Page 18 of Almost

That sounds perfect. I lean down, kissing Lia unhurriedly. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than here with her. “Of course. I was thinking we could start slow and get a dog too. I’ve always wanted one.”

“I love you, but if you pick out a small yippy dog, I’m breaking up with you,” she teases before nodding quickly, her emerald eyes shining happily. “Of course I’ll move in with you, but shouldn’t we have looked at something a little smaller? Bash, I make good money freelancing, but I don’t know if I can afford this.”

I shake my head because I already took care of everything. “No, I don’t want you to worry about that. The ad campaign I did for that bodywash commercial almost paid for this place in cash. There’s enough room for everything we could ever want: a dark room for your photography, a huge master, a big yard for our kids and dog. I want everything with you, Thalia. This can be our future.”

“You’re such a dork,” Thalia says, rising up to kiss me again. “I think I like the idea of that future, Sebastian Walker,” she mumbles against my lips.

“Oh, I think you’re going to enjoy christening every room in this house more.”

She pulls back to look at me, her cheeks flushed. “Just a quick question, but how many rooms are in this house?”

I grin cheekily at her as I guide her into the dining room with large bay windows looking over the massive deck. “More than I can possibly remember.”

“I guess we better get started then.”

~

I can hear Kiera talking next to me, but the words aren’t registering because all I can hear is the ghost of mymemories, coming back to haunt me. I set my fork down on the plate, pushing my chair back. “Excuse me,” I say quietly, unable to take my eyes off Thalia.

Fuck.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Thalia

MY JAW FALLS in disbelief. He just got up and left while looking at me? Kiera looks as surprised as me, whereas Owen is drinking and Blake and Eric are watching for my reaction.

I’m not going to react. Let Sebastian throw his temper tantrum. He could have put a stop to this shit show.

I catch another glimpse of the dazzling ring on Kiera’s finger as she tries to apologize for Bas—Seb’s behavior.He’s Seb now.My blood is boiling and then I’m out of my seat before I realize it to follow after him.

He went out on the deck, and Zeus is quick to follow me as I stomp in that direction. He has been lying at my feet the entire night, and I quickly murmur a promise I’ll be right back.

Sebastian is walking toward the back half of the deck where I used to keep bird feeders so I could take pictures of them. They’re gone now.

“What are you doing, Bash?” I ask, the old nickname rolling off my tongue as if it’s the easiest thing in the world.

He looks back at me with a torn expression, but it’s too late for me to go back inside. “I don’t know,” he says, running a hand through his hair, telling me that he’s anxious about something. “I thought I could get through the night, but I didn’t know how hard it was going to be seeing you here.”

Is he being serious right now? Seeing me here? Try being here. It took everything in me to walk in the front door earlier tonight instead of running like I wanted to. Last time I was here, I was packing my bags after Sebastian told me to leave.

And now he lives here with Kiera.

My jaw clenches tightly, and I cross my arms over my chest as if it could protect my heart from whatever is going to come from his mouth next. “No. You don’t get to fucking do this after three and a half years.”

Sebastian has no right saying how hard this is for him. Cry me a river and call the whambulance. This is a sick joke of Bash trying to rewrite history to be the victim.

“Why did you come tonight? Why did you bring Eric?” he fires back, letting his jealousy flair. At the gallery, he accused me of being jealous. I’m not jealous. I’m sad that this is what our relationship has turned into.

I’m tempted to stomp my foot like a child, but on the off chance anyone comes out here, I make the switch to French. He learned the first year we got together while we traveled Europe, and I know he’s fluent, even if he’s a little rusty. I’m seeing a side of Sebastian that I haven’t in a long time, but he’s clearly been drinking. I’m still looking out for him, despite Sebastian giving me every reason not to.

“Because I like him! He isn’t an asshole to me, and he doesn’t treat me like I’m his property when his fiancée isright next to him. I came because your fiancée is the nicest person in the world, and somehow, she ended up with you. You have put everyone in this situation because you can’t tell her no. You can’t tell Kiera the truth either, so what exactly do you tell her?” I ask pointedly, because it’s a genuine question. That girl is so clueless, I pity her.

I’m tired. I don’t want to be here any more than he wants me here. Why couldn’t he just suck it up like the rest of us to get through the meal before blowing everything up?

“I never thought I’d have to explain what you almost were to me, or that this is the house I bought for you and the future you decided you didn’t want. How was I supposed to know any of this was going to happen?” Sebastian looks helpless and defeated right now. A far cry from the confident quarterback I used to know so well.

It’s not fair to throw this house in my face because while he might have bought it for me, he lives here with her. “No, you don’t get to fucking put your bad decisions on me. I’m telling you to be honest with her, which is exactly what you should have done in the first place. Kiera deserves that much.”

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