Page 69 of Adrift Without You
“My pleasure, Kyle. Start planning your new life, and don’t forget to thank the person who took those photos. They gave us the leverage we needed to get this done quickly and without a court battle.”
Thanking her once again, I stand to leave but pause at the door. “Charlotte, do we have a ballpark figure on the settlement?”
She laughs. “Thought you’d never ask. After legal fees, somewhere around five-point-five to six.”
“Five-point-fivemillion?”
She nods. “That’s right. He was hiding another property, but our investigator found it. That’s where he took young Xavier all those nights he was working late.”
“You’re a badass, Charlotte,” I say, beaming at her.
“Funny, that’s what my wife says too.”
We both nod, a newfound understanding settling between us. With a spring in my step and a smile on my face I stroll out of the office like I’m a millionaire. Because I am.
This day couldn’t possibly get any better. Once I’m back in my car, I text Bren.
Me:The Boathouse at 7pm?
Staring at the screen, I watch the little dots dance for a few seconds before I receive a reply.
Bren:Perfect. See you then.
Instead of going straight home, I stop at Long Island Beach, parking the car and walking out onto the sand. The bay is calm, sunlight reflecting off the clear, blue, shallow water. I’ve been here many times since we moved back into the area, memories of that night drawing me in like a magnet, each visit a quiet surrender to a past I’ll never be able to truly let go of. Sitting down, I slip off my socks and shoes and wiggle my toes in the warm grains of sand.
Bren told me that the night we first kissed, here on this very beach, was when he knew he had fallen in love with me. I look to the left, certain I know the exact place we were standing. Closing my eyes, I let the memory wash over me, hear the gentle waves and see the stars in the clear night sky. I feel his lips on mine for the first time, his fingers threading through my hair and the little whimpers in his throat as I deepened the kiss. It was a perfect night.
Standing, I walk to the water’s edge, the temperature colder than I’d expected, and I wonder if Bren ever visits here. It’s a beautiful spot.
To say I’m looking forward to tomorrow night is an understatement. Yeah, there’s that foolish part of me that hopes Bren will say he’s left Chris to be with me, but I need to accept that, at this stage, it’s about as likely as the sun turning cold. I shake my head, wondering why I’m such a hopeless romantic. I really should stop watching all those romcoms with Lu.
Glancing at my watch, I reluctantly grab my shoes and head back to the car.
Chapter 38
Brendan
Now
When I step inside The Boathouse five minutes early, I immediately spot Ky sitting in the same booth as last time. With his eyes on his phone screen, he doesn’t see me straight away, so I take the opportunity to get a read on him. There’s atightness to his expression, his high cheekbones somehow more prominent than normal, and his leg bounces under the table.
I’m halfway across the room when he lifts his head, a bright smile spreading across his face as our eyes meet. My heart swells when he stands and opens his arms in greeting. I quicken my step and walk straight into his embrace, kissing him on the cheek as his warmth curls around me.
“Thanks for the invite,” he says, breaking the hug and sitting back down in the booth.
I sit on the opposite side, wishing he’d held me just that little bit longer. “I wanted to thank you in person for what you did for Jeff. For savin’ his life. He’s out of the ICU now and a full recovery is expected.”
“That’s great, but I was just doing my job. Although I’ll never complain about a chance to see you. Just don’t ever scare me like that again.” Ky chuckles, but I can hear the underlying fear.
“Did you really think it was gonna be me lyin’ there on the floor?”
He nods, eyes shifting down to the table. “I thought God, or the universe, was teaching me a lesson. Reminding me of what a dickhead I’d been for missing the last twenty years.”
Ky’s sky-blue eyes meet mine, and the truth hangs heavy between us, laden with regret. I’m the first to look away, picking up the menu and pretending to read. “What do you wanna eat? My shout to say thanks.”
“The burgers were good last time. Wouldn’t mind another. And a cold beer to wash it down.”
“Comin’ right up.” At the bar I order dinner and grab the drinks. When I return, Ky is texting.
