Free Don't Let Go: A Full Hearts Novella by Mj Summers Page A

them.
    Ben lowered his face to hers and let his mouth hover over hers for a moment. “He shouldn’t feel too bad about it, then. It was completely out of his control.”
    Alicia closed her eyes and parted her lips as Ben closed the distance between their mouths. He pressed her body to his tightly as they kissed. It wasn’t a gentle, slow kiss, but it certainly wasn’t rough, either. It was the perfect blend of young passion, of long-lost love and of a beautiful future together. It was the kiss that told her that she was the only one who would ever have his heart.
    He pulled back from her for a moment and pressed his forehead to hers. “I finally know how the story ends.”
    Alicia gave him a confused look but before she could ask anything, his mouth crushed over hers again.

FIVE
Atlanta, Georgia—2008
    Ben arrived at Ian’s large house around nine in the evening. He parked the rental car on the large circular driveway and took a deep breath before getting out. This was his first time seeing his friend’s enormous home and something about its vastness made it seem all the more empty now. Ringing the bell repeatedly, then knocking loudly, Ben waited patiently for an answer. When none came, he realized how dark the house was. He decided to walk around to the backyard, hoping to find Ian there. Luckily, the wrought-iron gate at the side of the house was unlocked, so Ben made his way through the darkness to the back patio.
    A single light above the sink in the kitchen spilled out the window and lit a tiny portion of the patio. Ben’s eyes, now adjusted to the darkness, took in the outline of the back of his friend’s head as it wavered slightly from its position in a lounge chair facing the pool. He watched as Ian took a long drag on the bottle of Johnnie Walker that he held in his right hand.
    Not wanting to startle Ian, Ben cleared his throat before speaking. “So, this is where you live,” he stated, walking around the perimeter of the stone patio until he was standing in full view of his friend.
    He watched as Ian’s body stiffened. He sat completely frozen aside from tightening his grip on the glass bottle.
    Ben spoke again as he settled himself on the lounge chair next to Ian’s. “I like it. Very nice spot you’ve got here.”
    Ian glanced at him, then set his eyes back on the pool. The two sat quietly for a long moment before he finally spoke up, his words slurring. “So, she called you to come get me cleaned up.”
    “She’s scared for you, Ian.”
    “Bullshit. She just wants me to get back to playing ball so I can buy her all the fancy crap she likes.” Ian glared at Ben and pointed at him with the bottle to emphasize his meaning.
    Ben’s face wore an unmistakable look of pity. “Nah, not Megan, man. She’s one of the good ones. She wants you to be healthy because she loves you. She doesn’t need all of this. Never did.” Ben gestured with his hand at their surroundings.
    “Oh, really? Then why the fuck did she up and leave with our son a few days ago? As soon as shit wasn’t perfect she just fucking took off.”
    “Well, I’m sure it feels that way to you right now, Ian. I’m sure it feels real fucking awful to have her leave and take little Elliott. I’m sure it hurts like hell.”
    “What the fuck would you know about it?” Ian charged. “You’ve never been left! Not by your dad! Not by your mom! Not by your fucking wife, either! You don’t know the first goddamned thing about being left!”
    Ben sat patiently, doing his best to stay calm and allow his friend’s anger to slide off him. “You’re right, Ian. I don’t know what it would be like and I wish like hell you didn’t know, either. I’m here for you now, though. Let me help you out.”
    Ian’s shoulders slumped as silent tears ran down his face. He rubbed his hand over his face, trying to prevent the onslaught of tears now streaming from his eyes. His shoulders shook as he finally relented to the wave of emotions he