It’s 11:00 a.m., and I am freshly showered. I’ve done a load of washing and am waiting for Christopher to get back from the hospital. Dad called me while he was getting his stitches put in. He’s fine, and they should be home soon.
I have one week to make Dad see in Christopher what I do. I’m just not sure exactly how to do that. It took me living with Christopher for three months to finally see his true colors.
And what beautiful colors they are.
Knock, knock sounds on the door.
Why is he knocking? “It’s open,” I call. I pull the clothes out of the dryer and into the basket and walk out into the living area and stop in my tracks.
Regi is standing there.
The air leaves my lungs. This is the first time I’ve seen him since he broke my heart three years ago.
He’s older, broader . . .
“Hello, Haze.” He smiles hopefully.
I frown, too shocked to speak.
He steps toward me. “You look . . .” He swallows a lump in his throat. “Beautiful.”
“What are you doing here?” I frown.
“I wanted to see you.”
“Why?”
“I think about you all the time.”
I hear my angry heartbeat in my ears. “Don’t.”
“Do you ever think of me?”
“No,” I spit.
I mean, I did . . . every damn day, until I met Christopher.
Not anymore.
“I miss you . . . ,” he whispers.
“What?” I screw up my face.
“I was young, Haze.” He shrugs. “I didn’t know what I had.”
The door bangs, and Christopher walks in. My heart does stop this time.
Fuck.
He looks between Regi and me. “Hello.”
“Hi, babe.” I smile. “This is Regi. Regi, this is Christopher, my fiancé.”
A frown flashes across Christopher’s face before he catches it. “Who are you?” he asks Regi.
Regi tilts his chin, angered by my introduction. “I’m Hayden’s childhood sweetheart. Her first love.”
Oh no.
Christopher raises an eyebrow. “You’ve got a fucking hide, coming here.”
“What does that mean?” Regi frowns.
“I think you owe Hayden an apology.”
“For what?”
Christopher glares at him and steps forward. “You want me to kick your ass to remind you, you gutless prick?”
Regi steps back.
My heart swells with love for Christopher, my knight in shining armor.
“I’ve got nothing to apologize for,” Regi spits.
“One,” Christopher says calmly.
My eyes widen . . . what the hell? He’s counting him down?
“Two . . .”
“Christopher,” I stammer, “just leave it.”
“He owes you an apology, Hayden,” he snaps. “I want to fucking hear it.”
“I’m not apologizing for being young,” Regi snaps. “It’s none of your business.”