Page 13 of Losing a Piece of Me

“So you’ve seen her? Like actually seen her and talked to her?” I ask Brett.

We’re standing in his kitchen and he’s pulling things out to throw on the grill once the roof is fixed.

“Yeah, Gemma and I ran into her last night. She’s coming to the cook out.”

My mouthful of beer ends up sprayed across the floor when his last sentence graces my ears. “She’s coming here? Today?”

He makes a disgusted face and wipes the beer from his shirt. “Yeah, she should be here any time now. What’s your deal? I thought you gave up on that one?”

I run my hand over my hair, so short now that it springs right back into place. “I thought I did too,” I whisper.

Brett shakes his head and turns back to his food. “Anyway, Gemma is really excited that she’s back, so please don’t chase her off as soon as she gets here.”

I scoff. “Why would I do that?”

He turns and flashes me a pointed look but doesn’t say a word.

A few minutes later, Brett finishes seasoning the steaks and he picks up the tray. “Grab my beer, would ya?” he says, heading toward the sliding glass door.

Both of our beers in hand, I follow him to the door.

“I hope it doesn’t take too long to patch this roof. It’s too hot to be up there today.”

Whatever he says after that is completely lost to me. Before I have even stepped out of the door, I’m stopped dead in my tracks.

There she is.

Sitting right in front of me.

The world stops turning when her eyes lock on mine.

Her blue eyes shine back at me. They are wide and unmoving. She wasn’t expecting to see me either; she’s just as frozen as I am.

My first instinct is to march over and pull her in for a lip-crushing kiss, but I decide against it in favor of a more tactful approach. Instead, I casually follow Brett to the grill, keeping my eyes on her as I pass.

She follows my movement, never looking away. Gemma is telling her something, but she clearly is not hearing any of it. She is only paying attention to me.

My eyes narrow and I set my jaw, handing Brett his beer while still locked in some kind of staring competition with Lex. She swallows and moves her hands to the edge of the chair, as if she is holding herself in place to keep from running away. Her knuckles turn white from squeezing as we watch one another.

My eyes slip first, falling from her stare to take in the rest of her. She looks beautiful. Her dark hair hangs down around her shoulders in waves. Her long legs are exposed, barely covered by the cutoff jean shorts she’s wearing, and they are begging to be wrapped around my hips again.

Our eyes meet again and I notice that they are darkly lined, making them appear an even deeper shade of blue.

Before, she was just a girl who was filled with fear of the unknown. Now, she’s strong. I can see into the depths of her soul, see the determination she has in her. She has grown so goddamn much, mentally and physically; I can tell just from looking at her. Knowing that she is the only one strong enough to be with me, to take on all of the baggage I come with, makes me want her even more.

It doesn’t take me long to figure out that Brett and Gemma are both frozen along with us. The only thing moving is their eyes, which flash from me to Lex and back, watching and waiting to see who makes the first move.

I feel my heart pounding away in my chest. My breathing is labored, and every muscle is flexed and tense. I want to rush her and ask all the questions I’ve been wondering since the day she left. Why did you leave me? Where did you go? Why haven’t you called? Why don’t you love me?

But instead, all that comes out is, “What are you doing back here, Lex?” My voice sharply breaks the silence, making Gemma gasp.

Her fingers grip the chair tighter, I can see the muscles in her arms flex as she squeezes the edge.

She moistens her lips and clears her throat. “Engagement dinner.”

That takes me back. I narrow my eyes on her. “You’re getting married?” I grit my teeth together so hard it feels like they will shatter.

“Oh, no-” Gemma starts, but is silenced when Lex rips her eyes from me and trains them on her.

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