Page 7 of Don't Regret Me
“Just a coffee for me.” Elizabeth didn’t want to be here long enough for a full breakfast.
“I’ll have the same.” Booker nodded.
Corey sighed. “Guess we’re just having coffee.” When the waitress left, he fixed his eyes on Elizabeth. “I was hoping to talk to you on your own, but that doesn’t change what I need to say.”
She crossed her arms, leaning against the back of the booth. “I’m listening.”
“I…” He sighed. “I’m back in town like I said I would be all those months ago. For good. I took a job here.”
A range of emotions raced through her, going from shock to fear. “And…”
“And I’m sorry. For everything I’ve done.”
She was silent for a moment. “Everything you’ve done? Corey, you abandoned me with cancer and two kids. It’s not like you just broke my heart. I don’t care about myself. But every day of your absence has broken the hearts of the two most perfect children. You don’t know them, and that’s the worst of it. They’re incredible. Owen is smart and sweet. Evie is sassy and creative. But you don’t know any of that.”
“I want to.” He almost reached across the table to take her hand but seemed to think better of it and set his hand in front of him on the table. “I’m here now.”
Six months ago, she’d have wanted nothing more than to hear this, than for Corey to realize everything he’d left behind. But the last memory she had of him was the phone conversation before she crashed her car. It wasn’t his fault, but sometimes it felt like it was.
“Can I ask you a question?”
He nodded.
“Did you ever really love me?”
Corey didn’t hesitate this time. “Of course I did, but everything was so complicated back then.”
“I’ve been loved, Corey. The world around us may have tried to add complications, but the love itself was simple. It was so different than what you and I had.” Even if it had only been for a short time, a time no one believed she’d had. She would have done anything to stay with Nick, to have him remember her.
And yet, over the last week, she’d tried to forget. How could she have ever thought that was possible?
“Fine,” she said. “You’re right, Corey. You should get to know your kids. I don’t want them to wake up one day and blame me for keeping you away from them. But there will be rules. Until I trust you, we’ll take this slow.”
“Thank you.”
She stood, smoothing a hand over her blond ponytail. “I’m not doing this for you.”
On her way out, she passed the waitress carrying the coffees and gave her an apologetic shrug. It wasn’t until she stepped into the fresh air that she felt like she could finally breathe again. Tears stung her eyes, but they weren’t for Corey or his return.
She blinked them away, realizing she didn’t deserve tears. She’d almost given up on Nick, and he was worth more than her regrets.
“Hey.” An arm slid around her shoulders, and she leaned into Booker. “It’s okay. I don’t think he’ll hurt them.” Booker thought these tears were for Corey’s return, and she let him. He’d made his opinions on her claim to know Nick Jacobs very clear.
“We didn’t get our coffee.” She straightened and wiped her face.
“Can’t have that.” He laughed. “Come on. We can walk to Momma Loves Sugar.”
Marianna served better coffee anyway, and going there always gave her comfort. They headed down the street into the main area of town, where the Venetian-style buildings with their stucco walls and tiled roofs crowded the street.
Crossing over the grass median, they reached the coffee shop. It was quiet. The morning rush must have ended.
Mariana looked up from where she was transferring pastries to a case. “Liz.” She set the pan on the counter and rounded it to pull Elizabeth into a hug. “I heard Corey is back. You must need coffee.”
“Yes, please.” She pulled away. “It always amazes me how fast news travels here.”
Marianna went back behind the counter to fix the coffees. “Well, everyone comes in here with their gossip. I’m usually the first to hear things, but you know how this town is.”
She didn’t say it, but Elizabeth knew she wanted to. The coma girl who claimed to know Nick Jacobs—lied about it, most people thought—was a source of fascination on par with the unwed bride, a local girl who was left at the alter three times. Though, said unwed bride was married now, happily, leaving a void in the gossip rounds.
