I can’t come there and have their relationship thrown in my face every day. I’m single, jobless, and homeless. Now I’m going to have to move back in with my parents at thirty years old. How am I going to face them?
Chewy
Fuck them. And you’re not thirty; you’re barely twenty-nine. You don’t have to live with your parents. You can move in with me. I have a big house now. I’ll be with you every step of the way. Answer your damn phone, Miney.
My heart ached. Had I made a huge mistake? Had I been selfish by chasing my dream to come here?
I’ll call you later, Chewy. I don’t want to talk about it right now.
Chewy
I’ll give you a day. But you better pick up your damn phone tomorrow.
I’d spent the next two days in almost the exact same position on my bed. Carl had texted me to let me know that he was in a relationship and thought it best I heard it from him.
Long after I’d heard it from multiple people.
He’d told me that he’d hoped we’d find our way back to one another but that he’d gotten tired of waiting, even though I was coming home this week.
He’d claimed that I hadn’t made him a priority and she had.
It was like a knife to the heart.
I’d made so many sacrifices for him, and he couldn’t give me this one?
I’d barely eaten, and I’d never felt so low, at least not since I’d been sick in college, but that was a different kind of low.
Finn was having a fit because I’d yet to pick up the phone. He’d left numerous messages and sent multiple texts, but I’d stopped responding. I glanced down to see a new message.
Chewy
Damn it, Miney. What the hell is going on? Are you coming home tomorrow?
I reached for the roll of toilet paper that I had in bed with me and blew my nose. I’d canceled my flight for tomorrow because I didn’t feel like I could get up and go to the airport.
Nor could I get myself together to face my ex-fiancé and his new girlfriend.
I’m not coming home right now.
Chewy
What the fuck are you talking about? Why not?
A cry escaped my lips, and I let it out. I lay on my tear-soaked pillow, wondering what the hell I was going to do with my life, and I responded with the only thing I could.
I told him the truth.
I’m frozen.
And I let myself sleep because it was the only time that my aching heart found a reprieve.
three
Finn
I’d landed at Heathrow Airport and took a car to Reese’s place. She really hadn’t gotten on that plane yesterday, and everyone was worried about her back home. So, I’d tossed some clothes into a duffle and jumped on the first flight I could.
I’d visited her four times over the last year, and she’d come to my opening when Big Sky Ranch premiered.
Her ex-fiancé, Carl “The Shit-Turd” Barley, hadn’t come one time to see her.
He’d been too busy pouting because she’d left, and then he’d grown impatient and jumped in the sack with the one woman he knew would hurt her the most.
Reese was so hell-bent on marrying the dude, and every time I’d pressed her about it, she had the same answer.
I’ve invested more than a decade with him.
So the fuck what?
He’s an asshole, and he didn’t deserve her.
So, I was going to get her and bring her home.
“You look familiar,” the dude driving me said with his English accent, making it sound far more formal than it should.
“Do I?” I chuckled.
“You’re that bloke from Big Sky Ranch, aren’t you?”
“I am. Yes. Thanks for watching.”
He pulled up in front of Reese’s building.
“Ahh… this is amazing. And you snogged that costar of yours, didn’t you?” He barked out a laugh, and I winced internally. This was what I was known for now.
Snogging Jessica Carson.
Which never even happened.
“No comment,” I said, reaching for my duffle bag before handing him cash for the ride.
“Listen, everyone knows it’s a bunch of rubbish. She’s a dodgy bird, isn’t she?”
I chuckled. “I think calling her a dodgy bird is probably accurate, even if I don’t know for sure what that means.”
“Yeah. You’re a cool bloke. You’re all right.”
“You, too, buddy. Thanks for the lift.” I saluted him after agreeing to take a quick selfie with him.
I was still getting used to being recognized wherever I went.
“Are you staying long?” he called out before I closed the door, and I leaned my head back in.