Page 21 of Desired

‘That’s not necessary. I can meet you at a coffee shop or something. You don’t need to trouble your assistant for this. I promise I won’t bite.’

Fuck.

I need to end this.

The last thing I need is for this bitch to have something of mine and keep bothering me about it. Who knows how long she’s had it for and why. It creeps me out, frankly. As I’m about to reach out to my family and ask if they’ve seen granddad’s watch, she messages me again.

‘Look, I’m engaged, Declan. You’ve got nothing to worry about, okay? I just...I want to get rid of it. No offence.’

Why, when she says this, I feel relief, I don’t know. But foolishly, I bend. ‘Where’s this coffee shop? I can meet you tonight if you’re free’.

She tells me where it is, and I can feel my gag reflex already over-sensitive. The thought of seeing her makes my skin crawl. And this whole story of her being engaged and her having my watch could be all bullshit. But if it’s not, she might just toss the thing in the trash and piss me off, and then I’ll never see it again. How it ended up in her hands, I have no idea. And how I never thought more about it, retraced my steps in search of it even, is a mystery. I suppose having my heart trampled diverted my attention some. An old watch was probably the last thing on my mind at the time.

I want so badly to call Moira. To hear her voice. But I’ve been so bloody busy since I saw her last. I’ve barely had the time to do anything, let alone make a phone call to her. Plus, something tells me that she needs some time. As do I. And for a second, I think about how she might feel knowing that I’m going to see my ex-girlfriend, mere days since we slept together. If she were a drama queen, this would feed her overactive imagination, send her running, thinking that all that she told me sent me fleeing back to my ex-girlfriend in a fit of insanity over her da being an alleged murderer.

And then I feel like something da said rings true here. Maybe I need to see Krystal again, for some closure. It sounds insane, I know, but maybe that’s what I need. To be reminded of her, in the flesh, how she shattered my heart and ruined me for women for years, maybe forever. And then I start to feel like I was a fool then and I’m being a fool again now, for agreeing to see her. The confusion overcomes me as I get into my truck and start driving, maybe to go to this godforsaken coffee shop, or not. Maybe I’ll just drive to Moira’s place or go visit my cousin or one of my brothers, I don’t know. But either way, I need to get out of here. No amount of swimming or working out is going to help me at this point.

That’s when I just keep driving, aimlessly, and I consequentially end up right by the place where Krystal suggested we meet. Half of me wants to stiff her, but the other half feels like something brought me here, and this is no accident. It’s been years. I have no idea what she’s driving, or even if she looks any different, and I don’t fucking care, either. But when I see her, walking out of the place, face set like she’s pissed because I stiffed her, I park the truck and get out. She spots me from the sidewalk outside, before reaching her car.

Gaze on the asphalt, I approach her, holding my hand out, so she knows I’m here for my watch and I’m outta here. “Declan, hi.” She says, all business. The rock on her finger is so big it hangs off the side of her finger. Strangely, she holds her hand out for me to shake, or to show it off, I don’t know which, nor do I care.

“Hi. Do you have the watch?” I ask, not bothering to hide the chill in my voice.

“Can I at least buy you a coffee or something?” She offers. “I mean, we do have a history together. And I haven’t seen you in a long time.”

“I thought you said you’re engaged?” I point out boldly, pulling her hand upward.

“I am. Can we go inside? I don’t want to do this out here.”

“Do what, Krystal? I thought you just wanted to give me back my watch, no strings attached. But then, I guess you’re not capable of doing anything without strings.”

She lowers her head. “Okay, fine. I deserved that.” She lifts it again. “Can we go inside? Five minutes?”

With a strong sigh, I relent. “Fine. Five minutes.” I’m an idiot, and I know it, as I walk inside the coffee shop.Dead man walking.

As I walk behind her, she’s careful to hold the door for me, and I notice that she’s got very strong perfume on, like she’s sprayed a load. It almost makes me cough. Her perfume used to turn me on. I see the difference now. Now, it’s like an antidote. As we find a table and order a coffee each, she sighs, looking at me. “You look good, Declan. You’ve aged well.”

“Thanks.” I reply, but I don’t look at her.

“Have you met anyone?”

“No.” I lie, but it’s none of her fucking business.

“Still all business, huh.”

I look at her. “What do you want, Krystal? Don’t you think your fiancé might be a tad upset if he finds out you’ve been talking with an ex?”

“He knows about you.” She informs, matter-of-factly.

“What did you do? Tell him all about how much of an asshole I was to you? Lie to him about what really happened? Although, judging by the size of that iceberg you’ve got on your hand, I’d say that you got what you wanted.”

“He earns a decent living, yes. There’s no crime in that.”

“There is if that’s all you want him for.” I scoff as the waitress brings us our coffees.

She sighs, looking off to the side. “Look, Declan. I’m going to be honest with you.”

“There’s a first.”

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