My Life Would Suck Without You

Caleb

The more time passes, the more certain I am that Hannah and I were meant to find each other again. The past four months have been the happiest of my life. Even happier than the two years we were together in high school, because now I don’t have to deal with Henry. Or so I thought.

“Son.”

I follow the sound of his voice and find him standing beside the fresh delivery of produce that just arrived. “What are you doing here?” I ask again. Clearly, he didn’t get the point last time.

Maria stands wide-eyed with her hands clasped together in front of her like she’s pleading for forgiveness. I send her a soft smile to let her know I understand. Henry’s bull-headed ways are a lot different from the flirty smile Madeline no doubt used on Ivan. There’s a difference between being threatened or bullied and being winked at.

Henry avoids my question, staring at me with a satisfied grin. “It seems you’ve had some difficulties getting in some products you wanted to order. That’s a shame.”

I grit my teeth, biting back what I really want to say. My staff members are unloading our shipment, and I won’t undo the progress I’ve made over the past few months by losing my cool. I unclip the packing slip and scan my eyes down the list of items. The swordfish and tuna I ordered are missing.

Judging by Henry’s expression, he knew that before I did.

“Congratulations, Henry.” I slap the paperwork down on an empty prep surface. “You’ve prevented me from making fish. If that’s the greatest satisfaction you have in your sad, miserable life, then I feel sorry for you. Because guess what? I don’t need them to keep this place running. I don’t need them to continue to be successful. And I don’t need you for anything.”

Henry’s eyes flare, but he reins in his fury before he exposes his true self to my employees. “This is just the beginning, boy. You and your sister want to test me. I hope you’re ready for the consequences.”

Mention of Sophie concerns me for a split second. She’s currently organizing my office, but I don’t think there’s any way Henry could know that. I send Adriano a look that I hope portrays call security, because I don’t know how far Henry is willing to take this little episode.

But I will not back down like I used to. I’m not afraid of him or his childish tantrums. I step forward, bringing my chest within inches of his. “Try me.”

Truth be told, our little local promotion five months ago proved something critical. We may rely on international products to create our menu as it stands, but there’s nothing Henry can do to stop me from producing stellar food with local ingredients.

“You and your useless sister are a couple of ungrateful, spoiled brats. I should have made your mother terminate her pregnancy. Oh, I tried, but she insisted on trapping me and refused. The three of you have been nothing but leeches.”

It doesn’t bother or surprise me that he didn’t want me, but the thought of him so willingly bringing harm to Sophie infuriates me beyond reason.

I open my mouth to launch a tirade that will have Henry McNamara cowering in the corner, but before anything comes out, our two security guards appear, halting my words. Their appearance saves me from reacting exactly how Henry expected me to.

Adriano directs them to the man I once called my father.

The only words that leave my mouth are: “Make sure he never comes in here again.” Then I turn and walk away. This time, it doesn’t feel like running. It feels like a victory.

Security escorts Henry out through the service elevator. The thought of Henry McNamara being removed from the premises through the doors we use to deliver raw meat brings a smile to my face. Just one small gesture that will make him realize he’s not as important as he thinks he is.

I come to a stop beside Adriano. “Thanks for that. He’s…” I pause, not wanting to disclose my sordid family history to an employee. But Hannah views him as a friend and he just had my back, so there’s no shame in the truth. I don’t have to appear as the unshakeable boss. It’s okay to be human. “He’s a nightmare.”

“No worries. I’ve got a mom who’s the same way. Trust me, man. They’re never worth it because they’ll never change. All you can do is protect your own peace and find your own happiness.” He claps me on the shoulder before stepping forward and hoisting a crate of produce to unload in the fridge.

And that’s all that needs to be said on the matter.

At least, until I walk into my office and my sister’s focused gaze lifts from her paperwork to me.

I close the door behind me and settle into the chair on the opposite side of my desk. “So, Henry just showed up.”

She drops her pen. “What? Here?”

“Don’t worry. He’s gone, and he won’t be back. He tried to sabotage my shipment.” I scrub my jaw with my right hand and grimace. “Well, I shouldn’t say ‘tried to’ because he did, but it’s really not as much of an issue as he seems to think. It’s a minor inconvenience at worst.”

“I’m so sorr—”

“Don’t be. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that no one else is to blame for Henry’s actions. But how ’bout we promise each other we’ll stop letting him have any control over ours?”

Sophie takes a deep swallow, sliding her glasses down her nose to peer over them. “I think that’s a good place for us to start.”

I smile at her, letting the tension from Henry’s appearance roll off my shoulders. “I’m glad Hannah had the day off. He’d have had a field day if he saw her here. I’m assuming Mom hasn’t told him, because if he knew, he would have asked about her.”

“Well, that’s one decent thing she’s done, huh? Let’s send her a thank-you card.” Sophie rolls her eyes.

I think back to Henry’s comment. “That’s not the only thing, Soph.”

We may have had a miserable childhood—and several years of adulthood—at the hands of Henry, but it was thanks to our mother that we had a chance at life at all. And maybe she’s not the spineless villain we’ve made her out to be. Maybe she’s a victim too.

Sophie and I sit and talk for about fifteen minutes, rehashing the past and discussing what we each want in the future. What we both want most is the freedom to be happy.

So, like Adriano said, I’m going to find my own happiness. And I know just where to find it.

Today was draining. So when I opened my unread messages twenty minutes before the restaurant closed and found a selfie of Hannah and Akili sitting on my couch, I couldn’t wait to get home.

When Hannah swings the door open and smiles wide, it hits me right in the chest. Add to that, Akili dancing at my feet, happy as ever to see me, and coming home no longer feels like returning to the desolate, lonely bachelor pad it once was.

“I could get used to this,” I say, pulling Hannah in for a kiss.

The stress of the day melts away as she wraps her arms around my neck and whimpers into my mouth. The feel of her soft hands clutching the back of my head, pulling me closer, fuels the neanderthal ways I try so hard to rein in. But this time, my love for her takes over.

I walk her backwards until her back is against the wall, and she responds by jumping up to wrap her legs around my waist. It gives me perfect access to her bare collarbone, so I sweep her hair over her shoulder, then trail my lips along her soft skin.

“Caleb,” she breathes, throwing her head back.

Before I can think, I’m carrying her into the living room and laying her on the couch. I stand to look at her as I pull off my T-shirt that smells like the accumulation of a thousand restaurant meals. “I love you so freaking much, Hannah Parker.”

Her eyes glass over, halting the heat of the moment. “Thank you for loving my broken parts and helping me trust myself again.”

Those words mean so much more than I love you. At least, they do at this moment.

“You’re perfect. But if by loving you, I’ve helped you love yourself again, then that’s the best gift I could ever ask for.” I lean forward to give her another quick kiss. “Let me go shower and change, then we can pick up where we left off.”

She sticks her bottom lip out in an adorable, exaggerated pout.

“What?”

“Please, don’t change. I like this outfit.” A wicked grin replaces her pout. “But yes, you need a shower.”

I laugh, snatching my shirt from the arm of the sofa, then walk past Akili, giving her a quick ear scratch. But before I head to the shower, I turn back to Hannah. “Thank you for loving my broken parts.”