Page 2 of Easy To Lose

“Morgan!” Aaron calls from down the hall, and I just start throwing things into the bag, not worrying about folding. I need to get out of this house. I head into the bathroom and gather everything that’s mine. My eyes catch on a glint from the ring on my finger, and suddenly I’m on the floor in front of the toilet, food and booze making a second appearance. This was not how tonight was supposed to go.

After I gather myself, I get up off the floor, rinse out my mouth, and eye the ring again. Before I think better of it, I toss it into the toilet and flush, watching the future I thought I’d have go down the drain. Just as I gather my things and head into the bedroom, the door bursts open, and I do everything I can to avoid looking in Aaron’s direction. I just continue going through drawers and throwing shit on top of the bed.

“Morgan stop. Let’s talk about this…” His voice is calm, and before I can think better of it, my eyes land on him. The regret is instantaneous. His shaggy brown hair is a mess as if someone’s been running their fingers through it for hours.

Her fingers.

The dark brown of his eyes looks right through me as I feel his stare down to my bones. He’s always had a knack for making me surrender with just a look, and I have to actively stop myself from caving because his eyes have always been my weakness. His shirt is still missing, and his jeans hang loosely from his hips, unbuttoned and barely zipped. But what gets me are the lipstick stains on his perfectly carved chest.

“Talk? You seriously want to talk to me, looking like that?” I point at the offending marks as he rolls his eyes, taking a step toward me as I take one back. “No. you don’t get to do that anymore. You lost the right to come anywhere near me when you stuck your dick in her!” I scream, pointing at the door, referring to the girl that I hope is long gone.

“Morgan, we can fix this.” I shake my head. He’s clearly delusional.

“No. I’m done. Seeing you with her after you promised to spend the rest of your life with me? I’m never going to un-see that, Aaron. Never.”

“Don’t be melodramatic. We can get through this. I just needed one last night of bachelorhood before we got married. That’s all. It’s common to get cold feet, right?” I can’t help but laugh. That is by far the most self-centered thing he could have said. And by the look on his face, I can see he meant every word, too.

“‘Cold feet’ does not give you permission to stick your dick in any waiting snatch you can find.” I feel the tears start once again, and take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I need to do. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…” I throw the rest of my stuff into the suitcase and zip it up, carrying it out of the room and down the hall, hearing his steps following mine the entire way.

“Morgan, stop this. If it weren’t for me, you would still be a sad, lonely, fat girl who’d never even had a guy go down on her.” I stop in my tracks, staring at the front door, and the first steps to my life away from this nightmare. “You know you need me. You know that, without me, you are nothing.” The words cut deeper than I want, but I straighten my back, turn my head, and look straight at him.

“I’m leaving.”

I don’t look back again as I step outside and slam the door behind me. My steps don’t waver as I walk to my car and get in, but when the door shuts, and the silence surrounds me? I start to crack. The solid veneer I created the moment I saw Aaron with that woman crumbles and

I finally let the tears fall, wondering what my life has become, and what the hell I’m going to do now.

Chapter 2

Morgan

Present Day

It’s fucking sweltering. Something I seem to have forgotten as I set the last box on my living room floor and look around my new house. Growing up in Miami, you get used to the weather. But being away for ten years? It seems you forget that the only seasons are hot, hot as hell, and hot with a side of hurricanes. Am I going to miss the leaves changing in October? Of course. Fall was my favorite part of New York City. Will I miss the winter? Hell, no.

“You all set?” my dad asks from the doorway. I turn and smile as he watches my mom putter around the kitchen, putting away all my dishes and cutlery. “Diana, honey, I think Morgan can do that herself.” Mom just rolls her eyes and goes back to taking each plate, rinsing it in the sink, and then putting it away just the way she likes. I think we all know that I’ll change it all when she leaves, but knowing she’s happy right now while organizing my kitchen? It makes it all worth it.

“Dad, you know she’s not leaving until it’s all done.”

“I know.” He sighs, coming over to wrap an arm around my shoulder. “I was just hoping to catch the end of the game.”

“You better not be complaining about missing that football game, James Lawson!” Mom yells from the kitchen, and Dad just puts his index finger to his mouth, telling me to keep quiet.

Laughing, I go back to the front door and out to the truck to ensure there’s nothing left.

“You know we’re happy to have you home, honey,” Dad says, leaning against the side of the truck. I nod, knowing he and Mom are ecstatic that I decided to move back. “I want to kill that bastard,” he grumbles almost too low for me to hear, but I do anyway. I hide my smile as a warm feeling fills my chest.

“Me, too,” I whisper as our eyes meet, a small smirk tracing the edges of his lips. “But it’s over, and I’m determined to leave all of that behind me. That’s why I’m here…and because I was offered a job.” Dad laughs lightly as he takes the last bag out of the back of his truck, and we head inside once more.

“I always did like that Charly Boudreaux. She always seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, especially for someone with that much family money.”

“Dad!” I say, swatting his arm, hating that people always look at the Boudreauxs with dollar signs in their eyes when they are some of the nicest and most welcoming people you will ever meet. Granted, I’ve only met them a handful of times, but from what I’ve seen, the money is second to taking care of their family.

“What? They have money, lots of it. And for some people, that changes the way they treat others. I’m just pointing out that it hasn’t changed her.” I give him a sideways look and walk into the kitchen just as Mom puts the last of the plates away.

“All done, Mom?” She turns and gives me her signature smile that she passed down to me, along with her blond hair and a dusting of freckles. She’s petite, something I did not inherit, and only stands about five feet tall. I, on the other hand, got Dad’s height, along with his build. A curse growing up, and something that still lingers on the periphery, no matter how hard I try and embrace the body I was born with.

“Yeah, sweetie, I think we’ll leave you to do the rest.” I give her a small smile, relieved that I’ll have some time to myself. “You are always welcome to come over. Anytime.” She kisses my cheek, hugging me too tightly, but I absorb it all since it’s been so long since I was last home. “I left some food in the freezer. All you need to do is put it into the oven for an hour,” she whispers as Dad takes her hand and leads her to the front door.

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