The Journey Home

17 - Falling

A/N: Enjoy everyone! At the end a small preview of Ch 18 - Divided

Thanks @AutumnWinters221 once again for the cover ❤ Check out her book The Nine Date Deal :) 

Eileen

It had been another long day at the cafe. Things had gotten a bit better, all the computers were replaced, and Alex reinstalled the security systems. Marty had been able to recuperate the money he had lost, still, he was extremely paranoid. He was afraid that all the hard work he'd put into his small cafe could be taken advantage with such ease.

It wasn't by any means a big business, but the locals loved the coziness of the place and more than anything, they loved Marty. It was obvious that he kept his business because he loved it and what it represented. Needless to say, he was constantly checking his bank accounts and calling Alex to see if there was anything suspicious.

I could tell that despite the reassurance that Alex attempted to provide, Marty was a nervous wreck. He wasn't as playful as usual and was more serious than I had ever seen him in the time that I had known him.

"You should really get some rest, Marty." I said to him while I counted the money at the register. "I can handle closing the cafe today, Jess is here and she can help. I'm sure she won't mind."

Marty shook his head, once again on the computer. "I'll sleep when I die, dear."

"Do not say that Marty, I hate when you say that."

He glanced up and gave me a small smile.

"How are you and that boy of mine? Are things working out?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I asked with a smirk.

He chuckled, once again glancing up at me.

"You're good for him you know? You don't feed his ego, and you don't kiss his ass." He sighed as he stared off the window, looking at the people walking by. "He's a good man, dear. Sure, he's very outspoken and perhaps comes off as careless sometimes, but he's lonely. Always has been."

Lonely is not exactly how I ever pictured Alex. He was always charming women off their feet, or perhaps that's how I pictured him. I believed him to be serious, but as he proved to me when we first spoke, he had a sense of humor.

"You're probably thinking, 'how the hell is Alex lonely?'" Marty said, reading my mind. I nodded, hoping that he would elaborate more on this side of Alex that I didn't know.

"He's always taken the business seriously, ever since his dad died."

There had been few times where Alex had spoken to me about his family, probably a handful. He mentioned his sister more after my awkward encounter with her, but not his parents. Although I knew he cared about his business, he gave me the impression he wasn't passionate about what he was doing. It seemed like a hassle for him to even talk about it.

"He's been a ladies man, Eileen," Marty continued. "But he's never wanted to settle down. Lucas and Addie, they've been his family for years, and now you. Cherish it, dear. He's a man with flaws, but when he loves, he loves deeply."

I raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't love me, Marty. He hardly knows anything about me."

"No one knows anything about you," Marty countered. "But darling, that's on you. And even then, he cares for you. I care for you. Hell, even Lucas does, and that's difficult to accomplish. You don't find caring people like that often, believe me, I know. And if he doesn't love you yet, he's very close to it."

I rolled my eyes, to which Marty only gave me a knowing look. I knew what he was going to ask next. He'd avoided the subject as much as he could, knowing him though, he was too worried to avoid talking about the subject.