This Time Around (Maybe #2)(3)

“Do you want me to beat her up?” Summer says with mock ferocity, making me grin.

“No, I don’t want you to beat up Taiya. But thanks for the offer,” I tell her, shaking my head back and forth, amused at her words.

“What? I could take her!” she says, standing up and flexing her arms as proof.

“No one is taking anyone,” I say. Summer bursts out laughing. “Try telling Reid that. Trust me, he will want to take me later,” she says, her mouth lifting in a wide smile.

I cringe. “You worry me, Summer.”

“You love me.”

“I’m stuck with you.”

“Yes, you are,” she says, her voice going soft. “Listen to me. You are Ryan Knox. Local heartthrob and all-round amazing guy. Whatever you messed up, you can fix it. The question is how much work are you willing to put in to win her back? Just how important is she to you?”

I puff out a breath. “She’s everything.”

“There’s your answer then,” she says, looking a little smug.

“That easy, huh?”

“That easy,” she repeats. I watch as she steps toward me, and leans down to peck me on the cheek.

“I gotta head out. Family dinner,” she says, patting me once on the head like a dog before walking out of my apartment. The second I hear the door close, the place feels colder.

Summer has that effect.

My mind drifts to Taiya, to the last time I saw her. Besides her hair being a little longer, she is exactly the same as I remember her. Caramel-coloured skin, showing off her mixed South African heritage, intelligent green eyes and the most kissable lips. Don’t even get me started on her body, but for me, Taiya is more than her appearance. She’s smart, witty, kind and loving. She is as loyal as they come, and a woman that any man would be proud to have by his side. I had all that, and I lost it.

I hope to God it’s true that everyone deserves a second chance.





Chapter Two

“Hello Ryan, long time no see,” Rita says in an accented voice. She flashes me a grin, and smooths her dark greying hair back off her dark-skinned cheek. “Come on in,” she says, gesturing with her hand for me to enter.

“As always, you’re a lot more welcoming than your daughter,” I joke as she pulls me in for a quick hug, before I pass her. We both walk into the kitchen.

“Don’t you start, Ryan Knox,” she says in a mock stern voice.

I raise my hands. “Just stating the facts, Rita. Is Taiya in?”

“No she’s not. And you used to call me mum,” she says, her smile fading. I notice that she’s lost a lot of weight, and looks tired.

“And if things go my way, I will be calling you that again soon,” I tell her with a wink.

She doesn’t smile like I thought she would. Instead, she says, “Taiya told me she gave you the divorce papers.”

“She did. Everything was done, all I had to do was sign them and hand them over to my lawyer,” I say, swallowing hard.

She nods her head twice before pinning me with her dark eyes. “I don’t know how you’re gonna fix this, Ryan.”

I don’t know how I’m going to fix it either, but I’m sure as hell going to try. “Where is she?” I ask, changing the subject. I really don’t want to upset Taiya’s mother, drilling her with questions about her daughter. I have about a hundred I’d like to ask, but instead I pick a safe topic.

“She’s gone apartment hunting.”

I nod. Of course, she would want her own place now that she’s back. “How are you?” I ask, worried about the change in her appearance.

“I’m okay. Don’t you worry about me,” she says, grinning. “I think you have your hands full already.”

I smirk, knowing how true that really is. “Nice seeing you again, Rita.”

“You too, Ryan. You sure you don’t want to stay for something to eat?” she asks, her gaze roaming over my frame, trying to see if I’ve lost weight. The woman is always trying to fatten me up.

“I’m fine, but thank you,” I tell her. I kiss her on the cheek, before returning to my car, and heading straight to the bar. Knox’s Tavern, AKA my second home, is completely dead with only one car in the car park. That car belongs to Tag. I walk in and see him standing there against the bar, checking something on his phone.

“Working hard, or hardly working?” I ask in a dry tone as I walk up towards him. He glances up and grins, before returning his attention back to the phone.

“I’m pretty busy, as you can see,” he says, pointing to the empty, spotless bar. He slides his phone into his jeans and looks back up at me, running his finger through his goatee.

“You can head home early if you want,” I offer, knowing he would love to have the extra time with his daughter.

“You sure?” he asks, slapping me on my back.

“Yeah, I think I can handle the excitement all alone.”

Tag chuckles, “I’m sure you can. I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“See ya, buddy,” I say, taking out some of the paperwork I have to get done tonight.

Thinking that this was going to be a boring uneventful night, it all changes an hour later when Taiya herself walks into the bar. Tight jeans and top, my gaze can’t help but roam a little south.