If Forever Comes (Take This Regret #2)(41)
Author: A.L. Jackson

“Who?” True confusion seemed to saturate Matthew. He let the door swing shut as he turned to fully face me. “What are you talking about, Christian?”

I shot a glance at Natalie, who squirmed, restless as she pressed her hand to the wall, as if she were holding herself up. Uncertainty washed her face as she frowned.

I jerked my attention back to Matthew. “You two need to tell me what is going on with Elizabeth. Is she seeing that ass**le? And don’t lie to me.”

Just the notion sent another shudder convulsing through my veins.

Was she sleeping with him?

I choked over the thought. Nausea rolled in my stomach. I was coming unhinged.

“Christian, come on, man, take a breath or something. Settle down for a second, because I don’t have a single clue what you’re talking about.”

“Logan…Kelsey’s dad,” I clarified through hardened words. “Lizzie said Elizabeth has been over there, and I went over to Elizabeth’s to talk to her earlier today and she wasn’t home. She’s always home.”

Something like a smirk crested Matthew’s mouth. “Well, it’s about f**king time. I take it back…don’t calm down, because you’ve been sitting on your ass for far too long. It’s about time you fought for her.”

Natalie approached and placed a gentle hand on my back. “Why don’t we go sit on the couch?”

I didn’t resist, and I let her lead me around into their family room. I sank down onto the couch and buried my face in my hands.

Matthew plopped down in the recliner next to the couch, sat hunched over with his hands clasped between his knees.

Natalie settled beside me. Sorrow rolled from her, washed over me in burdened waves. A supportive hand found my knee. She squeezed it. “Tell us what’s going on.”

I raked my hands from my hair to my neck, blowing out a weighted breath. “I don’t know…I just…” I cut my eye to Natalie, looked at her in all honesty. Brown eyes, so much like Elizabeth’s, blinked back at me. Emotion tightened my throat. I could barely speak.

“I’ve been waiting for her, Nat. Waiting for something to change, for her to make a change.” I raised my face to the ceiling. “I never once thought she’d make a change that didn’t include me. But this guy…he said something a couple of weeks ago, and I just got this feeling.” My mouth set in a grim line when I looked back at her. “Then on Monday, Lizzie told me she and Elizabeth had gone over there for a barbecue. Of course, to Lizzie, it was all in fun, but I know something’s going on.”

Speculation twisted Natalie’s expression, like what I’d said was an impossibility. I hoped to hell it was. “Do you know something is going on? Or do you think something is going on?” she asked.

In frustration, I drummed my fist to my forehead. “I don’t know…it’s just one of those things that hit me, you know?”

“Damn it.” Matthew scrubbed his palm over his face as if he didn’t want to believe it either. “Did you talk to her about it?”

“I’ve tried. I went over there on Tuesday and she said she couldn’t talk to me. I knew I had to get through to her, so I went back today, but she was gone.” I turned to Natalie, looking for some kind of reassurance. For her to tell me something. “She’s different, Nat. I can see it.”

Natalie’s voice was low, cautious. “You know I’d never lie to you, Christian, and I promise you, she’s never mentioned anything about this guy. But she hasn’t really talked to me about anything. I made her come out to lunch with us a couple weeks ago, and she had a meltdown right in the middle of the restaurant. But in the car…” She worked her jaw as she seemed to think back. “I thought maybe I’d gotten through to her. I told her it was time, and she promised me she would try.”

It is time.

Those three words. Who knew they could be so destructive? Every time they were said, I lost a little more.

Hopelessly, I searched Natalie’s face. “What does that mean, she’s going to try?”

She shook her head, her words subdued with regret. “I honestly don’t know. But I’m worried she’s not capable of making the right decisions in her current state of mind. She can’t see through her grief, and I have no idea what’s really going on in her head. But the one thing I do know is the two of you belong together. Nothing is going to be right for either of you until you are.”

Matthew leaned forward, sitting on the very edge of his seat. “If she really is messing around with this guy, is it going to change anything? I mean, f**k, Christian.” His gaze fell on Natalie who fidgeted at my side. Adoration filled his eyes. His head slowly shook as he turned back to me. “I can’t even begin to imagine what you and Elizabeth have gone through, but I can guarantee you if I did, I wouldn’t stop until I got Natalie back.”

Tremors shook me, and I dropped my attention to the floor. Would it change the way I felt? Knowing she’d been with someone else? I swallowed hard. It would kill me. God, could I see through it?

Sitting back, I laid my head on the back of the couch as I crammed the heels of my hands against my eyes. A tortured groan flooded from my open mouth. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”

But I already knew the answer to that. There was only one.

I had to get her back.

Chapter 16

Present Day, Early October

“Are you ready, sweetie?” I leaned on the doorframe of Lizzie’s room and crossed my arms over my chest as I watched my daughter pack for her first sleepover.

“Almost…I just gotta get my toothbrush.” She was on her knees, stuffing her backpack full of things I was sure she really didn’t need—Barbies and little dolls, markers and stickers, and about different pairs of shoes.

Amusement tugged at me. This little girl was just too cute. I bit back my laughter as she struggled to close her zipper. “Do you really think you need to take all those dolls with you?” I asked.

“Uh-huh. Adriana has the same kind and we’re going to play with them all night,” she drew out.

I was betting she’d be asleep by ten.

She clamored to her feet, her little legs taking her as fast as they could as she rushed by me into the hall. I heard her digging through the drawer in her bathroom. She was back in seconds. She stuffed her toothbrush case into the side pocket, slung her backpack on her back, and grabbed her pink sleeping bag. She grinned as she rocked back on her heels. “All ready!”