Chapter 78
With the good-byes said, Kevin and Chelsea decided to take a walk along the boardwalk. They had a lot to talk about but neither one was quite sure where to begin. Kevin wanted Chelsea back and Chelsea wanted to know why he had waited to tell her about the divorce. Instead of talking, they held hands and talked about her father and how Kevin had managed to get through to him.
After almost half an hour, they had reached a pier and walked to the end to watch the waves crashing into the beach. They stood side by side, shoulders touching, leaning against the rail.
“You know, I’m still in love with you.”
Chelsea nodded her head as she said, “I heard what you said at the table.”
“And you’re still in love with me.”
Chelsea remained silent. She wasn’t sure any more.
Kevin stood up and turned to face her. Taking her hands, he made her face him too and he cupped her face in his large hands. “Chelsea, you can’t deny it. We made love and I can see the way you look at me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier about the divorce?”
“I wasn’t sure how you felt…until your dad asked if you were sure about your feelings. Chelsea, please, give me a chance. Walk away from Alex…give us a chance….to be a family…to raise our daughter together.”
There it was. Sure, he loved her but he wasn’t really in love with her. It was that obligation he felt to his daughter and family. “When we made love, Kevin, it was a good-bye for me…something we didn’t have last time. I can’t be with you because I’m IN love with Alex.”
“You said it yourself. If I had known about Annie in the first place, we’d have gotten married and it would have been a good marriage.”
“Yes, because I’d never have known how it felt to be with Alex! Kevin, you just told me why you wanted to be with me.”
“Yeah, because I love you.”
“No, you said give us a chance to be a family, to raise our daughter together. You didn’t say give us a chance to love each other, to get o know each other, to grow old together. It’s all about us being a family.”
“But Annie is a part of us.”
“But she shouldn’t be the reason we’re together. Yes, there’s a part of me too that wants that but it’s not enough.” Kevin’s phone ran and Chelsea pulled away. “Talk to her, Kevin. You’re doing to her now what you did to me seven years ago and it’s not fair.”
Kevin answered and talked to Dianne as Chelsea moved down the pier, to give him privacy. Several minutes later, he joined her, leaning against the rail, his eyes closed.
Chelsea put her hand on his back and began to rub it in a soothing way. “’Boo’, seven years ago, you were in love with both of us and you had to choose. The playing field was even because you didn’t know…we were just two women who you loved. You chose Dianne because your dreams fit together. It hurt but you made the right choice for you. Let today be what it was meant to be…letting go…our good-bye.”
Kevin leaned against her, tears falling freely now. “Promise me you’ll be a part of my life.”
“You aren’t getting off that easy!” she laughed. “Kevin, you were my first love and now, you’re my best friend. I know that whenever I need someone to talk to, you’ll be there for me.”
“In a heartbeat,” smiled Kevin. “And I’m going to kick Alex’s ass the first time he hurts you.”
Chelsea laughed harder. “I don’t doubt that. Kevin, call your attorney and stop the divorce. You and Dianne belong together.”
Kevin shook his head, “She told me not to bother trying to work it out. She’s not going to take me back because I really hurt her. I lied to her seven years ago and now too. To make it worse…she’s pregnant.”
“Then you HAVE to fix this, Kevin!”
“I don’t know how.”
“You’ll figure something out.”
Kevin wrapped his arms around her and held her close as they stood in the fading light.
“We need to get going, Chels. I need to get the tickets at the airport and we need to go by the hotel to get your stuff.”
“Thank you for getting me the flight back.”
“What are you going to tell Alex?”
“The truth.”
“Everything?”
“Yes.”
“What if he gets mad?”
“Then I’ll deal with it. I love him and he deserves to know the truth. It’s going to hurt but we’ll survive.”
Kevin smiled, “Yeah, you will.”
Arm in arm, the couple made their way back down the pier. That’s when Chelsea spotted the shooting star and as she pointed it out to Kevin, she said, “Close your eyes and make a wish.”
