6

That had been one of the better times in their relationship. He’d been worried about the risk, but Tanya told him it was a fairly straightforward procedure and had simply been sore for a bit after. Well enough to tell him under no circumstances was he to ask for an extended leave.

“All right, I have to get back to work, but about that handsome young man of yours…” She smirked at his heavy sigh. “You knew very well I wouldn’t let this go. And you wouldn’t have told me anything if you didn’t want my advice.”

He inclined his head. “Fair enough, but there’s no advice you could give that will make any difference unless he calls. Which is unlikely.”

“But still possible.” She rose, taking her half-finished tea with her. “I say you answer when he does. Hear him out. And stop holding out for something like what you had with me, because that’ll never happen.”

Standing and pushing in his chair, he considered her words for a moment. She was right, he did base his idea of what a relationship should be on theirs, but it was all he’d ever known. Or wanted. That time in his life had passed.

“I’m too old to go through the whole dating thing again. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“Don’t give me that, we’re the same damn age.” She gave his shoulder a little shove. “You start at the beginning. Meet someone. Build something new. It’s that simple.”

Was it? Ward let out a soft laugh as Tanya pulled him into a hug. Damn he was lucky to have her. He wasn’t sure when touching her, when being near her, had changed from holding a hint of lust and passion, to simply being platonic in such a perfect way, but he was happy it had. They’d come to the place they both needed to be. After a lifetime together, they were friends. Their past wasn’t bitter.

Did it hold him back? Maybe a little. He’d failed at a relationship with the most amazing person he’d ever known. He wasn’t sure he even deserved a second chance.

But Tanya was right. He’d told her everything because he wanted her opinion. And now he had it.

“If he calls, I’ll be less judgemental. I do want to see him again.”

Tanya’s lips slanted. “I know you do. And I hope he calls. I’m gonna need all the details to distract me from my own romantic disaster.”

“Ha! I bet you’ll be on to someone new before he decides whether or not he wants to waste his time with me.”

Shaking her head, Tanya patted his cheek. “It won’t be a waste, Ward. I gave you twenty years of my life. And I don’t regret a single one. When you’re there for someone, you’re really there. That matters.”

“You deserved more from me.”

“Maybe…but it was never just that. I got wilder and wanted to keep having open relationships. You were never entirely happy with that. You need that one person.” Her gaze was warm as it met his. “Go find them.”

On the way home, he considered all Tanya had said. And for once, he didn’t shove the idea of finding someone aside. Not that he could be sure he’d met the person he was meant to be with yet.

But what if he had?

He laughed quietly as he let himself into his apartment.

Just his luck that he’d been a jerk to the first person he was interested in since Tanya. Maybe the universe was testing him to make sure he was ready.

And his grades weren’t looking good.

Yet.