I stand casually at the bar of the small restaurant with Sarah tucked under my arm and everything feels right—even all the way down to a very fundamental level. I know it’s not perfect, but for the first time in over four years, I can actually hope that it will be eventually. Erica, Sarah, and Emma are huddled together, chatting about pregnancy and babies, and Caleb and Slate are lost in conversation about boxing and some of the up-and-comers from the gym in Indianapolis. I pull a sip off my beer and revel in the peace and quiet inside my own head.
"You okay?" Sarah looks up at me with a warm smile.
"I’m perfect, mi cielo."
"Mi cielo? That’s new." Her smile grows.
"Heaven," I answer on a whisper, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "Cuando la verdad salga, no se donde esto nos dejara. Pero aqui contigo es como yo imagino deber ser el cielo." (I don’t know where this is going to leave us when the truth comes out. But here with you will always be what I envision heaven to be.)
"I have no idea what you just said."
"I said you are beautiful and I’m starving."
"Well, that’s not as romantic as it sounded, but I’ll take it." She laughs, giving me a soft kiss that goes straight to my head.
I look up to find Erica and Emma staring at us with their mouths all but hanging open. Slate and Caleb are awkwardly toying with the labels on their beers.
I clear my throat. "Well, okay. Now that we’re all here, I’m going to grab us a table."
"I’m going to the restroom," Sarah announces with Emma and Erica both agreeing to join her.
I watch as the three woman walk away laughing. Then I make a quick trip to the hostess stand before heading back to the guys.
"I’m telling you. I have this kid who is about to break out. I’ve never seen such raw talent before. He’s a good kid too." Slate drains his beer and sets it down on the bar.
"No shit?" Caleb asks while signaling for another round.
"Yep. Till Page, and I swear, within the year, he’s going to explode onto the scene."
"I’ll have to keep an eye out for him." Caleb tilts back his beer.
"Come on. Our table’s ready. I’ll wait for the…" My words are frozen as I see Caleb’s eyes grow impossibly wide and he barely manages to keep from spitting out his beer.
"You asshole. I thought you two were staying in tonight?" I turn to find a tall man smiling and walking over from the front door. A tiny brunette is holding his hand with a kind grin.
"Yeah..." Caleb responds slowly and takes a few quick steps toward them.
His behavior immediately puts me on alert, and I glance around for Johnson, who seems to have also read Caleb’s body language and has already started heading our direction.
"What’s wrong with you?" the tall guy asks before recognizing Slate. "Oh shit." His eyes flash to me with a huge grin.
This guy doesn’t look even the slightest bit menacing, so Caleb’s reaction has me puzzled. I have a horrible feeling in my gut, but I can’t for the life of me figure out why. Unwilling to be left in the dark any longer, I take a step forward.
"Hey, how’s it going? I’m Leo James" I extend a hand and Caleb groans as the tall guy quickly takes it in a friendly shake.
"Nice to meet you. Brett Sharp."
Fucking hell. The pieces snap into place. The ex-husband.
"You need to leave." Caleb tells Brett before focusing on the brunette.
He says something else, but my attention is drawn away when I hear Sarah laugh as she returns from the bathroom. I stride away from Brett and Caleb and head toward her. I need to warn her at the very least. But as she rounds the corner, her laughter is abruptly silenced. I can actually see the color seep from her face as she stumbles backward.
"SON OF a bitch," I hear Brett cuss as he pushes Jesse behind him.
I can’t blame him for having that reaction, but when I see it firsthand, the pain still consumes me.
"Brett, stop," Jesse responds, offering me an uncomfortable smile.
With a flash of understanding and two quick steps, Leo closes the distance between us and wraps me in his arms.
Time suddenly freezes and the world tilts on its axis. With just one glance of Brett’s green eyes, I’m transported to a different time.
A different life.
A different Sarah.
Two years earlier….
I PULL up to Brett’s apartment knowing he’s at work by now. Years ago, he gave me this key with some ridiculous hope that I would one day use it. I held on to it despite my desire to throw it in the garbage. There’s nothing in this apartment that I want. Including him.