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I opened my door, got out of my car, and whispered, “Hi.”
“What are you doing here, Riley?”
“I-I was out driving the backroads and wanted to see your house. Then Joseph and Rosalie appeared on your road and brought me here. I wasn’t going to do this.”
“So now what?” Rhys asked, shrugging his shoulders.
“Can we please just talk?”
“About what?”
“You and me.”
He searched my eyes for the longest time and finally said, “Okay.”
“Would you mind if we went inside your house? It’s chilly out here.”
He nodded, and I followed him to his front door. After opening it, he stepped aside and motioned for me to enter.
“Let’s sit in the living room,” he said as I walked past him.
After we took our places at opposite ends of the couch, the lamps on the two end tables flickered. Joseph and Rosalie were still here.
I stared at Rhys before speaking, feeling my emotions steadily rise. This reminded me of when I came to his house the first time, and we talked about when I ended things with him last year, him asking for my momma and daddy’s permission to marry me, my engagement ring, and all.
“I miss you,” I said, my voice cracking.
Rhys didn’t say anything.
“I love you, too, and you know I always have,” I continued. “I wish you believed I’ve been faithful to you. It’s not in me to cheat. I made a mistake by not telling you that Chad and I ran into each other at Starbucks and were civil. I made another mistake when I didn’t tell you I’d asked him to return my things. If I could go back in time, I would tell you everything. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
Rhys’s eyes had already started tearing up. “Have you talked to or seen Chad since I ended our relationship?” he asked.
“No, not once. I have no desire to either.”
“Have you met anyone new?”
“No. I’m not looking. Are you seeing that news reporter?”
“I thought about it. But no, I’m not seeing her. Even though she looks like you, she’s not you, Riley. No one ever would be.”
Rhys’s chin started quivering, and he wiped his eyes. I got up from the couch, stepped over to him, and knelt down on the floor. We stared at each other, feeling a thousand emotions as tears rolled down his cheeks and mine. Then I risked hugging Rhys, and he received me into his arms.
We turned our heads while letting go of each other, and our lips almost touched. Rhys looked down at mine, and I leaned in, resting my forehead against his.
“Let’s work through this. Let’s get back together. Please,” I whispered.
Rhys took a deep breath and slowly shook his head no. Then he scrunched his face, grabbed mine, and started kissing me. Before I knew it, he’d lifted me off the floor, underneath my arms, and pulled my legs around his waist. Our hunger for each other poured out, but Rhys unexpectedly stopped everything, looked at me, and shook his head no again.
“I can’t do this, Riley,” he said, shocking me. “I still don’t believe nothing was going on between you and Chad.”
CH 45 - #bittersweet
Riley
NOVEMBER
“HOW ARE THINGS going, BFF?” Macie asked.
