The Best Goodbye

by Abbi Glines

  All the worry and jealousy that had been eating me up vanished, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’m sorry.”

  He chuckled and leaned in to claim my mouth in a kiss that was as sweet as it was hot. I grabbed handfuls of his hair, and his hands gripped me tighter as he pulled me against him. “Wrap your legs around me,” he said against my lips.

  When I did, he walked me over to the sofa and sank down onto it while holding me. “I think I’ll keep you in here all night,” he said with a cocky grin.

  “I’ll definitely get written up then,” I replied.

  He shrugged. “I know the boss.”

  Laughing, I leaned in to kiss him again. Because when we were like this, I was home.

  Captain

  I stood watching Addy in the dining room with one of her tables. I kept trying to focus on work, but I always ended up right back here. She laughed at the older man who was telling her some story that his wife looked amused by as well. She had a charm about her that put everyone at ease. I found myself wanting that all to myself.

  “So that’s what has you so distracted lately,” Blaire’s voice whispered beside me. Turning, I looked down at my sister, who was checking out Addy with a grin on her face.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, a little annoyed to be caught by Blaire of all people.

  “Coming to find out why you’ve ignored my last two phone calls and only given me one-word answers to my texts.” She nodded her head in Addy’s direction. “I like what I see. This is a good reason to ignore me. Bethy said she saw you with an attractive redhead and an adorable little blond girl last night. I thought I’d come see you and ask about it. But I can see for myself instead. So she has a daughter?”

  I stepped back into the hallway before Addy could turn and see us looking at her and talking. I hadn’t noticed Blaire’s friend Bethy in Grayton last night, but then I’d had my eyes on my girls. No one else had mattered.

  “Come to my office,” I told her. If Blaire was going to ask questions, I wanted some privacy.

  “I didn’t peg you as someone who’d date a single mom, but I’m liking this side of you.”

  “The girl, Franny. She’s mine.” There, I’d said it. I needed to tell someone. I wanted to tell someone. Blaire’s eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open as she stared at me.

  “Yours?” she asked, still in shock.

  “Rose . . . is from my past. A piece of my past that I keep close. It’s a long story. I didn’t know about Franny until a week ago.”

  Blaire’s eyes flared bright, and she placed her hands on her hips like she was ready to attack someone. “She kept your child from you?”

  I shook my head and held up my hand to calm my firecracker sister down. “It’s not like that. She couldn’t find me. I left that life and ran. Changed my name, made some choices that were bad. Finding me wasn’t easy. But she kept looking until she did.”

  Blaire’s stance relaxed, and her expression softened. “Oh, well, that’s different.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. She hasn’t had an easy time. I blame myself for that, but she has me now, and I’m not going anywhere.”

  We stood in silence. I could see the wheels turning in Blaire’s head. I just had to wait for her to think it through.

  “I want to meet them,” she said simply.

  “Good. I want them to meet you, too.”

  Blaire smiled. “I can’t believe this.”

  If she only knew the real story . . . but I’d never tell her. My past was something that would stay between Addy and me. Blaire had just come into my life a few years ago. We shared the same father, but I’d been born to a teenage mother, who gave me up for adoption. When I had decided to find my birth parents, I also found Blaire. A sister I hadn’t known I’d had. We were growing closer now, but this was still more than I wanted to share with her.

  “And her name isn’t actually Rose. It’s Addy. She was checking me out to make sure I had turned into a man worthy of our child, so she disguised herself and changed her name.”

  Blaire’s grin grew. “I like her. She’s a protective momma. Says a lot about a person.”

  “Just wait until you meet Franny and see what an amazing job she’s done raising her.”

  “Dinner at my house on your next night off. Make sure you bring both of them.” Blaire didn’t ask; she just commanded.

  “Let me talk to her about it first. Make sure she’s good with that. This is all new for us, and I don’t want to do anything that’s too much for Franny.”

  Blaire let out a laugh and beamed at me. “You’re a daddy. I love this.”

  I did, too. “Yeah,” I replied.

  • • •

  Once I had my sister out of my office, I went back to check on things. It wasn’t like I was needed, exactly, but I wanted to see Addy.

  “Rose was late getting in today and late to the meeting in the dining room. I’m making the call to let her go,” Elle said, walking out of the kitchen and directly toward me.

  “No,” I replied, annoyed that Elle was attacking Addy out of simple jealousy.

  “Why? Are you seeing her? Is that it? If anyone else was this late, you’d let them go. Why does she get away with it?”

  I walked around Elle and headed to the dining room.

  “Answer me. Is she the one you moved on to?”

  I stopped in my tracks, hating the disbelief in her voice, as if she found herself superior to Addy. Stupid girl. I glanced back over my shoulder and met her angry gaze. “She’s the best damn server we have here. You know it, and so does everyone else.”

  As much as I wanted to tell her that yes, I was with Addy, I couldn’t do it. She would attack Addy with a ferocity that would end with me firing her and causing shit with Stout.

  “She’s mediocre at best,” Elle snapped.

  “Don’t be pathetic,” I replied, bored with this entire conversation.

  “I hate you!” she called out heatedly.

  I felt nothing in return, so I had no response.

  Addy

  He had watched me all night. It had made me feel excited and nervous at the same time. I liked knowing he was there, but I was also worried about forgetting what I was doing if I looked back at him.

  I expected him to meet me the moment we closed, but he wasn’t there. I went to the back to get my purse, still thinking he’d show up, but he didn’t. Elle kept looking my way and smirking, as if there was something she knew that I didn’t. I ignored her and decided I would stop by his office to say good night. Maybe he was busy.

  His office door was open, and I could see it was empty. I thought about texting him but changed my mind. I needed to get home to Franny. I would wait until he contacted me. Maybe he had been trying to tell me something, but I’d never looked his way to find out what it could be.

  There were several scenarios running through my mind, but as I stepped outside, I realized it was none of them; his truck was still there in the parking lot, and so was he. In the darkness, I could see him deep in conversation with a tall blonde, her hair pulled back tightly in a ponytail, dressed in tight black leather. They couldn’t be any closer to each other without actually touching. I paused and took them in. Even in the shadows, I could see that Captain’s face was intent as he listened to her.

  I’d never seen her before, but he seemed to know her. She was important to him. The way his body leaned into hers as he spoke meant something. There was an air of intimacy about them that made my stomach turn.

  Captain looked passionate as he spoke, and he leaned in closer toward her. I couldn’t stay and watch this any longer. I didn’t know what it was, but I could tell just from this little glimpse that it was more than I could accept.

  Hurrying to my car, I pulled out my keys and unlocked it. Getting home and holding Franny close would ease this ache. Knowing that she was always there helped me face everything. She came first. She was all that mattered in this world. I didn’t need him. She did. But I didn’t.
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  I could survive this. I was stronger than this.

  It wasn’t until I pulled out onto the road that the tears stung my eyes, and I had to blink them back. Crying over this wasn’t something I would accept. Tomorrow, I was sure he’d have some excuse. I didn’t think I cared to hear it. Nothing could explain what I had seen.

  I held my tears the entire trip home, and when I finally got there, I was so exhausted from the sheer force of will that I all but ran into the house.

  Holding Franny all night was what I needed.

  • • •

  He texted three times and called five times within the hour. I ignored them all. Curled up with Franny in bed, I put my phone on silent and watched as it lit up each time. I wasn’t answering. If he was so worried about me getting home safely, he should have been there for me when I got off work. Not with the strange blonde. That spoke volumes. He hadn’t even noticed me leave. Every time I reminded myself of this, it gave me more strength to stand firm.

  • • •

  “Mommy, why is Dad outside, asleep in his truck?” Franny asked.

  I opened my eyes and looked up to find her leaning over me. Trying to comprehend exactly what she had just said, however, took me a moment.

  “He’s outside sleeping. In his truck,” she said, with a confused and anxious expression. “Do I go wake him up?”

  Who was outside? “Huh?” I asked, as I sat up and rubbed my eyes, trying to focus on my daughter.

  “Dad. In his truck.” She was starting to sound frustrated.

  “Captain?” I repeated, feeling even more confused than she looked.

  Franny let out a sigh. “I’m going to wake him up.” Then she turned and ran out of the room.

  Captain was outside in his truck. Crap! I jumped up, grabbed a discarded pair of shorts, and tugged them on, along with the tank top I had slept in, before running after Franny. Why Captain would be asleep outside in his truck made no sense to me. I didn’t want Franny to be the one to wake him and confront him.

  “Franny, wait!” I called out as I chased after her.

  She had her hand on the door, about to go outside, when she stopped and looked back at me. “He’s asleep in his truck.” She sounded worried.

  I nodded that I understood what she was telling me. “Let me see why he’s out there. You stay in here and make yourself some breakfast. I’m sure he’ll come in when he’s awake. Make him a waffle, too,” I suggested, hoping this would keep her in the house.

  She looked torn as she glanced back at the window. “OK, but make sure he comes inside. I want to see him. He’s here to see me, I think.”

  “I will. I promise,” I assured her.

  I didn’t give her time to argue before I headed outside toward Captain’s truck. I knew Franny would be watching from the window, so yelling at him wasn’t an option.

  The fact that he was here infuriated me. He was manipulating me. He knew I wouldn’t react badly in front of Franny. Besides, what was the point in sleeping out here all night? I hadn’t answered his calls; that should have been enough for him to get the point.

  Watching him asleep, with his head tilted back against the seat, didn’t help my temper. He even looked good sleeping. That wasn’t fair. Damn him.

  I knocked hard on the window and silently enjoyed watching him jerk awake at the sudden sound. I didn’t give him time to wake up before I knocked again and glared at him. Franny was watching, but I was far enough away that she couldn’t see my face.

  Captain sat up and went to open his door. I stepped back, crossing my arms over my chest defensively.

  “What are you doing?” I demanded, before he could say anything.

  “You didn’t answer your phone.”

  “So it makes sense for you to sleep in your truck in my driveway? Franny’s inside right now, worried about you and making you waffles. Which means you’re going in there and eating the damn waffles with her. Assure her you’re fine, and come up with some reason for why you felt compelled to sleep in my driveway.”

  Captain glanced back at the house, and I saw a glimpse of regret on his face for worrying Franny. At least there was that. Now he had some clue to how dumb this was.

  “Why didn’t you answer?” he asked, looking back at me. His hair was mussed from sleeping, and I wanted to reach up and fix it. But I wouldn’t. I wasn’t touching this man again.

  “I was in bed. If you’d wanted to talk to me, you should have done that before I left work. I wasn’t available to chat once I got home. That time is reserved for Franny.” I glared at him, waiting for him to give me a credible reason. Some stupid excuse. There was nothing he could say that would make me not feel hurt by what I’d seen.

  “You’re angry,” he said, taking a step closer to me.

  I just laughed. How could I respond to that? “Come inside and eat waffles with our daughter. Then leave.” I turned to walk back to the house.

  “Why are you mad? Did you see me talking to Alexa last night? Is that what this is about?”

  Great, she had a name. “If that’s the blonde’s name, then yeah,” I replied, not slowing down.

  “She’s an old friend.”

  “Good for you.”

  “Addy, stop. Seriously, listen to me.”

  I didn’t stop. I was too mad at Alexa for being an old friend and at myself for caring.

  “Addy,” he called out again. “Don’t do this.”

  “I’m going to eat with Franny. She’s watching us right now.”

  He didn’t say anything more, but I could hear his footsteps behind me. I looked up to see Franny peeking out the window, like I knew she would be.

  “Tell me you’ll let me explain what you think you saw before we go in there,” he said, in a low voice that Franny wouldn’t be able to hear from inside.

  “Nothing to explain,” I replied, still not ready to soften up. The fact that he had slept outside my house wasn’t enough to fix this. If I had to deal with women at his car, in his office, and God knew where else, then I wasn’t doing this. I would not compete for his attention.

  “Just make Franny happy, Captain. That’s all I require from you,” I said with a smile, for my daughter’s sake, then headed into the house.

  Franny was running back to the toaster when the door opened. “I’m making waffles,” she announced, for Captain’s benefit, not mine.

  “I’ll have two,” I told her. She glanced back at me and smiled, surprised that I was eating, but didn’t question it.

  “I’ll have three,” Captain said, walking in behind me.

  “OK!” Franny said, and she lit up as if her favorite celebrity had just walked into the house.

  I wouldn’t let him hurt her, too. I had allowed him into her world, and he would be what she needed. I would make sure of that.

  Captain

  She was pissed, and I had no idea how the fuck I was going to explain this. Alexa worked for DeCarlo. She’d been with him almost as long as I had, but she had no plans to get out. There were few people in this world who were as ruthless as Alexa. She was a trained killer, and no one saw her coming, because she played the part well.

  Her easiest targets were men, simply because she could use her body and her looks to reel them in before she offed them. It was easier for her to hit her marks, but she did it with no emotion. I’d watched her do it more than once, and it was intense, the way she killed without even an ounce of remorse.

  Last night, she had come to the restaurant to let me know that members of a gang were believed to be coming after me. They had some insider info on who had killed their “brother,” and they wanted payback.

  Knowing there was a possibility that my past was coming back to ruin things now was the scariest shit I’d ever had to swallow. If they had been watching me, it wouldn’t take much for them to figure out who Addy and Franny were. I had come here last night to make sure they were safe. When Addy hadn’t answered, I hadn’t left. I wasn’t leaving them alone until Cope and Alexa foun
d the bastards who were looking for me.

  Both of them were in town, trailing who they believed was here for me. If Cope had come to see me and let me in on all this shit, then I wouldn’t have Addy upset with me. But he’d sent Alexa while he kept tracking.

  Fucking hell. The only excuse I had for Addy was that Alexa was an old friend. Telling her the truth wasn’t something I was willing to do. I’d lose her if she knew. She would take our daughter and run like hell.

  And who could blame her?

  I looked across the table at my daughter, as she chatted happily, completely oblivious that her mother was ready to stab me with the fork she was innocently eating her waffles with.

  “It’s time for you to get dressed for school,” Addy said when Franny got to a stopping point.

  “OK, but can Dad take me?” she asked, looking from her mother to me hopefully.

  “I’d love to take you,” I said, before Addy could respond. Hearing Franny call me Dad so easily made my chest swell.

  Addy nodded. “That’s fine with me. Now, hurry so he doesn’t have to rush to get you there on time.”

  “I will!” she said, jumping up from her chair and hurrying back to the bedroom.

  I turned my attention to Addy, who was clearing the table before Franny had even completely left the room.

  “You’re not even going to look at me?” I asked, needing her eyes on me so she could see how fucking sincere I was about this situation.

  “No reason to,” was her response.

  “Addy, please,” I begged.

  She paused from picking up Franny’s plate and finally lifted her eyes to meet mine. “What?”

  I had her attention now, and not fucking it up was more pressure than I expected. It was like I had five seconds to keep her attention, and the heat was on. “When I tell you she’s an old friend, I mean it. She’s in town with another friend of mine. A guy. They’re together. They had some info for me regarding my old job. That’s it.”