Page 59 of Cocky Cruiser

Slumping back down on the couch, I held my head in my hands. “You’re right.”

After a long period of tense silence, I felt Colin sit next to me. He patted me on the back. “You need to stop worrying about the pain of losing someone you love and focus on living. Because love is a beautiful, beautiful thing, mate. It’s more than worth it.”

I glanced at my friend. I’d held back with Adele, and what I felt when I was with her was incredible. I could only imagine what giving my whole self to her would feel like.

My stomach sank. I was an idiot to let her go. “I have to get her back.”

Colin grinned. “Now, that’s what I want to hear.”

My mind was racing as I tried to think about how I could possibly get Adele back after how I treated her. The way I’d left was pretty shitty, and I wasn’t sure she would forgive me.

“Does Jeannie talk to Adele regularly?”

Colin nodded. “I think so, why?”

A plan started to form in my head. “I have an idea.”

Three Weeks Later

As I stared at the ocean from the restaurant property I’d just bought, I hoped that I made the right decision.

After talking with Colin, I decided that I needed to show Adele a huge leap of faith in order to apologize and show her how serious I was about her. So I did what any guy would do—I bought a house and restaurant in her area.

I frequently second-guessed myself, worrying that I should have reached out to Adele first before making such a huge commitment, but I never did anything half ass. If worst came to worst, I could find a general manager to run the new restaurant and rent out the beach house for a good chunk of change.

I planned to get settled first and get the restaurant up and running before making contact with Adele. Colin had gotten her address from Jeannie so I could reach out to her when I was ready.

The location of the restaurant was prime, but the actual place needed work. I negotiated a good deal because of the condition it was in, especially with the rotted wood and mold. I would have to completely rip out the interior and deck and replace all the plumbing and ventilation.

But when it was finished, my restaurant was going to be the place to be. My inspiration was the cruise, featuring a fusion of fresh seafood and the cuisines of French Polynesia and Hawaii.

Remodeling would take a couple of weeks, and then it would take another few weeks to staff and publicize for the grand opening. And I still hadn’t figured out how to reach out to Adele and tell her everything.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little afraid of her rejection. I didn’t deserve her forgiveness, but I hoped that she could find it in her heart to forgive me and give me another chance.

One night after a long day at the restaurant, I took a walk on the beach where my new house was located. Being near the ocean made me feel closer to Adele and brought back all the great memories of the cruise.

How could I have been such an idiot?

I sat down on the sand and looked up at the stars, like I always did when I felt lost or alone. “I’ve gotten myself into quite a mess, haven’t I?”

I laughed, picturing how Cara would have punched me in the arm or yelled at me about how stupid I was. “Life hasn’t been easy since you passed, Care Bear. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been lost without you. Even though I was the older sibling, you were the wise one out of the two of us.”

When Cara was alive, she always had a solution for my problems. She looked at life differently and gave me so much perspective on things. Sure, she annoyed me at times like all little sisters do, but she was my best friend, and I missed her advice and guidance. “I get it now; why you wanted to fall in love so badly.” I looked down at the sand, feeling stupid for ignoring how I felt about Adele for so long and all the time I’d wasted. “It’s the best feeling. And you would love Adele. She’s the most genuine person and has such a kind heart. She reminds me a lot of you.”

Gazing back up at the night sky, I vowed, “I’m gonna get her back. I don’t know how, but I won’t give up until I do.”

I just hoped Adele would give me a second chance even though I didn’t deserve it.

Chapter Nineteen

Life after the cruise was definitely not as bright. I hated that I missed Cohen, especially since he’d left me like I meant nothing to him. I didn’t understand how it had been so easy for him to walk away and pretend nothing was between us.

When I’d gotten home from the cruise, I sulked around for a few weeks feeling sorry for myself, but then I’d decided I wasn’t going to let some guy keep me down.

In order to ignore my broken heart, I concentrated on work and volunteering. I found a job as a communications coordinator for an environmental nonprofit organization that focused on cleaning California’s beaches and waters.

The job itself was primarily planning events, networking, and office work, so the receptionist job I’d had with the accounting firm ended up being great experience for the position.

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