A Second Chance at Forever (Chance #2)

by K. B. Andrews

  I rolled from bed and sent Nicole a text.

  “Can we meet up for dinner tonight at the bar? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

  I set the phone down and went to shower and dress for work.

  As I was leaving, I noticed I had gotten a reply from Nicole.

  “I would love that. I have something to tell you, too. Love you.”

  I slid the phone into my pocket and headed toward the kitchen. I needed coffee and it couldn’t wait until I got to town. I made a cup and started for my truck.

  I made it to work an hour later. I refilled my coffee and headed outside to give Trent a hand.

  “Hey, need any help?” I asked when I opened the door to the rental shop and flipped the sign to open.

  “Did you ever finish the houseboat the other day?”

  “Not quite, just some minor stuff left. Why?”

  “Sarah and I were wanting to take it out. She wants to catch up with Lennox and I figured you could come. What do you say?”

  “I don’t know, man. Shit is kind of complicated right now.”

  “Decide later if you want to come. Can I have the boat?”

  “You know you can.” I turned toward the door to get some work done.

  The day passed quickly. I finished up work on the houseboat. I gassed everything up, did a few oil changes and signed paperwork all day. I was counting down the hours until I could break up with Nicole and see Lennox again. I knew that calling things off with Nicole wouldn’t be something I was ready for, but being able to see Lennox afterward made it all worth it. I had enough time to run home and change clothes before practice, then it was time for dinner with Nicole, where I could get everything off my chest.

  Once a month, we had a local high school soccer team come to our field to practice with. We’d done this so many times that the guys no longer saw them as competition, we were like one big team. They played hard against each other and they really helped each other out on the field.

  When I arrived at the field both teams were already there. They gathered in big groups, talking and hanging out like old friends instead of rivals.

  “Okay guys, let’s warm-up!” I yelled when I made my way to the field. “Dan, how ya been?” I asked, shaking the hand of the coach for the other team.

  “Good. You?”

  I shrugged. “I’m still here.”

  We quickly talked about what warm-ups we wanted to do before getting down to work.

  By the end of the night, I was worn out and tired. My body was sore from all the lunges and high kicks, not to mention the two miles we ran around the field. I was hot, hungry, and ready to get the night over with. I loaded up my stuff and was about to take off when Dan approached me.

  “You want to hit up the bar? I could really use a cold beer after that practice.”

  “I would, but I’m meeting up with Nicole.”

  “You and Nicole are still together?” His dark eyes landed on mine as his eyebrow rose.

  “Yeah, for now,” I answered, not sure where the conversation was going.

  “I was just asking because I noticed you at the bar Friday night and you wasn’t with Nicole.” He gave me a teasing smile.

  “Oh. That was Lennox. We’re just friends.” I tried brushing it off.

  “Didn’t look like that to me. Look, everyone knows about the two of you.”

  “What do you mean?” I laughed and opened the door to my truck, ready to climb in.

  “Everyone knows your story. It’s a small town and you are the guy that dated Lennox Madison, the country music star. When people see you two together, they talk.”

  I took my seat behind the wheel and looked over at him. “People are talking?”

  “Here and there. They all think you two are going to get back together.”

  I let out a laugh before shaking my head. “I will talk to you later, Dan.” I closed my door and started up the truck.

  Are people talking? Has Nicole heard what they are saying? Does she know I spent time alone with Lennox?

  I pulled into the bar parking lot an hour and a half later and made my way to the table Nicole was sitting at. Wendy found us and took our order. I ordered my usual, double cheeseburger with fries and a beer while Nicole ordered a salad.

  “How was practice?” Nicole asked, taking a sip of her water.

  “Pretty good. It was a tough one today, I’m sore and tired,” I picked up my beer and took a long drink. “How did your midnight shift go at the hospital?” I needed to make small talk. I wasn’t ready to hurt her.

  “Good. Long, but good. I still haven’t caught up on my sleep yet. I would’ve stayed with you last night after dinner but I just really needed the sleep.”

  “I understand, it’s okay.”

  A short while later Wendy brought our food and we sat quietly eating.

  “Mason, I have something to tell you and I don’t know how you’re going to take it.”

  “Okay,” I said around a mouth full of food. I swallowed, took a drink, and pushed my sleeves up. “Let’s hear it.” I locked my eyes on hers. She looked nervous.

  “I think I’m pregnant.”

  I froze when I heard the word “pregnant.” My heart pounded wildly in my ears while my body went numb.

  How can she be pregnant? We are always safe and she said she was on birth control. I’m going to be a father. I can’t be a father. This is not how this is supposed to go. I am supposed to break up with Nicole, not have a life sentence.

  “How?” I managed to get out.

  “It’s not for sure. I haven’t taken a test yet but I’m late and I’m never late. I will take a test at the hospital when I go back on Thursday. I just wanted to let you know.”

  “How could this happen? We were always careful and I thought you were on birth control?”

  “It’s not one hundred percent. There is always that small chance.”

  My mind started reeling.

  How could this happen? How can I be so stupid? I don’t want this, not with her. What am I going to do? I can’t break up with her now. If she is pregnant, I have to be there for her and the baby.

  Lennox.

  I instantly felt what was left of my heart shatter and fall to pieces. I pushed my plate of half-eaten food away. My stomach started churning and I felt like I was going to vomit.

  “Are you upset?” Nicole asked when I pushed my food away.

  “I’m surprised. I mean, we never talked about all this before.”

  “I know,” she let her eyes fall to the table. “Do you want to get out of here?”

  “Yeah, I’m not hungry anymore.” I stood even though I felt like I was being weighed down.

  She grabbed my hand and led me through the bar. “Look, it’s Lennox. Let’s go say hi.”

  I opened my mouth to say no, but it was too late.

  “Lennox, I can’t believe you’re here.” Nicole took the open seat next to her. I watched as Lennox turned around.

  “I stopped in with a friend but she just went outside for some air. How are you?” Lennox asked noticing me slowly approaching them.

  Her eyes glanced back and forth between Nicole and me. She knew right then that I hadn’t broken up with Nicole.

  Her eyes suddenly turned sad, I felt it in the pit of my stomach. It felt like I had just been kicked. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe. I just held on, hoping she would see me. See that I wouldn’t do something like that to her.

  “I’m great. Why are you standing back there? Come up here and talk to her.” Nicole grabbed my hand and pulled me up beside them.

  “Hey, stranger. It’s been a long time.” Lennox reached in for a hug. I knew what she was doing. She thought I had changed my mind about Nicole and she didn’t want to get me in trouble.

  “We need to talk,” I whispered in her ear when she was close enough.

  “Well, actually I was just getting ready to head out. Wish I could stay and have a drink with you two, but my friend is wa
iting for me outside.” She grabbed her purse from the bar and headed for the door.

  “Lennox,” I called after her.

  She turned but didn’t say anything. I knew that look in her eye. She was hurt and was about to fall apart. “I hope we can meet up again.” I was pleading with my eyes for her to understand.

  She should know me. She should know that I would never hurt her.

  “I don’t know. I don’t know how long I’m going to be here,” she gave me that fake smile she thought she had perfected. “Maybe.” She turned and rushed out the door.

  “Let’s get you out of here.” Nicole stood and pulled me toward the door.

  I watched as Lennox’s car kicked up gravel as she sped from the parking lot. I walked past Dane who looked pissed off. I was about to turn around and ask him if everything was okay, but Nicole drew my attention away.

  “Do you want me to stay with you tonight or do you need some time alone? I understand if you need some time to think.”

  “You wouldn’t mind?”

  “No, I completely understand. It’s a lot to think about.” Her eyes showed nothing but understanding and she looked sincere.

  “Okay, I will call you tomorrow.” I bent down and pressed a kiss to her lips, but it wasn’t the lips I hoped to kiss.

  I opened Nicole’s door for her and watched as she got in and drove away.

  When I walked into the house, I grabbed a few beers and the bottle of Jack and made my way to my favorite spot. I sat down, kicked my feet up on the railing and took a long drink from the bottle before washing it down with half a beer.

  I hurt Lennox. How could I screw this up so badly? There’s only been one person I’ve ever wanted and I lost her for good this time. What am I going to do? I can’t leave Nicole now. If she is pregnant, I have to stay with her. Help her raise this baby. I’ve only ever thought about having kids with Lennox. She was the one I wanted.

  The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I had fucked everything up. I got a girl I was just wasting time with, pregnant and lost the love of my life in the process. There was a time when I thought I would die if I didn’t get Lennox back, then there was a time I thought I would be fine. I just had to find something or someone to occupy my time until she returned.

  Now, she’s returned and I lost my chance.

  I finished my beer and chucked it over the railing. I opened another beer when I heard someone walk in the house and yell my name. It was Dane.

  “Up here.”

  He found me slouched down in my chair, holding onto a bottle of Jack and a beer.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked, snatching the bottle from me and pulling a chair up beside mine.

  “Nicole thinks she’s fucking pregnant.”

  “What?” Dane asked, after taking a drink of Jack.

  “I went out with Lennox the other day. We got carried away and one thing led to another and we ended up sleeping together. I was going to break up with Nicole tonight. That’s when she dropped the “I think I’m pregnant” bomb. I don’t know how I keep fucking this up. What am I going to do?”

  “I don’t know about that one. Girls can fuck you up. Guess who was with Lennox tonight?”

  I shrugged.

  “Alissa.” Dane took another drink before passing back the bottle.

  “Alissa? As in, your first love, Alissa? The one that broke your heart and turned you into a pathetic mess, Alissa?”

  “That’s the one.” He nodded.

  10

  Lennox

  I rushed outside as fast as I could, I needed to get away from Mason and Nicole. I couldn’t believe he didn’t break up with her.

  Did he change his mind or did something stop him from what he was trying to do? I am about to break down and can’t let them see it. I am stronger than the eighteen-year-old girl who left here.

  Approaching my car, I noticed Alissa and Dane were still talking.

  “Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt whatever this is, but we need to go.” I unlocked the car and took my seat behind the wheel.

  Alissa opened her door, but Dane stopped her by grabbing ahold of her wrist. “Will you please talk to me before you leave?”

  “I will try.” Alissa shook off his hand and quickly got in the car.

  I started the car and pulled away as fast as I could.

  Dad and Kathryn were already in bed when we came in, so we made ourselves at home. I made Alissa and I a bowl of Easy Mac and grabbed us both a bottle of water from the fridge. Alissa brought up Netflix and we started The Blacklist where we left off.

  I took a seat on the couch next to her and handed her a bowl and a water.

  “Thanks.” She took the items I was handing her without glancing away from the TV.

  “Your welcome,” I answered before taking a bite and engrossing myself in Red and his crazy tactics.

  It was funny how a year before, Alissa and I were partying with big celebrities, going to the hottest spots in town, and constantly being hounded by press or fans, to hiding out on my dad’s couch.

  I never thought that Mason would sleep with me and then not break up with Nicole. I knew Mason and he wouldn’t hurt me.

  Unless, he was trying to get back at me for leaving him. No, Mason wouldn’t do that. The Mason I used to know wouldn’t do that. I’m going crazy. The truth is, I don’t know Mason anymore.

  I would’ve liked to think that Mason hadn’t changed. That he was still the sweet, honest, and most trustworthy guy I had ever known. I had changed over the five years I wasn’t with him, I was sure he had, too. I was beginning to get a headache from constant overthinking. I let out a sigh.

  “What’s with you?” Alissa asked.

  I sat my bowl down and turned toward her. “I don’t know what to do.”

  “What do you mean?” She turned toward me, giving me her full attention.

  “Okay, Mason and I were together before I left to start singing. Every day since then, I have regretted leaving him. He was the love of my life. Then, we kind of hooked up and he told me everything I wanted to hear. He was supposed to break up with his girlfriend yesterday, but I saw them at the bar tonight and I could tell that they didn’t break up. So, what do I do now?”

  “Have you talked to him? Maybe he can explain. Maybe, he was about to break up with her.”

  “No, I haven’t talked to him. I guess I should before jumping to conclusions.”

  “Problem solved.” Alissa picked her bowl up and turned back to the TV.

  I picked up my water and took a drink while watching her. I could tell something was going on. I had to know what happened with her and Dane. “You have to tell me what is up with you and Dane.” The words came out in a rush.

  “No, I don’t.” Alissa didn’t take her eyes off the TV.

  “Are you kidding me? I just told you everything.”

  Alissa let out a breath and turned her eyes to me. “Dane and I used to date and we planned on getting married. We were young and stupid,” she rolled her eyes. “He bought a house and started to fix it up, but his dad had a fit. He said we were too young to get married and he wouldn’t support us. They got in a fight and Dane ended up moving out when he was seventeen. I was basically homeless, so I moved in with him and things were good for a while. We had parties, a lot. We were young and on our own and didn’t have to answer to anybody,” she took a long breath like the next part of the story was hard to talk about.

  “It got to the point where we were partying more than anything else and I noticed Dane was getting too comfortable with this girl, I don’t remember her name now. I thought he was cheating on me, so I cheated on him. When he found out, it was a big blow up fight. I was too hard headed to just admit that I screwed up. Long story short, we broke up and I moved to Tennessee to start over. A few years later, I met you.”

  I sat watching her with my mouth wide open.

  “What? I know you have something to say.” Her glasses fell down her nose just a bit and she peeked at
me from over the top.

  “You have to talk to him. You have to fix this-”

  “Stop. It was a long time ago. No need in bringing up the past.” She pushed her glasses back up and went back to watching TV.

  “Alissa, did you see the way Dane was looking at you tonight? He still loves you. How do you feel about him?” I pulled a pillow into my lap, happy to have something other than myself to focus on.

  “I don’t know. It was a long time ago. I never thought I would see him again. I just need time to think.”

  “Do you still love him?” I prodded.

  She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, Lennox. Will you just leave it alone?”

  I let the subject drop. I knew Alissa, the more you pushed the more she pulled away. She can’t be talked into doing things, she had to make up her mind in her own time.

  “Let’s go to bed, long day of shopping and moving tomorrow.” I turned off the TV and started picking up our mess.

  I showed Alissa the guest bedroom and headed toward mine. The moment my head hit the pillow, I started thinking about everything that had happened within the last week.

  I really had made a mess with Mason. I shouldn’t have slept with him until Nicole was out of the picture. It all felt surreal, having Mason standing in front of me, wanting me after all those years. I lost control. Then after doing it once, it was like we were in our own little bubble and nothing else mattered. I needed to give Mason a chance to explain. I was hoping that he was still planning on breaking up with her. Maybe something just got in the way and he had to postpone it a little while.

  I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

  I woke bright and early Tuesday morning with Alissa jumping on my bed.

  “Wake up? I’m hungry and I haven’t met your dad yet. I can’t go downstairs alone. Get up bitch!” she yelled while smacking me on the head with a pillow.

  “Okay, I’m up.” I groaned. I sat up in bed with my hair all over the place from the pillow attack.

  Alissa walked around my room being nosey and peeking into everything while I used the bathroom and got dressed for the day. Once I was finally ready and she bitched every five seconds about how hungry she was, we made our way downstairs.