Love's Second Chance (Second Chances #1)(2)
I had heard those words from her over and over, and every time it took more and more control to keep my calm. I didn’t think she would have said that to me if she knew what it felt like to lose the man you loved. I gritted my teeth and put on a fake smile like I always did in this situation. My mother knew it was forced, but she went along with it anyway.
“I’m trying, Mom. That’s why I’m moving back to Charlotte, so I can start over. I’m going to start working again and go from there,” I informed her, anything to appease her so I could leave. What I hadn’t told her was that I was moving back, but I wasn’t going back to mine and Carson’s home. I rented a condo and planned to stay there until I got the strength to go back home. I knew my parents would find out eventually, but for now I didn’t plan on telling them. My mother sighed and pulled me in for a tight embrace. Hugging her with all I had, I breathed in her motherly scent, the aroma that had been my comfort growing up. Other than my grandmother, my mother had always been my biggest supporter.
“That sounds great, sweetheart. You’re always welcome to come back any time you want.” Releasing her hold, she looked me in the eyes. “I love you, care bear. You will get through this. You’re strong and I have complete and utter faith in you.”
I nodded, quickly averting my eyes so she couldn’t see the tears building up, about to fall. “I love you, Mom,” I said as I opened the car door. “I’ll call Dad when I get on the road to tell him good-bye.”
“He’d appreciate that,” she agreed.
I hated that I’d missed him, but his job had called him away on business. He spent most of my childhood years on the road, so I figured that’s why my mom and I were really close. She was all I had growing up. My father was a hard man to get along with, always so stern and overprotective. However, after being here and spending time with him, it made me realize that all he ever wanted in life was to make me happy and to make sure my mother and I had everything we needed. My mother began waving at me before I started to back out of the driveway. When I sidled down the road, I took one last look in the rearview mirror. She was still waving, and as she slowly disappeared out of view, that’s when the tears began to fall.
Chapter Two
“Mr. Matthews?”
“Yes, Rebecca?” I replied over the intercom to my assistant. Her desk was right outside my door, so all she had to do was poke her head in to speak to me, but she insisted on using the intercom. I liked to amuse her, so replying back on the intercom was only a small price to pay. Rebecca was in her early sixties and the sweetest lady I’d ever known, other than my mother. She was a close family friend and had been in my life since I was a boy. Ever since my father died, she had started calling me ‘Mr. Matthews’ and not Galen. I tried many times to convince her to stop, but she thought it sounded more professional when the clients were around.
Her high-pitched voice came back over the speakers. “Your brother is here. Should I send him in?”
Not expecting to hear this news, I bellowed out a laugh in disbelief. I couldn’t believe my little brother actually came. “Send him in!” I called out.
It only took a few seconds before my brother, Brady, came barreling into my office with a huge smirk on his face. His reddish-brown hair had grown longer since the last time I’d seen him, and now it curled over his ears and looked slightly unkempt. That was my brother though. He lived life like it was a playground; all fun and games, and care-free. Everyone would always tell us we were complete opposites, and opposites we were. I loved having fun and doing crazy things just like him, but sometimes life demanded more from me. With my conflicting work schedule and Brady living a couple of hours away, I never really saw him except on holidays. This was definitely a good surprise and a distraction I sorely needed.
“Wow!” Brady exclaimed, looking wide-eyed as he examined my office. Smiling and extending my hand, I thought he was going to acknowledge me, but he ignored the gesture and traipsed over to the windows. From the view that high up, you could see the whole expanse of downtown Charlotte. It was an amazing view and the sole reason why I had chosen this specific office.
“It’s nice to see you, too,” I mumbled sarcastically, letting my hand drop.
Brady laughed and caught me off guard by pulling me into a brotherly hug. “It’s good to see you, brother. You know, I think I made a mistake in not pursuing the family business,” he teased.
“Hey, it was your decision to play football instead. You could have easily had all of this, too,” I stated, glancing around the office. Brady was never one to want a lot of responsibility, and he made a point to avoid it by all means possible. He also had no interest in architecture so it wouldn’t have worked out too well for him anyway.
He looked at me incredulously. “I don’t think so. I enjoy not working eighty hours a week, and having a life. Tell me, when was the last time you went out and had any fun?”
I shrugged. “I’ll admit it’s been a while since I’ve gone out for pleasure, but it’s not so bad working the hours. It keeps me busy, and … I love it.” I do love doing what I do, but my brother was right about one thing. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time I went out and had any fun. “So what brings you here early? The party isn’t until tomorrow night,” I asked curiously. “You’re never early for anything, and if I recall correctly you were even late to your own wedding.”