Page 107 of From West, With Regret

Pursing her lips, she vacantly looks over West’s shoulder. “I still have no idea where that money went, but I’ve decided to move on.”

Nowshe finally looks at me.

Her eyes harden, but I can see the tears building in them. “Seems you have as well.”

I don’t know whether she’s talking to me or to West. Maybe both.

“You don’t understand,” he starts.

Glenna’s hand shoots up, cutting West off.

“I don’t want to hear it.” Her eyes close. “I don’t want to hear about you and your brother’s wife.”

My jaw drops, and tears prick behind my eyes. I don’t know why I care what Glenna Hall thinks. I never did before. Iaccepted it when Heath kept me from his family. But now that I’m with West, suddenly, I find myself caring.

“Mom…” West breathes, and I know he’s hurting, too.

Deep down in my bones, I know Glenna is a good person. She took West in when he had nowhere else to go. She saved him from a life that could have taken a completely different turn from the one he has now, but the grief of losing her first born has blinded her.

“Sorry to interrupt.” Lewis appears from the other side of the bar. He trades nervous glances between West and me. “Do you know if we have any more of this whiskey?” He holds up the empty bottle. “We’re pretty swamped here, and I haven’t had time to check upstairs in the storeroom.”

“I’ll go check,” I tell him. I turn to West and stand on my toes to give him a kiss.

Glenna rolls her eyes.

I look at her with sadness and regret. Regret only for knowing she’s hurting. I’m hoping one day she’ll understand when West tells her about our history together.

I turn my attention back to West, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t take too long,” he says, his eyes softening with longing.

It jumpstarts my already revved-up heart.

I reluctantly leave West and his mom, hoping somehow that the time it takes for me to run this errand for Lewis will give them the opportunity to repair the damage Glenna’s put between them.

I’m weaving my way through the crowd when my phone vibrates again in my hand. I ignore it, knowing it’s the unknown caller. Several guests offer me their congratulations. I nod and continue through, finally taking a breath once I reach the bottom of thestairwell.

I take the stairs slowly, lifting the bottom of my floor-length, black satin gown. My heels clank against the weathered boards, and my mind wanders to the countless days I came up here to work, secluded from everyone downstairs. I was in my own world up here, lost in the memories of West’s hands and the necklace I’d given to him for his birthday. Before our world came crashing down.

The price we paid to get here has been worth it.

I’m smiling to myself, thinking of West’s mouth against my ear when I reach the top landing. The door to the storeroom is propped open. I push it open and immediately start scanning the shelves for the whiskey Lewis needs, but the blood drains from my face when I see the man standing in front of the opposite shelf.

Crisp and clean, he’s unmistakable, wearing a freshly-pressed suit. His blonde hair is neatly styled, pushed back, revealing his crystal blue eyes. Unsteady on his feet, he sways as he holds a small piece of paper between his fingers, and the thick, black diamond wedding band on his fourth finger causes my stomach to somersault with nausea. How? How is he possibly standing here in front of me when I’d seen his coffin. I’d seen the hole dug into the ground, ready and waiting to be his final resting place.

“Heath?” I whisper, my voice already shaking.

“London.” He sighs, his shoulders dropping as if he’s relieved to see me. “Finally.”

His arms sag in front of him, and he takes a wobbly step forward. His eyes are bloodshot, the dim light of the closet casting shadows across the sharp planes of his face.

“You’re, um…” I swallow the bile in my throat. “You’re alive?”

Ten agonizing seconds of silence pass.

“You know,” Heath finally says, slurring. “It’sa shame I cut my brother out of my life. I didn’t realize I’d have all the liquor I could ever want at my disposal.” He swallows thickly, then lifts his angered eyes toward me. “And an unobstructed view of my wife’s heart.”

The breath catches in my throat when he holds up the piece of paper pinched between his clenched fingers.

---