I took a hit to the side and I went down a few feet away. At first I thought the car had somehow hit me, but then I saw that car spin away totally trying to avoid any responsibility of a hit and run and it ran right past me.
I watched it go as it writhed in pain and tried to figure out what was happening to me. Then I saw her. Another girl who had pushed me out of the way. She was about my age, pretty, and from the looks of it she was athletic. And she’d just saved my life.
“Thanks,” I said. “Shit, thank you so much.”
“Sure,” she said. “That bastard was going way too fast. I hope they get him stopped somewhere. He was definitely up to no good. He should be in jail.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I have to go. Thanks so much.”
I carefully walked over to my car and ignored the bruises that were aching and growing on my body right now. I wasn’t sure how badly I’d been hurt, but I knew if that car had hit me then I would have been a grease spot right then and there. It was a minor miracle that girl had come by when she did to save me in the nick of time. I had almost died. I kept thinking that. It was spinning around in my head over and over again.
I knew what I had to do. I realized in that moment exactly how silly I was being with everything. I was letting fear and perceived logic rule my fate. I wasn’t going to do that anymore. No.
I had to see Darren.
Chapter 9
Darren
A knock came at the door of my office.
I groaned. I’d been busy all morning and now this afternoon I finally had a chance for a little bit of me time and I was planning to take a few drinks from the new whiskey that I was given the other day by a generous investor. And the door starts knocking.
“What is it?” I asked as I poured the glass. I didn’t give a damn who was at the door, I was enjoying this drink right then. I desperately needed it. The day had been hectic and I felt like pulling my hair out. People could be so damn infuriating sometimes.
Teri entered through the door with Patrice. She smiled at us and then Patrice walked back to her desk. I was surprised to see Teri there. She was smiling but her eyes were filled with emotion. Tears were just starting to cloud over her eyes as she saw me. She half jogged the rest of the way into my office. I rose quickly to meet her standing and I hugged her tightly. Then she let the emotions go with me.
Teri buried her head on my shoulders and began to sob. I didn’t say anything at first. I just let her cry it out as I patted her head and held her close to me. I’d missed her so much that day. I’d buried myself in my work and tried to keep my mind occupied, but my thoughts were elsewhere. I hadn’t let on how much her rejection of my suggestion that she move in with me bothered me, but it actually stung quite a bit. I suppose it was silly for me to feel that way, but that was the way it was. The emotions were real.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” I finally asked.
She took a few deep breaths and calmed herself down. “I love you,” she said.
“I love you, too,” I replied.
“I was wrong. I do want to spend my life with you,” she said. “And I do want to move in with you. I was stupid to be scared by that. Please, is the offer still available?”
“Of course. What made you change your mind?”
She told me about the accident and my heart leapt to my throat. The image of her about to be run over by a car speeding recklessly through a parking lot was terrifying to me. I tried to hold it together and not let on, but she was really scaring me with this story.
“I just realized that life is too short to let any sort of fear stop me from any experience. I want to be with you always. I want to live with you. I’m sorry if I hurt you.”
“It’s ok,” I said. “You are amazing. I love you and I would do anything for you, but you never have to worry about hurting my feelings to tell me how you really feel. Never do t
hat. If you don’t want something or if you do want something then that is important. You must do what is right for you my dear.”
I stroked her cheek with my finger and gave her a huge smile before I leaned in and kissed her. She kissed me back hard and her body melted against mine and we felt like one being. I loved this woman with all of my heart and soul and I never thought I would be able to love again. I thought that part of my life was over and gone for good. But here I was being given a second shot. I was not going to blow this. I needed this woman by my side and to see that she cared about me and Bobby just as much was overwhelming to me. I don’t often cry, but I had to hold back the tears right now.
“Baby, I want you to go away with me. For the weekend. I have a cabin about forty minutes from here. It’s a little get away I go off to every now and then.”
“That sounds great, but what about Bobby?” she asked.
“I’ll call my mom and have her watch him for the weekend. Her place is on the way. I’ll drop him off there. He loves nana time.”
“Ok,” she said.
“We can leave now if you want to.”