Hate Sober (Love Me Duet 2)

“I dreamed of a white knight, not a black one,” I say, cringing at the darkness I see in Gunner’s eyes when he’s mad. “Did you know his parents?” I question.

My mother looks away, but before she does her eyes go large as my father stands.

“It’s best you speak to him about that. It’s not our place to speak ill of the dead.”

“If I didn’t go back to him, what could he do?” Standing from the chair, I gently push it back in to the table.

“As long as you are legally married, I’m not sure.”

“So, divorce is off the table,” I joke.

“Yes,” my father says in a strong voice. He places a hand around my mother and nods to me as he straightens his suit and tie. “This place is beautiful, Everly, and successful. I’m proud of you.”

“He wants me to give it up.”

My father’s head drops to the side. “And I take it you said no,” he says, smiling.

“Yes. There’s no way, I love this place. No man will make me sell it under any circumstances.”

My mother places her hand on my shoulder as she leans in to kiss my cheek. “You’re a beautiful woman. Try giving him a chance. He’s your husband.” She looks up at my father and smiles, and I can tell that the love they have for each other is still strong. “I gave your father a chance, and it was the best thing I could have done. That chance got me you as well as him.”

“Have you heard from him?” I ask as we walk outside. “Alec?”

“Yes. He’s back at home now.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I didn’t know…” I trail off, referring to how he feels about me.

“He knows now. It’s just going to take him some time to get used to the fact that you won’t reciprocate his love. Give him some time, he will come around.”

My mother gets in the car and my father shuts the door for her. When he turns around it’s just us standing by his car door. “You love him, though, don’t you?” he asks, not talking about Alec anymore, instead the conversation has switched to Gunner.

“Love isn’t enough, Papa. He did things…” I shiver. “He confuses me by wanting me to be someone I am not. That’s not fair to either of us, and I simply don’t want what he is providing in our marriage.”

“As long as you stay married. It’s all the contract states.” It’s all he says on the matter but he does wink, and that tells me everything I need to know.

“I hate that contract.”

He laughs. “So do I, angel. So do I.” He kisses my cheek and gets into the car, pulling out from the curb and driving away.

Pulling my cell out of my pocket I call him.

I have to.

I have no choice but to speak with him.

“Squirt,” he breathes into the phone.

“Alec…” I sigh while sitting down on the curb—I’m sitting in the gutter of the street and, honestly, I don’t care.

“I’m sorry, Squirt. I’m so sorry.”

“I’ve just spoken to my father…” I pause, thinking about what I want to say next. “Can I stay with you for a while?”

“Really?” he asks in a hopeful voice that I know is fraught with future hurt. “What about him?” he spits out as if it’s venom leaving his mouth.

“He will always be my husband, Alec. And I know you don’t want to hear this, but I will always love him…” I pause and continue, “But we aren’t right for each other, and I can never divorce him.”

“I know, Squirt.” I swipe my tears away before saying goodbye.

“I’ll see you soon then?” he asks.

“Yep,” I answer. The word is simple, but has meaning nonetheless, so I hang up.

My cell starts dinging, but I ignore it, and instead walk back inside the place that gives me comfort and love, my café.

“You.” The word is spit from behind me as I close up the café for the day. May’s standing there, dressed to perfection and her hand on her hip, when I spin around to see her. Her blonde hair is slicked back, her tight pleather pants mold to her perfect body, and her red lips form a thin line.

“Hey…” I offer a small wave, but she doesn’t give me one back. Instead, she clenches her jaw and huffs.

“Don’t you ‘hey’ me. What the fuck, Ev?”

I wave goodbye to some of my staff as they walk out the door, waiting until they’re completely gone before I turn back to her.

“You took off. Gunner was looking for you. And he didn’t seem happy about it either. Then he mentioned Alec. Did you run off with him?”

“Alec isn’t my uncle, May.”

Her eyebrows scrunch together. “What? Of course he is.”

“He was meant to be the one to marry me, May.”