Page 67 of Hearts Colliding
"You have to go and see him again, before he goes. Give it one last shot, Ry, throw everything you have at it. You love him, and love’s always worth fighting for.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE
Alex sat behind the wheel of his car and stared out over the harbour front. The few streetlights dotted around glowed dim, little more than puny pinpricks in the darkness. There was nobody around. Not one, single soul. Love’s Harbour had battened down the hatches, hunkering low as it awaited the storm.
"What the hell am I doing, Henry?" Alex turned to his dog. Henry whined. He'd been whining all evening, and roaming from room to room like a restless spirit. “Should have left you at the house.” But it had been impossible. As soon as he'd grabbed up his keys, overflowing with determination to be honest with Ryan, honest with himself, Henry had scrambled across, begging not to be left behind. Henry crawled into his lap. Gathering him up, Alex whispered into the dog’s warm fur.
“What if it's too late?”
He’d been so cold, so hard, so distant. Every step forward Ryan had taken, he’d taken ten back. He’d got what he wanted, everything had worked out exactly as he’d planned, and now he would walk away and leave everything behind as though it had never existed.
His heart would break with every step he took.
Ryan had laid his heart on the line, and all he’d done was trample over it. And all because he was afraid. Ryan had seen through him, seen the fear squirming in the darkest corner of his soul.
“Why am I so afraid, Henry?”
Afraid to love. Afraid to commit. Afraid all the warmth and joy would be ripped away, leaving behind nothing but bone shattering anguish. Better, then, to not love, to not commit, to retreat back behind the icy wall where it was safe, cold, and lonely. He couldn’t do it, not anymore.
A heavy gust of wind shook the car as the first raindrops splattered over the windscreen. He closed his eyes, remembering another night when the rain had beat down. Ryan had rescued him once before, but would he do so again?
Alex climbed out, still clutching Henry, who refused to be set on the ground. Henry was trembling, and Alex placed a kiss on the top of his head. His little friend was as fearful as he was.
Other than the pub’s wall lights casting a ghostly glow, all the businesses lining the harbour front were in darkness, giving the village an odd, deserted atmosphere. Alex licked his lips, all his determination when he’d fled the house to put right everything he’d made so wrong, draining from him. He sucked in a shaky breath. He had to do this. Whatever the outcome, he couldn’t not do this. Hesitant steps brought him to the pub’s door.
Deep breaths, one in, one out.
Shifting Henry in his arms, he pressed a palm to the door, and pushed.
It didn’t move.
He pushed again, harder, but it did nothing more than rattle in its frame.
"I'm sorry, my love, but we're closed. We’ll be open again tomorrow, business as usual.” Eva's strong, confident voice called out.
Closed? The hub of the village was closed?
"Eva, it's me. Alex Love. Is Ryan there? I need to speak to him." His breath stilled in his chest as he waited, and even Henry had stopped wriggling in his arms.
The door rattled as a key was turned, and bolts thrown back. The door opened and Eva stood guard, barring his way.
"Alex. Wasn't expecting to see you here. None of us were." She tilted her head backwards and Alex peered around her. The war council, in full force, stared at him. Or almost full force, because one of them was missing.
Alex's shoulders stooped.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have to see Ryan. I—I need to talk to him.”
Eva didn't move, as she gazed at him through eyes that were as assessing as her grandson’s. Alex hugged Henry tight, furry armour against the old lady's silent assault.
"He's gone to bed. The poor boy's exhausted. It's been quite a rough couple or so days for him." Eva glared, a mama bear protecting her cub. Or grandcub.
"I know. I want to resolve things, or try to.”If it's not too late.
Eva scowled, and didn’t budge an inch from blocking his way in. He didn’t blame her, just as he’d not blame her if she slammed the door closed in his face.
“For goodness sake, Alex.” She huffed, shaking her head hard. “Have you any idea what you’ve done? You might be the very image of your mother but coming back here and forcing your will on everybody, whether they want it or not, that’s your father coming out in you.” She looked him up and down, weighing up every inch of him. “By the looks of you, it's not only Ryan who's been put through the mill. Come in. You and little Henry can have a drink, but don't be surprised if he doesn’t want to welcome you with open arms. Because you don’t deserve it, do you?”
“No, I don’t—I, er…” He wilted under the intensity of her gaze, the anger in her eyes barely held in check.
