A Second Chance at Forever (Chance #2)

by K. B. Andrews

  “Are you ready to go?” I asked Nicole, who was still eating.

  Her eyes flashed to Lennox. “I’m still eating.”

  Right then, I was hit with rage. She knew how hard it would be for me having to sit there and see Lennox. She wanted to see how I would react, see if things really were over.

  I pushed it down and flagged Wendy over for a beer and a shot.

  “Hey, guys. Over here,” Sarah waved at them.

  They began walking over until Lennox’s eyes landed on mine. She stopped but Alissa gave her a look before grabbing her by her arm and pulling her over.

  “Hey,” Alissa smiled at everyone. “You guys mind if we join you?”

  “Not at all, sit down,” Sarah offered.

  Wendy came back with my drinks and I slammed back the shot and chased it with my beer.

  “Please, tell me we’re all getting drunk and singing tonight?” Sarah flashed a smile and looked at all of us.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Lennox wouldn’t meet my eyes.

  “Oh, come on, it’s tradition.” Sarah stood from the table and headed for the stage.

  Not even a minute later, the announcer’s voice boomed through the bar. “Everybody, give a warm welcome for Lennox Madison.” The whole place cheered. I looked to Nicole who looked pissed.

  I smiled to myself knowing she was getting a dose of her own medicine.

  Lennox stood on stage and held the microphone to her lips. “Thank you, everyone. It has been five years since the last time I was on this stage and left to start my music career. I think it’s only appropriate to sing the song that started it all.” Everyone cheered, but Nicole and I.

  The music started up to ‘Stay’ by Sugarland.

  My heart immediately broke. The first time I watched her perform that song was amazing, but with everything going on, that song spoke to me on a much deeper level. I had been cheating on Nicole with her. Making her the other woman, just like in the song.

  My eyes locked on her. She was beautiful under the glow of the spotlight. Her green eyes lit up the dim bar, they looked different, though. I could hear the pain in her voice while she was singing that song, I could see it in her eyes too. I knew that I was the reason behind it.

  Anger filled me once again, I stood and went to the bar for another shot. When that one was gone, I ordered another and another until my vision was blurry and the anger was numbed with whiskey.

  Lennox was just coming off the stage as I was walking up to the table. “Where’s Sarah?” I asked, hoping to God she wasn’t doing what I thought she was.

  “Up next, Mason.” The announcer’s voice filled the bar again.

  I shook my head. “No, not this time.” I threw myself down in my seat and leaned back.

  Everybody at the table booed. “Get up there,” Nicole added on.

  “Fine.” I pushed away from the table, not happy about any of it.

  I stood on the stage and my mind went blank.

  “What do you want to sing?”

  I had no idea. My eyes locked on Lennox and I said the first song that came to my mind. “Lips of an Angel by Hinder.”

  Don’t fucking ask me why I picked that song.

  I started singing along with the music, adding in more feeling than I should have. My eyes found Lennox sitting at the table. Her eyes were locked on mine and I could see right through her. Her eyes were filled with anger and sadness. I hated myself for hurting her, but I had to make sure she knew how I felt. I loved her, I just couldn’t be with her.

  Somehow, my eyes found Nicole and I could see all the pain I was causing her. That only made me angry. Didn’t she see I was trying? I was trying my hardest to give up Lennox and be with her.

  I had to tear my eyes away from the table if I was going to finish the song. Instead of looking at the women who hated me, my eyes found Dane behind the bar laughing his ass off. I’m sure he knew why I had chosen that song and he was enjoying it.

  Finally, when I thought I was going to die, the song ended and I took my seat next to Nicole. Pure hate filled her eyes as she turned to me, speechless.

  I forced my eyes away from hers and took a drink of my beer.

  “Okay, well this isn’t awkward.” Trent leaned back in his seat and grabbed his beer.

  “How about Alissa go next?” Sarah tried, wanting to make everyone forget the tension that was there.

  After several more rounds, everyone began to calm down, everyone but Nicole. The songs had been forgotten by everyone but her. Alissa was up at the bar talking with Dane. Trent and Sarah were on the dance floor. That left Lennox, Nicole, and myself at the table, none of us talking.

  “I think I’m going to get a drink.” Lennox stood and walked away.

  “I can’t believe you sang that song.” Nicole shook her head before picking up her glass of water and taking a sip.

  “I don’t know what I was thinking. It was the first song that popped into my head,” I shook my head and forced my eyes to hers. “Look, I didn’t say this was going to be easy because it’s not. Every second I am around her, I have to force myself to stay away from her. I can’t lie to you about that. You can clearly see it for yourself. What do you want from me? I told you I am sticking around. When she came in, I wanted to leave to avoid all this shit and you wanted to stay and watch me squirm. So, don’t get pissed off at me when you see exactly what you wanted to.” I pushed away from the table and went outside.

  I knew I was being a dick, I couldn’t help it. All the Jack I drank didn’t help it either. I just needed to cool off. My blood was boiling from all the stress and emotion running through me. I felt nothing but anger, jealousy, frustration, and an overwhelming sensation to reach out and touch the girl that no longer belonged to me.

  I sat at the picnic table for what felt like hours, when I finally thought I had my temper under control, I got up and made my way back inside the bar.

  The first thing I saw walking in was Lennox on the dance floor with another man. I stopped, eyes locked on them, and took a deep calming breath. I pushed the feelings of anger and jealousy down and walked up to Nicole.

  “Do you want to dance?”

  Her eyes locked on mine, she was still mad, but she took my hand and I led her out to the dance floor.

  “I’m sorry. You were right. I wanted to watch you squirm and then got mad when you did. I don’t know why I did that. I should have left when you asked.” Her eyes met mine and I saw sorrow behind them.

  You would think that would’ve made me happy, that she admitted something I already knew, but it didn’t. It only made me angrier. I had cheated on her twice, yet she was sorry.

  “No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have sung that song.”

  She smiled slightly. “It was just a song.”

  I nodded my head but didn’t want to talk. I pulled her in closer where she rested her head against my chest, giving me a view of Lennox.

  My eyes wanted to stay on her, watch her and the asshole she was dancing with, but I forced them away. I needed to control myself. I never was good at control when it came to Lennox.

  The song ended and Nicole and I took our seats. Trent ordered us another round and we all sat back, laughing and talking.

  With Lennox not at the table, Nicole put in the effort to be a part of the conversation, which made me happy. I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable no matter how angry I was.

  My eyes kept glancing back to Lennox and the guy on the dance floor, though. I watched as she turned her back to him and moved against him. I saw his eyes glaze over as he moved his hands to her hips.

  She spun around and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. My heart pounded against my chest watching them.

  The guy ran his tongue across his bottom lip while his eyes became hooded, he moved slowly until his lips pressed against hers.

  Automatically, I stood up, intending on walking over there and beating his ass. But then I remembered, I didn’t have that right
anymore. I looked at Nicole, Trent, Sarah, and Alissa, their eyes were on me. “I’m going to use the bathroom.” I turned away without another look at them or Lennox.

  In the bathroom, I leaned against the sink and hung my head.

  You have to get a grip on this shit. She isn’t yours.

  She looked like mine today, though. When she was beneath me, moaning my name.

  I shook my head to clear out the images that thought brought on.

  I can’t keep doing this to either of them. Nicole doesn’t deserve to be cheated on, she’s pregnant with my baby. Lennox doesn’t deserve what I’m doing to her either. I seduced her today. I teased her to get what I wanted. When the fuck did I turn into this?

  Looking into the mirror, I knew I was a piece of shit. I cheated on my pregnant girlfriend. I turned the woman I loved into a dirty little secret. How could I do that to her? Somewhere deep inside of me, I knew what I was doing was hurting Lennox as well.

  I pushed away from the sink and swung open the door. Standing directly across from me, in the doorway to the women’s room, was Lennox. Our eyes locked and I couldn’t help the urges that came up.

  I closed the distance between us with one step, pushing us into the women’s bathroom. My lips found hers immediately, she tasted so sweet.

  I couldn’t stand knowing that another man’s lips had touched hers. Mine needed to be the last.

  I squeezed her hips, lifting her legs around my hips while grinding against her, never breaking the kiss. She felt so good moving against me. My heart pounded against my chest as my breathing became labored. The need I had for her was so strong, I didn’t know how to put the fire out.

  “No, Mason. We can’t.” She pushed against my chest until I placed her on her feet. I took a step back.

  My heart was racing, I couldn’t slow it down. I nodded, understanding. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me.” I shook my head as I ran my hands through my hair.

  Lennox looked at me like she didn’t even know me anymore. I guess she couldn’t have, because I didn’t even know myself anymore. Somewhere I had changed.

  I loved Lennox with all my heart, that was still the same, but somehow, I let my love for her rule all. Nicole didn’t matter, the future we were going to have didn’t matter. All I saw was Lennox and another man’s lips on her. I couldn’t handle it.

  I stormed out of the bathroom and went straight to the bar.

  Waiting for my drink, I noticed the guy that kissed Lennox leaning against the bar. I stared him down, trying to figure out why he thought he was good enough for her.

  “What are you staring at?” he asked, when he noticed I hadn’t moved since he walked up.

  The more I watched him, the more pissed off I became.

  I let out a small laugh. “A little bitch, that’s what I’m looking at.” I stood up straight and puffed up my chest, ready for a fight. I needed to release the anger that had been building up inside of me.

  “Is that right?” He took a step closer.

  “Yeah. Want to do something about it?”

  “Let’s go outside and I will show you what I’m going to do about it.” He pushed past me, hitting me with his shoulder on the way.

  I followed him outside the best I could. I had drunk entirely way too much. As soon as my foot was outside, he turned landing a hit to my stomach.

  I had so much anger and hate running through my veins that it didn’t even faze me. I bent over but brushed it off quickly before I charged him, taking him to the ground.

  The next thing I knew, I was being pulled off him.

  Nicole, Lennox, Alissa, Dane, Sarah, and Trent were all standing around us. Lennox looked to me, gave me a look of confusion and anger and turned her back to me, walking away. I knew she was confused and pissed at me. I had been telling her I couldn’t see her while secretly trying to hook up with her, but couldn’t handle seeing her with another man. I was a complete fuck up.

  Then my eyes found Nicole. She wasn’t happy either.

  “Let’s go, now.” She walked past me.

  I hung my head and followed after her like a child.

  When we were standing next to her car, she turned to faced me. “What the fuck was that?”

  I shrugged. “What? That guy was an asshole.” I wasn’t ready to admit I fucked up.

  “I thought you said it was over with you two.”

  “It is!” I yelled a little too loudly.

  “Then why are you picking a fight with the guy she was dancing with?” she yelled back.

  I didn’t have an answer. Well, I did, but knew I should keep my mouth shut. I had already fucked up enough for a lifetime.

  “I can’t do this.” She moved to get in her car but I stepped in front of the door.

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means, I can’t compete with her, Mason. She’s the only thing you want, so you know what? I am bowing out, you want her so bad, go get her.”

  “What about the baby?”

  She shrugged.

  I thought it over for a quick second. “Listen, I know I have fucked up. Just give me one more chance. I will stay away from her. I promise.” I didn’t know what the shrug meant, it worried me. I couldn’t have my child living in a world where he didn’t know who his father was. I didn’t want him wondering why I didn’t want him. It wasn’t his fault. It was mine. I had to make it right.

  “I need time to think about it,” Nicole motioned to her car. “You’re too drunk to drive, get in and you can stay at my place tonight.”

  14

  Lennox

  I woke up Saturday with the worst hangover I’d ever had. I thought about the night before and groaned. I knew I shouldn’t have gone to the bar. I didn’t want to, but Alissa wouldn’t have it. She said I needed to force myself to get over Mason, so that’s what I was trying to do.

  I found a cute guy when I went to get a drink. We talked for a while and he asked me to dance. I knew it wasn’t going to go any further than that. I wouldn’t have taken him home. That was something I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to do. After Chris and what he had done to me, I wasn’t exactly trusting. More than anything, I never wanted to put myself in that position again.

  When I opened the door to the bathroom to see Mason standing across from me, my heart pounded against my chest. I knew the look in his eye. I should have moved away, but he was quick and I think that maybe a part of me wanted to feel him against me one more time, even though I knew it was wrong.

  I could taste the whiskey on his breath. I knew he was drunk and hurting. I knew he loved me and was torn between Nicole and I. It was hard for him to put me in the past, especially when I was always around.

  It took every ounce of strength I had, but I pushed him away. I turned him down, because he couldn’t turn me down.

  I looked to him and didn’t even recognize the eyes staring back at me. I had turned him into someone that wasn’t him. That broke my heart.

  After the fight, I made Alissa take me home where I cried myself to sleep.

  Thinking about the night before, made my chest hurt. I forced myself from bed and stumbled into the living room to find Alissa watching TV.

  I sat down beside her and rubbed my head. “What the fuck happened last night? Why did I drink so much?”

  “Better question is, what happened today?”

  That took me by surprise. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about this, Lennox.” She tossed me her phone, on the screen was the pictures of Mason and me from our weekend together.

  I let out a breath. “Where did you find these?”

  “They are all over the internet, Lennox. If Chris has seen these…” her sentence broke off.

  A tear escaped my eye as I dropped the phone onto the couch. “What am I going to do?”

  She shrugged. “We might as well pack up and move again.”

  I ignored her comment and went straight to the bathroom to cry in
the bottom of the shower.

  How could I have fucked up this badly?

  I knew with the pictures being out there that Chris wasn’t behind them. He never would have released them. I also knew that Chris would find me because of those pictures and I knew he wouldn’t be happy about it. Not only did everyone know I broke the engagement, but those pictures made it look like I left him for Mason. I knew that wouldn’t sit well with Chris and the image he was trying so hard to protect.

  Once the water ran cold, I stood in front of the mirror and looked at my bruised stomach.

  This will be nothing compared to what will happen if he finds me.

  I wrapped myself in a towel and went to my room to find clothes. Before I could even reach my closet, my phone began ringing. Thinking it was Mason calling to tell me about the pictures, I rushed to answer it.

  “Mason?”

  “Try again,” Chris said into the phone.

  Trying to remain calm, I sat down on my bed. “What do you want, Chris?”

  “In my search for you, I found something very interesting. Can you guess what that is?”

  “I’m guessing it was pictures of Mason fucking me over his kitchen counter, is that right?” I was angry, but I shouldn’t have been fueling the fire.

  “Don’t get smart with me, Lennox. Thanks to these pictures, I know where you are. I’m packing my bag now. See you soon, sweetheart.” He hung up the phone.

  I pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before rushing out the door with my hair still wet. I had to tell Mason good-bye. I had to go before Chris had a chance to get me.

  I walked into the shop and was greeted with Joey sitting behind the counter. “Hey, Joe. Is Mason around?”

  She smiled sweetly before replying, “He’s in his office, honey. But be careful, he’s on a rampage today.”

  I knocked on the door.

  “What?” Mason yelled.

  I cracked open the door and peeked inside. “Can we talk for a minute?” I took a step inside and closed the door behind me.