Healing Hearts: A Second Chance, Small Town Romance Novel

Chapter 45

Logan

I can't stop looking at Sage, she is a vision with her hair curled around her shoulders and the way her delicate fingers grace her wine glass. "I'm so pleased you have come on board for a while, Sage. You know it means a lot to us." She nods and has the faintest of smiles on her face.

"Sure, of course. How could I not? Besides, I don't want to eat into my savings. It wasn't cheap living in Michigan, and Miles and I split everything down the middle." I inhale because that's definitely not how it would work if she lived or had lived with me. I'd be taking care of my darlin', there wouldn't be anything she'd need to want for and as for paying bills and the such like, that would be all on me.

"Do you want to talk about it, the break up?" I ask her as she raises her eyebrows, I'm bracing myself for a brush off. It's something I've gotten used to since she's been back in Willowbrook. She takes me by surprise.

"There isn't much to talk about to be honest. I thought we were going to be married, have a couple of kids maybe. You know the usual." She shrugs her shoulders but I know my girl and I can see the hurt in her eyes along with the disappointment.

"So, why did you guys breaks up?"

"He took a fellowship in London and didn't tell me until a few weeks before." Wow. What an absolute ass. How could anyone keep something so important and monumental from the person they've spent the last god knows how many years with? Instead, I remain silent.

Sage takes a large sip of her wine. I keep an eye on that since she has brought her car and there's no way I'm letting her drive back if she drinks more than one glass.

"We'd been together for ten years. Can you believe it, ten years? Then he just comes out with it, that he's moving to London." She pauses, toys with the stem of her glass and cocks her head. The light catches her beautiful eyes and I am drowning in them. Like always, like before. I could look into her eyes for the rest of my life and still wonder at their beauty. Like the sunrise at the beginning of each new day.

"That must have been pretty tough. I'm sorry to hear that, Sage." She shrugs.

"Maybe it just wasn't mean to be. I decided I didn't want to go all the way to London just to follow him and incidentally, in case you're wondering, no he didn't bother to ask me."

I cough because right now I think biting my tongue off is the best course of action. I'm so mad at that Miles jerk, that if he were here, I'd punch him right in the jaw. It's the least of what he deserves for treating someone like Sage like that. I am bewildered how anyone would be willing to give Sage up. She's a tough act to follow and he'll never find anyone so loyal, so intelligent, so funny or as beautiful as my Sage. Okay, she isn't my Sage right now, but trust me, I am seriously working on it.

I get she has some trust issues right now, but I am a very patient man and Sage is worth the time and the fight that I've got on my hands to let her know that I am not that jerk and that she can trust me.

"You deserve better, Sage. You know you do. I'm only glad he wasn't the reason you left Willowbrook in the first place, that would for sure be a bitter pill to swallow."

"Absolutely. I guess it's one thing. Anyway, enough about my history. I'm kinda glad to be back, don't get me wrong I still feel a bit hemmed in, and everyone knowing all my business but there is definitely a certain charm about Willowbrook."

"Your folks must be over the moon and Ali." Her sister, I know is loving that her big sis is back in town. It was all she talked about for a few weeks before Sage arrived back. Sage smiles, her face lights up at the mention of her sister. They used to be inseparable that was until Sage and I got together and started dating, then we wanted time to ourselves without our respective sisters being in the way. Necking in a truck is best for just the two people involved not a sibling audience.

The waiter appears and takes our dinner plates away. "How was your salmon?" I ask her, knowing full well she'd go for that and I pride myself on remembering her favorite choice.

"It was delicious. Honestly, this is the best place for Salmon. How was your rack of ribs?"

"Out of this world, of course. Do you want dessert or do you still prefer to move straight to cheese and crackers?" I can't help smiling at her and giving her a wink, just you know, to let her know I haven't forgotten a damn thing. She actually smiles at me. Finally, a breakthrough, so it's tiny but it is a start.

"You remember." She says simply but, there is a twinkle in her eyes.

"But of course, you're a hard woman to forget, Sage Bennett." She blushes.

"Thanks." Her right hand is outstretched on the table as she plays with one of the green Damask napkins, do I risk it? Hell yeah. I stretch out my left hand so our fingertips are just touching. I can feel the warmth radiating from her, she doesn't retract. I allow my fingers to gently stroke hers.

"I missed you, Sage." I'm done beating around the bush. We didn't get off to the best start when she arrived back here in Willowbrook, but I sure am hell bent on intending that we end on the right not. I want this woman, my body craves her like some kind of drug. I've never gotten over, I thought I had but sitting this close to her again, I realize that no matter what happened between her leaving and this moment, I have missed her with my entire being. And I will walk on hot coals to get this woman back in my bed. Yes, siree.

"Thank you, Logan." It's simple but it's not some smart ass retort. There could hope here, I need that in my life right now.

"You want me to drive you back to your folks? You've had a couple of glasses. We can come back for your truck tomorrow morning. Or you can come for a night cap at the cabin." Now I know I'm really pushing my luck here, but you can't help a guy for trying, right?

I wait with abated breath for her to respond.