Maybe that’s why Mom was still so ashamed after all those years. I couldn’t hash things out with my mother, but Reagan was still here. And my son. I had another chance to potentially salvage that relationship, and I wasn’t going to waste it.
With renewed purpose, I left my office, telling the head of the club I wouldn’t be in tonight. I’d been there almost every night, so this would her first time running the club on her own.
“Thank you for your trust, sir.” She had a big smile on her face.
Melissa was younger than most club managers, but she was so impressive at her interview that I couldn’t pass on her.
“I’ve always trusted you, Melissa. I wasn’t here because of you. I just needed something to do, so I would go crazy waiting around in Aspen. I know you can take care of the club. Have a great night.”
I left her to get ready for tonight’s crowd while I went out to reclaim the love of my life.Chapter Fourteen - ReaganAiden hadn’t tried to see me since we had lunch at the diner. It actually kind of made me sad that he didn’t contact me again. I even wondered if he left Aspen. I wasn’t really super warm or welcoming when we were together, but I thought he might make one more effort.
It felt so similar to all those years ago when I was forced to dump him. I was getting upset that he didn’t come to me when I was the one who fucked things up. I needed to take responsibility for my part in our relationship ending. Maybe Aiden’s mother was right, and he would have ended up leaving me eventually, but I could have stayed and fought for our love.
But that’s the past. It was time to think about how to fix things in the present. The first thing was deciding if reconnecting with Aiden was actually a good idea. Seeing him again made me realize that I’d missed a lot more than I had thought. I was literally aching for him at points. That man did things to me that no other person could. I didn’t want to give him up again.
Maybe I should have told Bobby that Aiden was his father. Before doing that, I’d want to talk with Aiden first and see if he wanted to be in Bobby’s life. I had no way to contact him, though. I could always call the club and see if they would give me his cell. But I’d basically be a stranger calling. What could I say to convince them to give out their boss’s persona information?
Maybe the fact that I was the mother of his child could be enough. It would be the first time that someone other than my mother would know who Bobby’s dad was. It could be the test before the big reveal. I knew it was going to be hard to tell Aiden, but I didn’t want to get caught on the words. I just wanted to tell him and see where the chips fell.
“Hello, girly. You look deep in thought.” Marnie came around to the front of the counter, putting a sweater on over her scrubs.
I was handling the front desk. It was my turn to close the clinic. Marnie had her bag, clearly about to head out. She was the last one to leave beside me.
“It’s nothing. I’m thinking about stuff to do with Bobby, so nothing new, I mean.”
That was a half-lie. My thoughts were related to Bobby since it had to do with his father, but finally coming clean about everything was definitely a different thought.
Marnie leaned against the desk and sighed. “Oh, Reagan. I’m sure everything will work out. Bobby is a good kid. He’ll come out of all of this okay. I’m sure it is just a phase.”
Her words of comfort brought tears to my eyes. I reached out and squeezed her hand. She squeezed back, smiling.
“Thanks, Marnie. I’ll call you later. Have a nice night!”
“You, too. Bye!”
My best friend walked out of the clinic, and I was once again alone.
I was feeling more confident in my choice to open this dialogue with Aiden. At the end of the day, he deserved to know that he had a son. He was never mean to me, and while his outer shell had grown colder and more distant, at his core, Aiden was a good man. He wouldn’t walk away if he knew.
I took out my cell, ready to search for the number for Aiden’s club when I heard the door open.
“I’m sorry. We’re about to close. If you need medical attention, there’s the hospital on Sycamore.”
I hadn’t looked up from my phone, which was admittedly a bit rude, but I didn’t want to lose the flow of my decision. I was worried I might chicken out again.