Running From Forever

by Ashley Wilcox

  I sat back in my office chair with my right foot rested on my left knee as the phone rang. After a few rings, Truly’s friendly voice came on the line, making a warmth and comfort spread throughout my body. I wish I had time to make this order in person; as juvenile as it seemed, a hug from Truly was exactly what I needed right now.

  “Good morning, Truly. It’s Miles,” I greeted, a grin slowly appearing on my face.

  “What do I owe the pleasure?” she answered in her bubbly, familiar tone.

  “I have a bit of a request for you,” I began.

  With no hesitation, she answered, “Of course.”

  “It’s in regards to Kayla. Do you remember her from last week?”

  “Beautiful woman, yes, indeed I recall her. Your girlfriend?”

  I snickered, hearing her praise Kayla with such joy. “Well,” I sighed, “It’s a little complicated at the moment. I care deeply for her; however, there was a situation that conflicted our relationship.”

  “I’m not one of your business execs, love, be forthright,” she scolded. “Tell me what happened, and I’ll be sure to help in any way possible.”

  I smiled again. No, Truly wasn’t on the executive ladder. She was family; one that wouldn’t take complex English, and one of simplicity…humbling. I didn’t need to be anyone other than myself to her. “Do you remember Seamus’ younger brother?” I asked.

  “Yes, the lad that covered for you years ago.”

  “Yes, him,” I agreed. “Well, he came looking for his favor; his IOU.”

  “Okay,” she responded in almost a huff, knowing the story wouldn’t be pleasant.

  “He was Kayla’s ex. She left him for the city, for her new position at ETV, working under Connie.”

  “Oh dear,” she sighed. “He was looking for redemption?” she questioned even though her tone sounded more of a statement. She knew very well where this story was going.

  “Precisely, but I couldn’t do it, not after I met Kayla.”

  “Oh yes, my love. The connection between you both was endearing. A blind man could see it.”

  I chuckled. “Yes, the connection was strong, obvious, and one that I’ve never felt with any other woman,” I agreed, feeling the rise of emotion slowly penetrating my body. “But I wasn’t honest with her. She wasn’t aware of my association with Trevor—she didn’t know about the underlying arrangement.”

  “And shit hit the fan,” she said bluntly.

  “In the worst way possible.” I sighed, feeling the regretful clench in my chest, remembering that evening. “He went too far and sought out her innocent sister. Took advantage of her for Kayla to see.”

  “Oh, sweet Lord!”

  “Indeed.”

  “So now we win her back,” she declared with a cleansing breath. “How can I help, love?”

  “Today, I’m retracing our relationship, making her remember the way we fell in love.”

  “What a sight, Miles. It makes me happy seeing you like this over a girl,” she said whole-heartedly. Knowing Truly and her huge heart, I wouldn’t be surprised if her eyes were brimming with tears.

  “I am, Truly. Painfully and hopelessly. I can’t lose her.”

  “And you won’t, darling. Have faith. Miss Truly will cook that girl up the finest lunch she’ll ever eat, warming her soul to the core.”

  Although my chest was caving, my lips turned to a grin. I knew Truly would help; I knew she would be there for me like she always had. “I’ll have our service pick it up by 11:30 so she can have it for lunch at noon.”

  “Oh, no you won’t, silly boy. This will be a personal delivery made by yours Truly. I’ll have Colby watch the café in my absence.”

  Colby was Truly’s son, handyman, sous chef, helper, and whatever else Truly needed assistance with. Truly had told me once that I would follow him everywhere when we were younger. Though he wasn’t much older than I was, I thought he was coolest kid around.

  “I owe you one,” I told her, chuckling to myself that I had to decrease the times I spoke that sentiment. They were catching up with me and not so pleasantly.

  “Miles Blackwell, I owe the world for the gift you have given me. It’s my pleasure to help you in any way possible.”

  I had told her countless times that my gift to her, opening the café, was a selfless act in conjunction to the years of her putting up with my mindless behavior; never would she ever pay me back or owe me in any way, but it was useless to argue the point. She wouldn’t hear it. In the years since assisting her, I’d been disputing the topic; however there had been no advance in her accepting it, she would forever feel in debt to me. That was just the kind heart she was.

  We continued to work out the menu she would be delivering to what I decided would be Kayla’s entire department and I ended with the win—her troubles would be financially compensated. I wish I could see the look on Kayla’s face seeing Truly deliver lunch to everyone. As a final request, I asked Truly to write “Love, Miles” on some part of Kayla’s specific lunch so that it could be visibly seen. Hopefully that would gain another smile.

  Before I could continue with my everyday work, I had to put my final plan for the evening in motion. This one would take a great deal of preparation and strategic planning on my part. Calling in assistance would be necessary. Coaxing Kayla to be at a specific place at a specific time would need much more than just my love and devotion. I needed someone that could make her be some specific place at some specific time. I needed Connie.

  Knowing that Connie was busy this morning with meetings, I rang her at just after one in the afternoon.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, sister,” I sang.

  She went straight to the point, per usual. “What did you screw up or what favor are you asking?”

  “How was your lunch?” I momentarily dodged the request.

  “I figured that was your doing. It was delicious, as Truly’s meals always are. Another fight for the top?” she asked inquisitively.

  I chuckled. “Indeed. I took Kayla to Truly’s last week, actually,” I told her. “Did she enjoy it?” I had to ask. It was odd having to rely on Connie as much as I have lately, but she was my most direct source to Kayla and I was envious of the amount of hours a day she was able to interact with her.

  She paused. “I couldn’t be sure,” she said with a knowing tone; one that I didn’t like.

  “Pardon?”

  “She wasn’t here for lunch, Miles. A gentleman picked her up just before noon.”

  Immediately leaning forward in my chair, I rested my elbows on my desk, a gutted feeling knotting my stomach. “She…she went to lunch with someone?”

  She sighed. “I really shouldn’t be speaking to you about my assistant’s personal life. It shouldn’t be something I divulge, family or not.”

  “Connie!” I shouted, but caught myself, changing my tone back to a reasonable one before continuing. “Please, I need to know.” I hated how much my voice sounded like I was begging, but I couldn’t control it. I felt the world drop from beneath my feet again. Having to compete with another man was never something I thought I would have to face. But I would. I would do anything for Kayla, this just wasn’t something I had expected to get in my way.

  Exhaling, caving to my plea, she answered, “I’m not sure who he was. Sami and others in the office seemed to. A big guy, tattoos that I could see on his arms, short brown hair and eyes…”

  “The bartender,” I answered, but more to myself.

  “You know him?”

  “Of him,” I corrected, rage beginning to fill my veins, heating my nerves to no end. It was all coming full circle—the reason for his actions Saturday evening—he had some kind of connection to Kayla! I had noticed his gaze linger when speaking to Kayla on Tuesday and Thursday, but I wasn’t aware of any previous relationship. I would find out, though. I would make damn sure there was nothing more than friendship there.

  ***

  Instead of carrying out the remainder of
the evening I had planned for Kayla, I decided to get something else understood first. I needed to make an unplanned stop to a bar I was suddenly becoming more familiar with. I had dinner with a client, then stopped by McShane’s on the way home. Being a Wednesday evening, the bar was slow; only a few patrons occupied stools. It didn’t take more than two minutes for him to notice me, eyes narrowing immediately, his stance becoming visibly broader. He stood noticeably larger than me, more toned and muscular than I could imagine, but it wouldn’t intimidate me. I walked in confidently, my grin kosher but with an added business style lift, providing an air of authority. He met me at my stool from the other side of the bar, exactly as expected.

  “Drink?” he asked through gritted teeth. He didn’t want me there, just as he hadn’t the other night, but the difference between then and now was I knew he was hiding something. I knew he was linked to my love somehow and I wouldn’t be leaving tonight until I found out what the hell was going on.

  “Gin and tonic, if you would?” I asked, placing my card down on the polished wood counter.

  He didn’t muster a reply before leaving to the other end to pour it; his eyes stayed locked on mine, neither of us wavering an inch. When he returned, he didn’t waste any time with getting down to it. “What’s your deal, bro?” he asked, leaning forward, both hands gripping his side of the bar, his weight pushing on them.

  I glared, intrigued. He could feel the challenge, as could I, but I wouldn’t cave; I wouldn’t act inferior. I remained calm with my reply. “I’m having a drink after a long day of work. Is there a problem?”

  He leaned back, resting his back on the other side of the bar behind him, arms crossed over his chest. “I know your type,” he observed. “I know what you’re about and I don’t like it.”

  “I wasn’t aware that I was categorized with a specific group,” I responded coyly, my arms casually resting on top of the smooth wood, my right hand cupped around my drink.

  He wasn’t amused, and certainly not backing down. He held his glare and stance with a no bullshit expression upon his face. “I don’t trust you,” he said, paying no attention to my statement. “Especially with her.”

  I paused before answering, swallowing hard before I did. This was where things would get interesting. The cat was out the bag, the underlying problem between us revealed. He knew why I was there, and he knew I knew about his connection with Kayla.

  Licking my lips first, I leaned in closer. “You know nothing about me,” I reminded him, my tone changing to one of control. “And you know nothing about my feelings for Kayla.”

  He stood, repositioning himself to his previous stance, hands gripping the bar with his weight forward, removing a large portion of distance between us, with only the bar as our separation. “I know how you fucking played her. I know how you tore her apart, and I know how you use women at your disposal.” He inched closer, our faces only a measly foot away from touching. “And I know that I don’t give a fuck who you are.”

  “What you don’t know is that I love her. That I’d do anything for her. And you standing in the way is not something that I give a fuck about.”

  Rage filled his face as he gripped the front of my suit with his right hand. I prepared myself for the blow, but everything came to a stop at the sound of Kayla’s voice from the end of the bar, screaming at us to stop.

  His grip immediately weakened before loosening his hold all together. My attention immediately moved to Kayla, my heart filling my chest, seeing my girl in front of me.

  “Merrick!” she continued to yell, making him step back and his eyes move from mine to hers. “What are you doing?” she asked once she reached him behind the bar.

  I didn’t like the space between us. I wanted to wrap my arms around her so badly. She was in nothing but sweats and t-shirt, but still looked unbelievably beautiful to me. Even with her hair up in an unmaintained mess, she was stunning, taking my breath away instantly. My body was already weakening; I had to have her. I couldn’t handle the separation. I was desperate, hopeless for our love.

  Merrick began to speak, but I wouldn’t hear any of it, cutting him off with my sole focus on my love.

  “I miss you!” I practically shouted. “I miss you so incredibly much I think I might be dying. Please believe I never meant to hurt you, never would that ever be my intention.”

  Her eyes drooped and her posture relaxed at my words; her stare in line with mine.

  “I love you, baby,” I continued. “I love you so frickin’ much I can hardly stand it. Please forgive me. Please let me explain,” I begged and pleaded, careless of what others around me could hear. It was only Kayla and I in the room; no one around us mattered.

  She didn’t speak, just stood there staring, her eyes dropping to my lips and then back up to my eyes. I wanted to reach across the bar and grab her, to pull her into my chest and never let her go again.

  A tear trickled down her face and that was my undoing. I stood, striding purposefully down the length of the bar to retrieve my love. She turned and came towards me, closing the gap between us. Even though my first instinct was to pick her up and hold on for as long as possible, I restrained myself. I needed to regain her trust before devouring. I was still climbing the ladder, but I was feeling the top.

  We stood toe to toe, me looking down and she looking up. I cupped her right cheek with my hand, causing both of our eyes to temporarily shut at the connection. My heart was thumping out of my chest while my body filled with pure, unadulterated emotion. Her eyes had never looked more stunning as they fluttered back open with a sheen of wetness covering them. My tongue wet my lips before whispering, “I am so sorry, baby,” in a tone that only she and I could hear.

  Another stray tear swept her face as others followed. She faintly nodded her head. I couldn’t handle it any longer, wrapping my arms around her, holding her tight against my chest. Her body caved and she heaved sobs in my arms, drenching my suit. I kissed the top of her head over and over, repetitively, feeling her emotion transfer to me.

  “Oh, God, I missed you,” I continued to whisper into her hair, loving the way her body felt flushed to mine.

  She couldn’t speak, she just kept weeping in my arms. My eyes wandered up, finding Merrick, again with his back rested against the back of the bar, head down and arms crossed. I was still unaware of their relationship, but I couldn’t worry about it in that moment. My focus was on Kayla.

  With both hands, I gently gripped each side of her face, holding her eyes connected to mine. Beautiful. Everything about her was. Nothing on Kayla was flawed; she defied perfection in every way. She was stunning…breathtaking. It was crazy to think that we fell in love in such a short period of time, but we had, and I wasn’t challenging it. I had never felt anything so deep within my soul. Never had I ever found someone worth climbing the ladder for. Kayla made it all worth it, though. She was my new reason for living; my new reason for fighting for what I believed in.

  I gently pressed my lips against hers, holding them there for a moment before releasing and touching our foreheads together. “I’m so sorry,” I told her again.

  She shook her head. I added only enough space between our faces to see her eyes, glossed with wetness, but still undeniably beautiful.

  “I should have told you from the beginning. Trevor…I never should’ve…” I began to tell her everything, but her two fingers pressed against my lips, making me stop.

  “I know. I know everything. You don’t have to explain,” she said.

  I looked at her, puzzled. I hadn’t realized she knew.

  “I finally called my sister tonight. After all your thoughtful gestures this week, I finally asked. I had to know your involvement, but wasn’t ready to ask you. She told me what Trevor did to you and then to her,” she said softly, like the words coming from her mouth were toxic. Then she paused, looking down and taking a deep breath before peeking back up to me. “I can’t believe he would go through all that trouble to get back at me.” She hung h
er head, shaking it in disappointment. “I can’t believe he did that to my sister.” She began to weep again. “I can’t believe he sought her out and then took advantage of her like that.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.” I could see and hear the shame in her words, lifting her head to look at me. “You didn’t put her in the café that he happened to be building a master plan in that day.”

  She took a cleansing breath, knowing deep down I was correct, but still felt remorseful about the situation. “I wish she knew who he was that day, instead of the other way around.”

  I nodded my head, agreeing. “I know. Me too,” I said softly, genuinely. Though the way my fist connected with Trevor’s nose after Kayla left that night, I knew he got what he deserved, but I wasn’t about to get into that with Kayla right now—I would tell her eventually.

  She didn’t speak, just stared at me a moment longer. It was then that I realized that Merrick had moved closer and was standing just behind her. Kayla turned, noticing my attention focused on something else.

  “Just don’t fucking hurt her,” he warned, sounding defeated. “She’s the closest thing I have to family. Don’t hurt her again.”

  Kayla smiled before wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging him with all her might. He held her face in his hands, but not like lovers would; more like a big brother giving his sister a stern talking-to. “I’ll always be here…for anything. If you need a place…”

  “I’m done running,” she said, cutting him off. “I don’t want to run anymore.”

  Merrick smiled, moving his arms to wrap around her neck then kissing her forehead. Before he let her go, he held her arms so that she was looking square at him. “I never believed you were lost.”

  Smiling and nodding her head, Kayla agreed. “I know. I was just at a crossroads, but now I know the direction I need to go.”

  I took Kayla home, but not to her apartment, needing her all to myself. The entire walk our arms were wrapped around each other, me pressing countless kisses against the top of her head. I couldn’t get enough. The happiness that was soaring my veins was so unbelievably high that I questioned pinching myself to confirm that this was all real.