Page 34 of I Love You Again
Or, maybe they just…weren’t meant tobe.
The thought pained hersoul.
* * *
Brad madehis way to the other side of the island and stayed on the beach there watching the surfers ride the waves. He'd surf too if he were in a bettermood.
Right now, he felt torn andconfused.
Right now, he felt like the world had shifted around him and everything he'd built up over the last eleven years was on a shakyfoundation.
When Brad made his promise to Jim, he was only thinking of Trina. She was all that he'd thought about. Jim had to have known that he’d keep his promise because he knew how much he lovedTrina.
However, by promising to stay out of her life, he robbed himself of the one person who'd given his life any form ofvalue.
Growing up, Jim had been great with him, but when he sent him away, he'd acted no differently than Brad'sparents.
Brad knew he was trouble. He knew he didn't have the best reputation in the world, but he wanted to change. He wished Jim would have given him a chance. He wished Jim had given him some sort of guidance, or damn even told him he couldn't marry his daughteruntilhechanged.
But no, he didn't. He just wanted Brad gone, and that money he gave him felt like he bought hisdecision.
After Jim had died, Brad paid it back. He gave it to Jim's cousin and made sure it all went to Trina, as it rightly should. He didn't want to feel like he'd been paid to leave. While Jim might not have intended it that way, it felt likethat.
It was a hard thing to come to terms with a man telling you that his dying wish was for you to stay away from his daughter. It was harsh and crude, and could only be compared to having your heart ripped from you. Since that day, only despair had dwelled in the ruins of hissoul.
Brad wondered what Jim must have told Trina after. Did he lie and say he just left, maybe that he was no good? Or did he not sayanything?
"So, this is where you are." Neil's voice brought him out of his deep thoughts. Brad turned to see him standing behind him. He rocked back on his heels and tipped his strawhat.
"Hey," Brad continued to watch him. "Why are youhere?"
"Trina. She called me. She sounded really worried, so I thought I'd come and findyou."
Brad sighed and looked away. "You didn't have to dothat."
"Well, I know you. You only retreat to the hills if you're troubled about something." Neil smiled and sat next to Brad on thesand.
"Did she tell you whathappened?"
Neil shook his head. "I was saving that part for you. I guessed it had to be somethingbig."
"I … slept with her." Brad was always open and honest with Neil. They never kept anything from each other, so he wouldn’t start doing thatnow.
"And that's a bad thing because?" Neil narrowed his eyes athim.
"Because Neil, I promised her father I'd stay away fromher."
"Isn't he kind of not around anymore?" Jauntily, he cocked his dark head to oneside.
"That’s not the point." In spite of how Brad felt he still had great respect for Jim and appreciated all he did forhim.
“Okay, so what is?” Neil looked at him withexpectancy.
Brad really didn’t want to talk about it, but this was Neil. He was the friend he could tell anything. The kind of guy who would never judge, and would always be there for him when he needed himmost.
“He made me feel like a complete loser Neil. That kind of feeling doesn’t just go away. You didn’t know me back then, and while I was never a bad guy I didn’t do goodthings.”
“Bro, you do great things now. I’ve seen you. I have first hand knowledge of how youare.”
