Page 104 of That First Night
“Yeah, you can fucking say that again. What are you doing here?”
“I was invited by a brand company that I model for. They flew me in for the weekend from Los Angeles to attend this. I’m here to support the children, sweetheart.”
“Don’t you dare call me that,” I snap. “I am not your sweetheart. Never have been, never will be. And since when do yousupportany children?”
“Don’t be like that.” She gives me a stupid pouty face, ignoring my question. This is why it never worked. She’s fake as fuck. “We had a really good thing going. We could always try again.”
“Are you drunk, Sheila?”
“No,” she giggles. “I’m just happy to see you. Why don’t we get a drink?”
“I’m here with someone,” I snap. Rage is flowing through my blood, and I want nothing more than for her to be out of my hair.
“The pretty little thing I met at the bar not long ago?”
The questions floating around my mind are answered with her one single question right there. She did run into Peyton. An array of new questions come crashing into my head and worry hits my gut.
“What. Did. You. Say. To. Her?” I hiss through gritted teeth.
“Oh, would you relax? I just told her what she needs to know,” she says with a small laugh and a shrug of the shoulders.
“You have no right to tell her anything.”
“I don’t? Because last I checked,Iam that little boy’s mom.”
“You may have birthedJames,” I emphasize his name because she can’t even say it for herself. “But you are far from being a mother. As far as I’m concerned, you’re nothing more than the person who carried himfor me.”
She sucks in a small gasp and her hand lands on her chest. “You don’t mean that.”
“Oh, but I do,” I say as I can feel the anger rising in me. “You do remember thatyouleft us? It wasyourdecision to leave. I tried hard to make it work when that isn’t something I fucking do.”
“But you can do it withher?” she says, like poison is coming out of her mouth.
I pause and feel my jaw clench even tighter. “She’s different, Sheila.”
Her eyes bounce between mine as if she’s trying to assess my demeanor. I stand there still, ready to run and find Peyton. Ready to make this right because I can’t lose her. I fucking lost her once and after the last couple of months, I know, without a doubt, it will ruin me if I lose her again.
“Wow,” she says at the same time her lips part open. “She really is that girl.”
“What girl?”
“The one that got away.” She shakes her head and moves her gaze away from mine. “She’s the girl from before me that you never got over.”
“How—” I start to say before she cuts me off.
“I will right my wrong here,” she starts to say. “I did talk to her after I saw you two eye fucking from across the room. I tried to warn her that you are not the relationship type and that you will never love anyone,” she pauses, and I feel the rage creeping back up with each word that comes out of her mouth. “I told her that no girl will ever measure up to the one who got away. She realized that the girl was her.”
I don’t say anything but just simply nod. Sheila knew I was hung up on someone. I met her and the deal was I needed to fuck the other girl out of my system. We had a mutual agreement, but mistakes were made and a few weeks later, she called to tell me that she was pregnant.
“I can tell…” she pauses, and her features soften. “I can tell she loves you. I can tell she loves James.”
“Sheila,” I start, but tread lightly with my tone. “She cares for James a lot. You’re right, she is the girl that got away all those years ago. I care for her as much as she cares for us. I can’t let that go. I might not be able to do relationships, but I damn well plan to try to and keep her in our lives. I deserve it, for once. James deserves it.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “She deserves it.”
She gives me a tight nod. “She’s a fireball that one.” She lets out a low chuckle before she continues, “I want you to know, I’m not back in the city for James. I know that still makes me a piece of shit, but kids are not for me. I hope you understand that. After meeting her and having this talk with you, I know that me leaving was the best decision for everyone. I’m so sorry I hurt you. I’m even more sorry I hurt James.”
“Don’t, Sheila.” I snap. I don’t have time for this with her. Yes, I might be blowing her off. But she blew us off three years ago when she voluntarily walked out of our lives. I am being such a dick, but I only care about one thing right now, and that is to find Peyton. “It’s in the past. We have moved on. James is happy and safe and lives a great life. But where the fuck did Peyton go after you fed her with your bullshit?”
“After she stood up for you and James? After she told me that she loves you with every fiber of her being?” She smirks up at me and all the air in my lungs is now trapped.
