The Empirical Law | ✓

22: Here's To New Beginnings

Bruce nodded. He wasn't smiling, just nodding and that made the nervous knot in my stomach grow tighter. "You thought I was good for Riley. You did tell me what an excellent father I'd be to him."

"Yes," I admitted. "But I was trying too hard. Riley had Finn, and he's had Noah from the start. But to be honest, I don't think I regret much of it—us—because Riley likes you a lot, as a father figure or not doesn't really matter. He respects you, he adores you and I know he looks up to you, too. You'll always have a place in his life."

Bruce's hand reached out across the table and enclosed around mine, his lips finally breaking out into a smile and making me sigh, as my nervousness flooded out of me. "Thank you, Madilyn," he said softly.

"I'm sorry, Bruce," I said. "I didn't mean to lead you on. It was such a bitch move on my part and—"

"I am as much to blame as you are so don't you dare feel guiltier than me. We're equally guilty, okay?"

I chuckled. Smiling, I said, "How do you know what to say?"

"Because it's true," he insisted, squeezing my hand before withdrawing it. "I lied. I kept secrets. I thought the less you knew the better. I was wrong. Because if we had started things between us honestly we may have actually made it through. But there's no use living in the past, right?" His eyes searched mine as a light smile made its way to his lips. "A reckless but pretty wise woman once told me that life's too short to live on what-ifs. We live in the moment."

I bit down on my lip, trying to conceal the grin that threatened to break through. "Looks like a certain man took these woman's words seriously."

"She was deadly serious," Bruce stated, humour dancing in his eyes.

"She was," I smiled. "So, how has the infamous Mystery Man been?"

"I'm doing well," he replied with a soft smile. "I think this is the first Christmas I'll get to take all seven days from the week off. Boy, am I glad I made financial manager." I smiled as he chuckled.

"Anything else?" I prodded, raising my eyebrows to him suggestively like he had done to me.

"There is a girl," he said, biting down on his lip and lowering his head a bit shyly, his dark black locks brushing down on his forehead.

"A girl," I gasped. "Do expand on that, please."

"She's a bit younger for my taste. Don't worry she isn't a high school girl," he added when I raised my eyebrows questionably to his earlier statement. "She's twenty-three. But a seven years age gap isn't as bad as it sounds, does it?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "It isn't as long as it feels right. Unless, of course, she was in high school or college which you just assured me she wasn't."

"She just finished university and she works at the Porte Orland's Private Hospital. She's a nurse," he told me.

"A nurse, huh?" I teased, giggling.

"Every man's fantasy come true," Bruce laughed and after a few seconds we both sobered up. "She's amazing. I'm just not certain about us so I'm taking it slow and I'm definitely being honest."

I smiled at him. I found myself feeling happy for him. Bruce Vela was a brilliant man and he deserved a lot. It was satisfying to see that he was finally getting some of what he deserved. Raising my mug that was now filled with lukewarm coffee, I toasted, "Here's to taking it slow."

He raised his mug and corrected my words, "Here's to new beginnings."

New beginnings. I liked the sound of that.