Graham kissed Monica’s temple and told her over and over again how much he loved her. Tears fell from his eyes as he searched for the words that would change their future. Monica rolled onto her side and pushed her fingers through his hair.
“What’s wrong?”
“Everything,” he told her. “I lost my friend, someone I thought would always be around when I went back to visit my parents. He’s gone. My brother is a wreck.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you.”
“I know.”
Monica wiped away his tears and placed a kiss on each cheek. Graham was surprised she hadn’t asked about Rennie yet. When he’d received the call, he hadn’t called Monica to tell her until he had to stop for gas. His only focus was getting home. When he called, they argued because Rennie had gone with him.
“Is there anything I can do?” Monica asked.
“Come with me.”
“Where are you going?”
The words pained him, but he had made his mind up on his drive back. His brother needed him. “Back to Cape Harbor.”
“To visit? Of course I’ll go. I’d love to see where you grew up.”
He shook his head slightly. “I need to go home, Monica. My brother needs me.”
Monica opened her mouth to say something but stopped. Her eyes darted back and forth, and her fingers fiddled with the hem of the blanket. “What you’re asking—”
“It’s a lot. I know,” Graham interrupted. “And I’m torn, Monica. I don’t know what to do, but right now, staying isn’t an option. I can’t afford my rent here anymore—”
“What are you talking about?” It was her turn to cut him off. She sat up and pulled the blanket to her chest. “What’s going on?”
“I didn’t have the time to take, and they demoted me at work. An entry-level job in one of the fastest-growing markets isn’t going to pay my rent. I’d have to get two full-time jobs just to make ends meet. As is, I’m living paycheck to paycheck but surviving. I’ve exhausted what little savings I had driving back and forth. And then there’s my brother.”
“He survived, right? Is he hurt?”
“Not physically. Emotionally, yes. He needs me.”
“I need you, Graham. We have plans for our future. We have a life here.”
“I know, and I need you, too, but I don’t know what to do. I have to go home.”
Monica crawled out of bed and searched for her clothes. Graham watched her get dressed, wishing she’d come back to bed with him. “Where are you going?”
“Home,” she stated. “I have to work.”
He was silent.
“Will you at least think about what I asked?”
Monica came over to Graham and placed her hands on his cheeks. His hands rested on the back of her thighs. He looked up at her and sought her eyes for the answer he desired. She leaned down and kissed him.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered against his lips. She kept her mouth on him as tears fell from her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Graham. I love you, but I can’t go.”
Before he could reply, she was out of his door and out of his life.
What if Monica had come to Cape Harbor with him—where would his life be? He would’ve asked her to marry him if she had moved. If Brooklyn hadn’t left, would Graham and Rennie be a couple? He could play this game every day and night, and still, the outcome would be the same. He put his life on hold for his brother when no one asked him to, and now he was alone while everyone around him had moved on.
Life passed by, and Graham was no longer willing to sit on the sidelines and watch. He was going to put himself out there. He would download every dating app he could. He would allow his mom to set him up, and he would reach out to Monroe Whitfield and ask if she had any single friends.
As if on cue, Monroe walked through the door, looking as cheery as ever with her strawberry-blonde hair pinned away from her face and in a ponytail. Graham went to her and kissed her on the cheek. “It’s great to see you.”
“You too.” The lifelong friends embraced for a moment.
“Here for lunch?”
“Yeah, and I was hoping we could talk.”
Graham already knew she wanted to talk about Grady. Roe, as her friends often called her, always had a soft spot for Grady, even when they were growing up. Graham motioned for her to take a seat while he stepped behind the bar to grab her a menu. He took it over and sat down across from her. “So, Grady?”
“Yeah?” She nodded.
Graham recounted the court hearing and the treatment facility Grady was living in for at least the next three months.
“Are you and your parents happy?”
“We are, and I honestly believe Grady is as well. It took a while, but our dad has finally accepted Grady’s situation and is willing to go to family therapy to help Grady. I expected Grady to beg our dad to get him out of there yesterday, but he didn’t. He’s not happy, but I think he, too, realizes this is life or death, and he wants to get better.”
“Oh, this is so good to hear.”
“Hey, how come you’re not in school right now?”
“Winter vacation.” Monroe threw her hands up and cheered. “This year has been rough. These third graders know everything.”
“I can’t even remember third grade.” Graham laughed. “How’s my neighbor Shari fitting in?”
“She’s a doll. Everyone loves her.” Graham asked Monroe what she wanted for lunch. He placed her order, poured the pop she asked for, and went back to her table.
“I think I’m going to start dating,” he told her. “I may need your help.”
Monroe chuckled. “Graham, you work in a bar. I’ve seen women throw themselves at you all the time. You’re just too caught up in your head to recognize what’s happening.”
“Really?”
She playfully rolled her eyes and giggled again. “Don’t worry. I’m sure I can convince Brooklyn to come down one night. We can scout some possibilities for you.”
Graham stood and kissed her on the cheek. “I knew I could count on you.” He returned to work but checked on her often. Throughout the day, his friends came in to eat, chat, and see how he was doing. It was like a new leaf turned over with Grady going to rehab. The black cloud of Austin’s death and Grady’s demise lifted. There was a fresh new life in Cape Harbor.
By the time Rennie walked into the bar later that night, the Whale Spout was packed with bodies, with barely any space to move. The weekly dart tournament had drawn a bigger crowd than average—not that Graham cared. He welcomed the noise, especially a week before Christmas. It wasn’t until Rennie squeezed her way in between two patrons and ordered a beer that Graham realized she was there.
His face fell, and he quickly turned away, hoping she hadn’t seen his reaction to her. He would never purposely hurt her, but right now, she represented Grady. The good, the bad, and the ugly when it came to him.
Graham popped the top of her bottle, set it on a coaster, and slid it toward her. “You want a tab?” he asked her.
Rennie nodded and motioned toward the end of the bar, giving Graham no choice but to follow her. She rose onto her toes and told Graham what she knew about the lawsuit. At first, he had a hard time hearing her and asked that she repeat herself, because surely there was no way in hell someone would sue him. He was, without a doubt, a diligent bartender and owner. He would never serve a minor, let alone let anyone leave if they’d had too much to drink. There had to be a mistake.