Page 123 of Fly Back to Me
My mind rewinds, and suddenly I see my unsteady fingers pluck the ring from Nurse Joy’s hand. Ever since that day, Cade wasflawless.
No imperfections.
No faults.
Imissthe way I thought of him. I miss that feeling of finding someone the universe sent to me because he was exactly what I needed. Because if he was exactly what I needed, he could never disappoint me.
I’ve been high on an intensely addictive drug, being fed an overwhelming number of endorphins, only to plummet down to the concrete. Every organ inside me depletes, but I’m not so sure what bothers me more—losing Cade or losing the idea of him. Maybe I did fall in love with him prematurely. But what is “falling in love” anyway? People say and hear the phrase all the time, but what does it actually mean?
It’s an abstract concept. Something you can’t describe, but you know it’s there when youfeelit.
It’s tangible.
Just like the rays of the sun once were for us.
Cade
I lift my backward snapback, running a hand through my hair as I head behind the bar. The crowd accumulates, a couple women squeezing through a few bodies to slide up to the counter.
“What can I get you?” I say, placing a paper coaster in front of each of them.
The brunette points to the TV menu on the reclaimed brick behind me. “I’ll take a twelve ounce of the number four.”
“I’ll do a twelve ounce of the number seven,” her friend chimes in.
“You got it.”
I turn to grab two glasses, only to spin back to the tap faucets. My hand wraps around a lever, and then Jake’s idling beside me to service his customer. “Do what you have to do in the office, we’ve got it under control out here,” he assures.
My eyes remain glued to the metal nozzle. “I’m going a little stir crazy. Sometimes I just need to keep myself moving.”
“I hear that,” Jake says.
“Yeah,” I breathe before walking the two beers over. “It’s sixteen.” The brunette shines a smile as she extends her credit card over the bar top. “Do you want to keep the tab open or closed?” I ask.
“Open.”
“Sounds good.” I toss a friendly smile before turning to swipe and store her credit card. I’m walking back and forth behind the bar, assisting a few more people until Nikki’s plantedat my side.
“You’ve got some oglers,” she teases, dropping a couple dirty glasses in the three-compartment sink. “The young brunette, especially.” She inches closer to my side, her soft black curls poking my peripheral vision.
I smirk, swiping another credit card through the tablet. “You flatter me too much.”
“They’re cute. And let’s be honest, you could probably use a rebound after Jenna.”
“Is this a therapy session or work?” I tease, my palm tapping her shoulder as I walk around her.
When I exit the bar, my attention jerks to the hollers at my left—a group of guys standing aroundthat wall.
My boots decelerate along the polished concrete, still journeying to the rear hallway. The exposed brick immediately sprays her floral scent inside my body—that very smell I inhaled when my lips brushed hers.
I tasted those lips for the very first time against that wall.
Everything I lost in my relationship with Jenna was found in that one damn kiss. It was life-altering. And I knew,I knew, Olivia was mine to keep.
Her absence taunts me without mercy, my attempts to mend the open gash failing miserably ever since.
Now I know why.
