I was thinking how nice it would be to go to the zoo with you and Kayden this afternoon.”

She sighed. “That’s actually what I was calling you about. Michael, the chef who is on duty today called to cancel. He has some sort of emergency so I have to go in.”

Chaz sounded so uncomfortable asking, I jumped in to save her the trouble. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

I could hear her sigh of relief over the phone.

“You’re a lifesaver. Thanks so much Alex. And yes, to the zoo date. Kayden and I would love to go. Tomorrow.”

I grinned like a fool. “Great. See you soon.”

I powered off my laptop and shut it. I took the fastest shower in the history of man and when I was done, I stared at my face critically. There was