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.He wanted to tell his friend about the incredibleexperience.He wanted to share how he had come alive bybeing with her again.He wanted to scream how opening hisown business paled in comparison to being with this goddess.He shook his head and picked up his items."She's withsomeone." To say the words out loud hurt him more thankeeping the thought rattling around in his head."She accusesyou and me of betraying her, and here she is stepping out onher man.And she." He stopped."And we." He stoppedagain."Not a big deal.Eminence hasn't been in my life for thelast decade and a half.I'll be fine without her."Tank kissed his friend on the cheek as he walked by her."He's not the one."He stopped in his trek and returned his attention to hisfriend."What?""I talked to Eminence in my office.I encouraged her tosettle whatever issues she had with you.I told her that ifthere was a chance to rekindle the relationship that sheshould do it.She told me that there was a guy in her life."Damn, so even Jordie knew about it and didn't warn him.Where was the love? Where were his true friends?83 Reignitedby Bridget Midway"Thanks for the warning." He started to leave again whenher words stopped him."As soon as she said she had a man in her life sheimmediately said 'He's not the one', meaning whoever thisguy is or was, he could not and would never compare to you.Don't you see? Eminence does care for you.She probably stillloves you.You don't know what's going on with this man andher.Did you two talk about it?""It doesn't matter.""I think it does.Before you leave, I think you owe it to herand owe it to yourself to find out where her heart is." Sheglanced down at the shiny shards of glass on the tile floor."It's obvious where your head is.Don't let her out of your lifeagain until you find out for sure.Remember, an assumptionwas what broke us all up."No truer words had been spoken.Right now he couldn'tconfront her or his feelings.If he had a choice to leave withhis heart intact or take a chance to have it broken again, hewould go for safety, the same advice he'd given to Jordie."Lock up.Watch your employees.Call me whenever youneed me." With those words, he walked out to start the nextchapter of his life.Whether Eminence became a part of it wasstill up in the air.Deep down his spirit told him to fight forher, not to simply give up or leave the decision to her.Did hehave that strength in him? Did he love her enough to want torisk another heartbreak?[Back to Table of Contents]84 Reignitedby Bridget MidwayChapter Nine* * * *Eminence's hands trembled as she held onto her cellphone.She wiped away the sweat on her forehead.Takingdeep breaths helped her calm her nerves.She still had tomake the call.If she didn't, she wouldn't be able to heal otherrelationships in her lives, mainly with Keys.The day after breaking up with Les, or rather Les breakingup with her, and after giving herself a pep talk, she pressedthe speed dial number for her father.It'd been years sinceshe'd spoken to him.At the first ring, she wanted to disconnect the call.Shepressed her free hand onto the table to prevent herself fromhitting "end" on the phone.After the second ring, herbreathing increased.The third ring had her rattled.She pulled the phone fromher ear to disconnect the call when she heard a click then avoice."Is anyone there?""Um, Dad." She swallowed hard and waited for hisresponse.His long sigh would sound in her head for the rest of herlife."I've waited a long time for this call, too long." Her father'svoice hitched in the middle of his statement.85 Reignitedby Bridget MidwayA lump formed in Eminence's throat.She took anotherdeep breath before speaking."How have you been?""I'm fine.And you ""And you remarried, right?""You heard, huh? Yes, I did.And are you ""Any more children?""Let's stop talking about me."Damn, her father had figured out what she tried to do,avoid talking about herself."It's been so long, Dad.I wantedto talk about you and what's going on with you.""What's going on with me? I've been worried about you.You've never left my thoughts.""I've thought about you, too.""Really? What did you think about? Were you thinkingabout how I taught you how to ride a bike without thetraining wheels? Or did you think about how I taught you howto drive? Or maybe you thought about how I chaperoned yourvery first slumber party."Eminence hadn't thought about any of those greatmemories."No, I ""You've only thought about that day you saw me andLynette."She never knew the woman's real name.Eminenceflinched as though the woman had wronged her."Lynette.That's her name?""You can meet her.You know you're always welcome inmy home.""Dad, I "86 Reignitedby Bridget Midway"What? Are you about to tell me that you can't meet herbecause you would feel like you would be betraying yourmother?" Her father's tone grew indignant."Yes.How could you think I would forget that?""And how could you think that I would do anything to hurtyou?""But ""No, I don't want to argue with you, but you havecondemned me and my wife because you assumed somethingabout a situation.You have to stop jumping to conclusionsand pushing people away.""Yeah, I've heard that." Was she really that judgmental?After what she'd done with Keys, she had no right to be."I love you.Your mother loves you.If you give her achance, Lynette will love you.Instead of judging a situation, Iwished you would have just talked to me and your motherfirst.""That day." Eminence shook her head as though her fathercould see her."I saw you kissing her in our house.How couldyou bring her to our house? I don't blame Mom for movingout.""Honey, even though you're an adult, there are still thingsthat are private between your mother and my relationship.Iwill never ever say anything against your mother.I think Iknow your mother long enough to know that she would grantme the same courtesy.But there are things that occurredbetween us that happened long before you saw me kissingLynette."87 Reignitedby Bridget MidwayThe implication of his statement sounded like turmoilexisted between her parents that they shielded from her.Before she could spout off her theories on who did what towhom, her father interrupted her."Don't get wrapped up in our past.Just know that we bothlove you.We will both always support you.But we're bothhuman, and we make mistakes.I probably shouldn't havebrought Lynette over to the house so soon.""Yeah, that would have been nice." Eminence wanted totell him that because of that moment, she stopped trustingmen, stopped trusting Keys.Knowing now what shediscovered about Keys and Jordie, again, she had to wince atthe time lost between her and her father, her new family.Like her father had said, she needed to stop blamingothers for her judgmental nature and learn to listen."Your mother and I should have sat you down and talkedto you about what was happening between us.As ourdaughter and a member of the family, you were owed that.For that, I am sorry.Can you ever forgive me?"Eminence smiled."Only if you'll forgive me for being sostubborn and pigheaded.""You can't help it.You get that trait from me."She laughed with her father, a wonderfully intoxicatingfeeling that she wanted to bottle."Thanks for the advice,Dad.I need to have a conversation with someone veryimportant to me
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