Without You

I stared at Luke and then looked at Colt. “Do you think that’s what it is?”

They both nodded.

“I mean, I’m no expert by any means, but after talking to Janet, I really learned a lot. Alex’s control was taken away. Blake tried to take something that, in Alex’s mind, only belongs to you, Will. Blake tainted that.”

“Do you know if she’ll be at the barn dance?” I asked.

“You haven’t talked to her?” Luke asked.

I felt the guilt instantly overtake my body. “No, not in three days. I told her I would leave her alone for a bit.”

“That’s the last thing she needs, Will,” Colt said.

I nodded my head. “Yeah, I fucked up big time.”

Luke started laughing. “Yes, you did, and that means a visit to Gramps. He’ll tell you how to fix it.”

I started heading toward my truck.

“Where are you going?” Colt called out.

“To see Gramps. Just make sure Lex is there tonight, Colt!” I yelled as I started running.

I sat down as Grams handed me a sweet tea. Gramps sat across from me as he smiled at me. Grams sat down next to him and took his hand.

I inhaled in a deep breath through my nose and blew it out through my mouth. “I’m just going to say it. I messed up with Lex. I don’t know what to do. I acted like an idiot, and I thought she was pushing me away, but I think I’m the one who pushed her away. I don’t know how to make it right.” Once I’d gotten it all out, I felt a little better.

“Sounds to me like you need a song,” Gramps said.

I looked at him as Grams started chuckling.

“Excuse me, boys, I need to get ready for my walk,” Grams said.

Gramps and I both stood up as Grams stood and walked out of the room.

When we sat down, Gramps said, “Mr. Nat King Cole.”

I smiled. “The same song my dad plays when my mother is mad at him? That old song?”

“Son, that song might be old, but I promise you, it is magic. It’s called ‘Send for Me.’”

“So, do I sing it to her or something while we dance?”

Gramps just looked at me. “Let me hear you sing a couple of bars of something.”

“Uh…okay.” I started to sing a country song.

Gramps held up his hand. “Oh, hell no. Don’t sing, boy. Let Nat do all the swooning.”

I let out a chuckle. “I take it that you don’t think I sing very good.”

Gramps dropped his hand. “I wouldn’t call that singing—at all.”

I held up my hands. “Fine, fine. I never claimed to be a singer.”

The front door opened, and I heard her sweet voice.

“Grams? Gramps?”

I looked back at Gramps. My heart started racing at an unbelievable pace.

Lex came walking around the corner and stopped dead in her tracks. “Will? What are you doing here?”

“The boy came to talk to me. I take it you and Emma are going on a walk?” Gramps asked.

Lex pulled her eyes from me to look at Gramps. “Um…yes.”

Grams walked up and put her arm around Lex. “Shall we go, sweetheart?”

Lex smiled at Grams and then looked at me. When I smiled and winked at her, her face seemed to instantly relax.

“I’ll see you at the dance tonight, Lex?”

Her smile grew bigger on her face. “I’ll be there.”

I glanced down and saw her rubbing the promise ring. I looked back up into her eyes. Her spark still wasn’t there, but I was going to do everything in my power to get it back.

Grams and Lex headed out the door. I turned and looked back to Gramps.

“She loves you. Don’t give up on her,” Gramps said as he stood up and walked over to me.

“I love her, too, Gramps, more than anything. Life without Lex is not an option.”

Gramps laughed. “That’s my boy. Now, come on. Let’s go play a game of dominos.”

I chuckled and followed him. We sat down at the kitchen table, and as he took out a deck of playing cards, he looked me in the eyes and grinned. His blue eyes had fire in them as he tilted his head.

“I thought we were playing dominos,” I said.

Gramps smiled and winked. “William, be prepared to get your ass kicked in poker. How much money do you have on you?”

“Um…what happened to dominos?”

Gramps started shuffling the deck of cards. “Oh, that was just in case Emma was still outside. Come on, son, put your money down.”