Chapter Fourteen Cory

I t had been two days since I'd admitted to Liam that I still cared for him, and I hadn't seen him since. I'd asked for some time to myself and to his credit, he gave me the space I so desperately needed. I had two years worth of emotions and wasted energy to work through.

At first I was angry that I'd spent so much time being angry. It had been all-consuming, and it made life impossible to enjoy. Sure, there were bright little moments of happiness here and there, but nothing compared to what I could have felt.

Then again, if I'd been aware of what had actually happened, the chances of me enjoying those two years would have been zero. I couldn't imagine what kind of torture it would've been to know Liam was locked away somewhere, being hurt just for loving me. How would I have managed to sleep, eat, or function in any capacity? If I had known he was in need of rescue, I never would've stayed in Shifter Grove to begin with. I would have gone home and tried to find a way to get him out. And I might have died in the process.

Both scenarios had their downside, but I was inclined to believe that this was the better choice. At least in this case we were both still alive, and we were only two floors apart. Nobody could ever drive a wedge between us again. But cleaning up the bog of emotions between us was no small task. Everything had changed in a matter of minutes and even two days later, I felt like I had whiplash.

Every morning since I'd been out before dawn, unable to sleep. I wandered around town, bundled up in a hoodie and a jacket as snow loomed on the horizon. In the past week all the leaves had been stripped off the trees by the frost. Now their once luminous bodies lay strewn over the roads, brown and dead and trodden upon. I couldn't help feeling like one of them, used up and left to rot. But maybe I was being a little dramatic. After all, I had a choice to make. I just wasn't sure if I trusted myself to make it. So far, my choices had gotten me into nothing but trouble.

Even so, I had to figure out if I was going to allow Liam back into my life or if I was going to leave him behind forever. Neither seemed easy and both of them would drain me emotionally for a long time to come. However, the more I thought about it, the more the answer became obvious.

I couldn't just forget Liam existed. That much was clear. So, leaving him behind would just make both of us feel like shit for the rest of time. But, if I allowed him back into my life, there was a chance for both of us to find happiness, eventually. It would be a long and difficult road with lots of confusion along the way. We both had so much baggage to work through. And yet, no matter how much I tried to talk myself out of it, I found it more and more enticing with every passing moment.

Finally, when I could stand it no longer, I turned back toward downtown. I had to tell Liam what I wanted to do. I'd made him wait long enough. And I'd made myself wait long enough. After two years of trying to deny myself every chance at happiness, I was no longer going to hold myself back. It was time to start living again. And I wanted Liam by my side.

Taking out my phone, I pressed my cold fingers to the screen, typing out a message to Sam.

Me: Sam! I need a favor .

Sam: Sure. It's not like I was sleeping or anything.

Me: You've been up since before I left. I saw you at the front desk.

Sam: Who says I wasn't sleeping on the desk?

Me: Will you go wake Liam up? And tell him to meet me at the cafe as soon as he can?

Sam: I guess I can. But can I ask why?

Me: I have something important to tell him.

Sam: Did he finally get up the courage to ask you out?

Me: So it was YOU that told him where I like to hang out!

Sam: Guilty.

Me: I'll deal with you later. Just tell him, please.

Sam: Alright. I'll message you back when he's on his way.

Was I surprised that Sam was the meddler? No. He was always meddling. He'd done it with Vince, Andy, Ace, and countless others. The man just couldn't help himself. And for once, I was glad he did. If it hadn't been for him, Liam never would've worn me down enough to get us to talk that frosty morning.

I slipped my phone back in my pocket and kept on walking toward the cafe. I'd only gone about a block when it buzzed against my leg. Taking it out, there was a message from Sam. He'd made fast work of talking to Liam.

Sam: He's on his way. I've never seen that boy so excited.

Me: Thanks, Sam.

Sam: No problem. Just remember you need to tell me how he managed to woo you later. I love stories like that.

I paused, staring at my phone. Then, with a shrug, I began to type. There was no sense in keeping secrets anymore.

Me: He wooed me years ago when I was still with my old pack. I've known he was my mate since the first day I met him. I… I just had to be reminded of that.

Sam: Well now I REALLY want to hear that story!

Me: One of these days ;)

Sam: I'll hold you to that!

I smiled, pushing my phone back into my pocket. As much trouble as Sam could be, he was always a good friend when you needed him. The guy would do anything for anyone. Just so long as he got to hear all the juicy details later. It was a cheap price for how many people had found such intense happiness because of him. I just hoped I'd be one of them.

Liam and I had so much to work through. In the two years that we'd been apart, we'd become different people, especially me. It was completely possible that we might not even like each other anymore. But I was determined to try.

I found myself outside the cafe in a matter of minutes, shivering in the cold. It was early, but the cafe was open, so I didn't hesitate going inside. There was nobody there except Andy behind the counter. Not even his barista had shown up yet.

"Good early morning to you, Cory," he smiled. "You're the first one here. I just unlocked the door a couple of minutes ago."

"Sorry," I muttered, stepping up to the counter. "I was out for a walk, and I needed someplace to warm up."

"Don't be sorry! That's what we're here for. Do you want a coffee?"

"If you've got some."

"I will in about five minutes," he replied, flipping the switch on his machine. "Black with just a drop of creamer, right?"

"You know me too well." I paused for a moment. "And… uh… I've got a friend joining me in a minute."

"Do you know what he wants?"

"I think he usually drinks iced coffee."

"You know what," Andy smiled, nodding toward the frosted windows. "I think I'll ask him when he gets here just in case."

"Probably a good idea. I'll pay for it before I leave if that's okay."

"Don't worry about it. It's just coffee." He went back to his machine. "Pastries will be out in about twenty minutes."

"Perfect."

I headed toward one of the booths tucked into the corner of the shop. I wanted a semi-private place where Liam and I could talk. Slipping off my coat, I took a seat. No sooner had I done so, than I heard the door chime and a blast of cold air follow behind. Glancing up I saw Liam, his cheeks pink from the cold, stepping inside the cafe. He looked at me, his face full of hope. He took a step in my direction.

"Iced coffee or hot?" Andy called from behind the counter.

Liam stopped. "I… uh… I don't have any money."

Andy didn't even turn around. "I didn't ask if you had any money. I asked if you wanted hot or iced coffee."

He looked at me and I gave him a small nod. "Uh… iced I guess."

Andy just shook his head. "It's cold as shit outside, but you got it."

Liam headed my way, stopping at the edge of the booth. "Can… Can I join you?"

"Yeah," I nodded, gesturing to the seat opposite me. "We need to talk."

"Sorry it took me so long."

"Are you kidding? You nearly beat me here."

"I… I was already awake," he replied. "Haven't been able to sleep much. Not that it's your fault or anything! I don't mean to insinuate that."

I shook my head. "You're fine. I'm just glad you came."

"I'll always come for you."

I couldn't help a smirk. Realizing what he'd just said, Laim began to smile too. God it was nice to see him with a happy expression again. I didn't know I could miss something so simple, so badly. With just a simple gesture he took me back to a brighter and happier time in my life. I suddenly recalled those summer nights spent with him walking through the city, lost in conversation. Those were the nights we forgot anyone else existed except us. I wished I could go back and relive them once again. They were so beautiful.

"You okay?" Liam asked.

I suddenly realized I'd been silent for quite a while. "Yeah. Sorry. I spaced out a bit."

"It's alright."

"Here you two go," Andy said, sitting our coffees down on the table. "Pastries are coming up. I'll let you choose your own when they come out."

"Thanks, Andy."

"Thank you."

He nodded and headed back to the counter.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Liam asked, taking a sip of his iced coffee.

I took a deep breath, pulling my steaming cup into my hands to warm them. "I wanted to talk about where… Well, where we go from here."

"I'll go wherever you want to go," Liam said quickly. "I'm the one that surprised you. As much as I want to be with you, I'll respect whatever decision you make. I'd never force you into something you didn't want."

His words hit me hard. Much harder than I anticipated. Before I could help myself, I felt a lump rising in my throat and tears threatening at the corners of my eyes.

"You haven't changed at all, have you?" I sputtered.

"Only a little," he grinned, pointing to the scar on his face. "But hopefully for the better."

I took a deep breath, trying to gather myself back into some semblance of put togetherness. My heart was pounding a mile a minute. This was the talk I'd been working myself up about for two days straight. I was a nervous fucking wreck before I'd even said a word.

"I've changed a lot," I finally managed to say. "More than I'd like to admit. The past two years have taken their toll on both of us."

I lifted my hand, hesitating for a moment. Summoning up all the courage I had, I reached across the table and slipped my fingers over his. He let out a small gasp, but he held tight. A shock of electricity passed between us, and I couldn't help welcoming the familiar feeling.

"I still care for you," I said softly. "And if you're okay with it, I want to start over. Let's date and get to know each other all over again. Then, if it feels right, we can take the next step."

Now it was Liam's turn to tear up. He squeezed my hand. "I'd like that very much."

"Me too."

"Pastries are out!" Andy called from behind the counter as Josh brought the first trays out. "Better get what you want before the other customers get here and clean me out!"

"God," I laughed. "He's got such bad timing."

"To be fair," Liam smiled. "So do we."

I pulled his hand to my lips, kissing the back of it. "Well, let's not waste any more time then."

He nodded. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too."