To Right My Wrongs (TRKOW #3)

Part 2: Chapter 20

I could have been a better love

I could have been a better man

I"m gonna be a better father

Hell, I'm doing everything I can

-Everything That Isn't Me by Lukas Graham

***

Hannah

"You love her, don't you?"

Blake rolled his eyes, focusing his gaze on the buildings surrounding us. I planned on dropping him off at his house so he could pick up his son and now that we were alone, I had the chance of asking all the questions I wanted.

"And Derek loves you."

My grip tightened around the steering wheel as I turned the block. Derek loved me, and I loved him, but that didn't make us a functional couple. We were functional parents, but anything else seemed out of the question.

I longed to give my daughters the family I never had, but after everything we'd been through, I wasn't sure it was a good idea to keep trying.

"He looked like he was taking mental pictures of you as you laughed earlier," Blake smirked, gaining the advantage. "He kept staring at you like you were the only on in the room and it was awkward as fuck."

"Shut up, Blake."

He chuckled, enjoying his victory as we pulled up on his street. Taking off his seatbelt, Blake turned his whole body my direction, his blue eyes speaking volumes on what he felt. I saw the ache knowing about Lisa caused, but I also saw resolve.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I think Derek is right." Blake extended his hand, placing it over mine, his torn expression hurting me too. "You've been through a lot, Hannah, and you deserve the best. You deserve happiness, and so does Derek. So does Lisa. We can all sit down and be honest with each other. We're adults, aren't we? We can think of a plan together, don't you think?"

I leaned against the headrest, sighing and thinking things over. He was right. There were children involved now and we had to think about them first. And we did deserve happiness. We'd been through so much—all of us, and I wanted to think that at some point, we'd be friends again.

"He kissed me, you know?" I smiled at the memory of Derek's lips on mine. Blake wrinkled his nose. "I missed him, and then this happened and...I don't know. I'm scared Blake. I want to be with him but I'm afraid."

"Does he know this? Because I think you should be telling him, not me."

"I guess I will."

Smiling, Blake leaned in and placed a kiss on my forehead. "I'll be there for dinner and we can get everything out in the open. You deserve the truth, okay?"

He stepped out of my car and closed the door, standing on his driveway, keeping an eye on me as I drove off. I drove off with hope. I drove off happy.

I could talk to Derek. We could fix things, or at least try.

But all my hopes were cut short when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a truck passing a stop sign and suddenly my whole world turned dark, the last thought in my head the smiles of my daughters...and the face of the man I loved.

***

Derek

There's been an accident.