Page 16 of Loving Leila
I strike it lucky and find a parking spot right outside the bar. Pushing through the door, I scan the interior for Caleb but don’t see him anywhere. A passing waitress stops to ask if she can be of assistance and leads me to a table near the bar when I tell her I’m meeting someone.
I’ve barely put my ass in the chair before I spot the man making his way toward me. He pulls out a chair, tosses his keys on the table, and gives me a shit-eating grin. The waitress that seated me reappears to take our order, and once she’s gone, Caleb turns back to me.
“So, are we gonna talk smack for a bit before we get down to the point of your call, or you just wanna cut to the chase and tell me what’s on your mind?” he asks.
“What makes you think there’s something on my mind?”
“Brother, look who you’re talking to. Sometimes I think I know you better than you know yourself.”
I hang my head, rubbing at the tightness in my neck, and sigh. He’s not wrong. Besides, it’s why I called him. If anyone can give me solid advice, it’s him. After all the shit he and his wife, Brynna, have been through, he’d be the man to help me out of this predicament.
“No lies there.” I can’t help but sigh again. This isn’t easy, even if he is the one person I know who’ll understand. “It’s Leila.”
Caleb had been about to take a sip of the beer the waitress placed in front of him moments ago, but at my words his arm stops in midair. “Sorry, say what now? I could swear I heard you say Leila.”
“Yeah, you heard right.”
“Okay, back it up and start from the beginning. How the hell did you and Leila hook back up?”
For the next fifteen minutes, he grills me as I spill my guts to him, starting with the mission to save the hijacked cruise ship. I finish with us nearly having sex and then Leila losing her shit in spectacular style and throwing me out of her apartment.
“And now here we are. Well damn, Chief.”
“Yeah, damn is right,” I reply. He looks at me, sympathy bright in his eyes. “I’m so fucked, man. I finally figure out I love her more than life itself, and she tells me she never wants to see me again. If she’s ever in danger in the future, she’d rather die at the hands of the bad guys than have me save her.”
“Well damn,” Caleb repeats.
“You’re the only person I know who can give me solid advice. How did you fix things with Bryn after shit went wrong for you?”
Caleb snorts out a laugh. “You mean afterIfucked up.”
It’s my turn to laugh. Shaking my head, I reply, “Yeah, but I didn’t want to be the one to say it.”
Cutting to the heart of my question, he replies simply, “I straight up begged her to give me another chance. I was open and honest about my demons, and we took it from there.”
My stomach clenches at the thought of having that conversation. That’s, of course, if Leila would even be willing to listen to me. But if it’s the only thing that might give me a fighting chance, then I’m prepared to do it.
“I know it’s gotta be scaring the shit out of you, but if you want your girl back, it’s likely the only thing that’ll do it,” he goes on. “Besides, she deserves the truth, don’t you think?”
Without hesitation I answer, “Yeah, she does. But you’re right, it scares the hell out of me. Just the thought of it makes me want to break out in hives.”
“My advice? Get it done sooner rather than later. The longer you leave it, the more her anger and hurt will fester and the less likely she is to give you the chance to explain.”
Blowing out a breath, I nod as I come to a decision. “No time like the present, right?” I push my chair back and throw some bills on the table. “Thanks, brother. I appreciate you taking the time. Give Bryn and the kids a big hug from me.”
As I start to leave, he calls after me, “Good luck, dude. Let me know how it goes.”
I wave to show him I heard and keep walking. I’m going to get my girl.
Chapter 14
Kyle
Each apartment in Leila’s block has two visitors’ parking spots, and I see Ace’s truck parked in one as I pull my truck into the other. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help the jealousy that burns through me at the thought of their close relationship. Even with these five years that they’ve not seen each other, she treats him no differently than when we were together.
And that’s the bit I’m jealous over. The logical part of my brain tells me that I have no one to blame but myself, but that doesn’t mean that the illogical part of my brain cares. I drop my head onto the steering wheel and blow out a huge breath. Right this second, I’d rather face a band of insurgents that have the conversation I know I need to have with Leila.
But if I have any hope of getting her back, I’m going to have to man up and just do it.
