Chapter 27

Tyler

I sat on the edge of Amber’s bed and waited. I had no idea where she could’ve gone, but I told her I was going to come back. I left her a note letting her know I wasn’t leaving town, so the only thing I could do was wait. I hoped she hadn’t woken up angry. And hopefully, she had gotten enough rest last night.

I tried to write the note so she would understand I was serious about her.

I heard the door open and went charging into the living room. Amber was coming through the door, and she seemed to look a little more relieved than yesterday. She turned and caught my eye before she crossed the room. There was a sparkle in her eye that I hadn’t seen last night. I could tell she had not been entirely herself even as we had fucked each other silly throughout the rooms of her apartment. There wasn’t that same spunky light in her eyes I was used to.

The light I had fallen in love with.

But now, it was there. Now, it was growing. Now, I could see glimpses of the Amber I’d come to know and adore.

And I wanted to know where she had been.

“You came back,” she said.

“Of course, I did. I left you a note that I would. Where did you go?” I asked.

“I went to Kelly’s. Why weren’t you here when I woke up?”

“I went to talk to Luke.”

“Luke showed up at Kelly’s,” she said.

“Why the hell was he at Kelly’s?” I asked.

“Looking for me.”

“Want me to make you some coffee?” I asked.

“Holy hell, I’d love some.”

She went and sat down on her couch while I made both of us cups of coffee. I still needed to tell her I was going to go talk to her parents tomorrow. I knew she probably wouldn’t mind me talking to Luke, but I had a feeling she would balk at me going to see Ron and Darlene. But, I had to fix this mess. By the look in her eye, it seems things worked out with her brother. But that was only a third of that I’d set out to do.

“Cream and sugar?” I asked.

“Just sugar,” she said. “Yeah, he showed up at Kelly’s looking for me, and we talked. He told me you went to talk with him this morning.”

“I did,” I said, handing her the coffee. “He was being an idiot, and he needed to know that.”

“And you talked with him about us,” she said.

Not a question. A statement.

“Yes, I did. I told him how I felt about you,” I said.

“And how do you feel?”

I looked into her eyes while she held her coffee in her lap. I studied her features, the anxiousness rising in her eyes and the way her grip strengthened on her coffee cup. I watched hesitation roll across her face, second-guessing whether she should have asked the question or not. In that very moment, I knew I loved her. The vulnerability she felt with me and the way she threw herself out there. She was reckless in ways I was addicted to and strong in ways I wasn’t. She had passions that ruled her life, and she would endure anything to get them.

Including being cut off from her family.

“I love you, Amber,” I said.

I watched her put her coffee cup down before she crawled into my lap. She tucked her head up underneath my chin, snuggling into my body as I chuckled into her hair. I could feel her relaxing into me, melting into my body in ways I hadn’t experienced. She pushed herself deeper and deeper, wanting me to shield her and tuck her away from the world.

And I was more than willing to do it. For her.

“I love you for what you did this morning, going and talking with my brother,” she said.

“Then, you’ll love me, even more, when I tell you I’m going to go talk with your parents tomorrow?” I asked.

“Tyler, no.” I felt her head lift, and she caught my gaze, and the confidence and vulnerability found in her eyes had dissipated into fear and worry.

“Please, don’t do that.”

“Amber, I need to, and I’m going to. You’re hurting, and I can’t stand by and watch you hurt like this. Especially when it’s not your fault. None of this is your fault. I’m responsible for it, and I’d kick myself if I didn’t try to fix it. I don’t know if what I have to say is going to fix anything, but I have to try. Alright?”

“Tyler, please. What’s done is done. Can’t we move on and forget it? Luke and I talked. Things are good between us right now. He even, you know, gave his approval for us and told me I was right. It doesn’t get much better than that in my family,” she said.

“Then, you sit back and watch me get you better,” I said.

That night, we fell asleep knotted up in each other’s bodies. I spent the evening kissing every inch of her body before we fell asleep panting beside one another. I woke up that morning to the same beautiful rays of sun glistening the naked spots of her body. I kissed every single one of them before leaving her a note that promised I would be back soon.

Then, I headed over to her parents’ house.

I knocked on the door, and Darlene answered. Even with everything that was going on, she still answered with a smile on her face and ushered me in the door.

“Is Ron here?” I asked.

“He isn’t, honey. He’ll be out for a while. Can I help you with something?” Darlene asked.

“Yes, actually. I was wondering if you’d sit down and have a conversation with me.”

“Of course. Is everything alright? Is Luke okay?” she asked.

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask if Amber was alright.”

Her silence told me a lot, so I decided to get to the point.

“Mrs. Duffield, I’ll get straight to the point and tell you what I told Luke.”

“Alright,” she said.

“Amber is no longer a child. Did she make you a promise when she was younger? Yes. But, in the process of trying to get her to mold to whatever expectation you have of her, you tossed your baby girl out into the cold without a jacket. You’ve created a scenario where she literally will not have a place to call home in three weeks, and neither of you care.”

“Of course, we care,” she said. “But, familial responsibilities are important.”

“Which is interesting, coming from someone who did exactly what you just did to your own daughter,” I said. “Amber has a dream. A dream you two don’t support. But, she isn’t a child anymore. She can make her own decisions for her life. And I care about your daughter greatly. I’ve fallen in love with her. I know my bank account isn’t fat enough for you or whatever, but one day it will be, and I’ll be able to give Amber everything she’s ever wanted: her dance studio, the consignment shop, a house, security. She’ll get what she wants, whether you and Mr. Duffield are there to experience it or not.”

“Tyler—”

“And even if my bank account doesn’t get there, I’m still going to support her dreams. Because that’s what makes Amber the person she is. I can tell you right now she’ll never come work for you. She’d rather make plans to live out of her car than work at the production company, but all this you’ve created is not because she won’t keep a promise. It’s because you’re unwilling to accept her change of course. This is a you problem, not a her problem.”

“Tyler, I know.”

“And all you’re doing with all this is hurting your relationship with your daughter further. If you take this too far, there won’t be anything I’ll be able to say that will get her back. That will pull her back from what’s been done to her,” I said.

“May I speak now?” Darlene asked.

“It depends. Have you heard me?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Then, go ahead.”

“I adore you, Tyler,” she said. “I know one day you’ll be just as rich as you want to be. We all know you’re the brains behind the operation between you and Luke. You’ll get to where you want to be someday. And as for Amber, you’re right. I’ve been sick to my stomach ever since she stormed out of here. Most of this was Ron, I have to admit. I wanted to go after my little girl, but he was just so dead set in his decision.”

I saw tears rise to her eyes, and I couldn’t help but reach out for her hand. I couldn’t imagine the position she must be in, trying to keep all sides of her family together at Christmas. But, she had to stand up for herself. And if she couldn’t, then I was willing to do it on her behalf.

“Mrs. Duffield, where’s Ron?” I asked.

“I honestly don’t know. But, um, could you take a peace offering to Amber on my behalf?” she asked.

“I can do that, sure,” I said.

She got up and went over to the drawer. She pulled something out and held it close to her chest, but once she got to me, she held out her hands. It was Amber’s phone, and she was giving it to me.

“I think Amber’s chosen wonderfully with you, and if the two of you want to be together, then I support you both. I called the phone company and got it turned on for Amber, but I don’t know how long that’ll stick once Ron finds out.”

“Thank you, Mrs. D. I’ll figure out what to do between now and then,” I said.

“Will you tell her I love her?” she said.

I saw the desperation of a mother worried about her child. The tears that rimmed her eyes broke my heart, and I knew I had to track Ron down.

I had to talk with him and try to knock some sense into him.

“I promise I will do that,” I said.