Page 48 of Wrecked
"After all these years, you're still in love with him?"
I looked up from my fidgeting hands, "I am," the confession came without hesitation. "Dean, you're a good man—"
"Just not the right one, apparently."
"Not for me, no." I pushed to my feet and took another breath. "I could—should—tell you how sorry I am, but I can't. It's hard to regret something that felt so right." Once I started, I couldn't stop the words from coming. "And to be honest, I don't think you and I really love each other."
Dean jumped up, "I asked you to move in with me, how can you say I don't love you?"
"You only asked because our mothers pushed you into doing it."
He opened his mouth and then shut it abruptly, pulling his lips into a thin line. Tentatively, I approached him and placed my hand on his arm. "I'm not saying that we don't care for each other, I think it's more a case of us growing comfortable with one another, you know?"
He side-eyed me, his mouth still stretched thin. "Are you going to him?" he asked.
I shook my head, "I don't know, I have a lot of things to figure out."
"Well, good luck with that." Dean pulled away from me and grabbed his jacket off the armrest of the couch. Thrusting his arms into the expensive fabric, he glared at me. "If you think I'm going to stand here and congratulate you on ripping the ground right from under me, you're wrong."
He stomped to the door, yanked it open and then paused to give me another angry stare. "Amongst those things you need to figure out, make sure you put love and loyalty right at the top. Clearly, you are clueless." The slamming door signaled not only his departure from my apartment but my life too.
Not caring that it was in the middle of the night, I raced up Zoe's steps and banged on her door. I waited and waited, but no one came. Walking backward, I looked up and scanned the row of windows.
Soft yellow wisps spilled from her bedroom, I marched back to the front door and banged louder this time. I had to pound my fists against the wood another few times before the door flew open revealing a half-naked man—a sweaty, half-naked man.
"Uh," I tried to peek around his broad shoulders, but his bulk filled the frame. "Is Zoe home?"
Half-naked Guy's lips lifted into a salacious grin. "She's a little tied up at the moment."
This is what I get for showing up without calling first."Who's at the door, Andy?" Zoe's voice carried through the house.
Andyaimed a questioning look in my direction. Instead of answering him, I did something that I had never done before. I pushed past him and bounded up the stairs.
Big mistake. Trust me, it didn't matter if two people were as close as sisters, no one needed to see their friend's goodies on display like that. "I'm sorry," I yelped as I quickly turned around and covered my eyes.
"Kenzie? What the hell are you doing here?"
"Clearly interrupting something, but I kinda need to talk to you." Leaning my forehead against the wall in front of me, I breathed out "I broke up with Dean."
"You what?" I heard her tug and pull on the restraints around her arms and legs. "Ugh, Andy!"
A second later Andy came sauntering in, "She joining us?"
"No, you big oaf." More tugging and pulling. "Untie me," Zoe demanded.
"But we just—"
"Andy!"
There was something very wrong with me because all I wanted to do was giggle like a little schoolgirl. "I'll just wait downstairs." I raced back down the stairs. So fast, that I stumbled on the bottom few. My arm flew to the side as I steadied myself against the wall.
Maybe it was shock or just the emotional toll of the day, but I burst out laughing and couldn't stop. I moved to the far end of Zoe's living room where she kept her easel and paint supplies. After a few—more like a lot of—steadying breaths I finally regained my composure. Turning my attention to the window, with nothing but darkness behind it, I felt panic creep up my spine.
What the hell am I going to do?
My hands flew to my face and this time thick, hot tears spilled from my eyes. Yeah, I was a mess alright.
"Hey," Zoe appeared in front of me and pulled me in for a hug which felt a bit awkward considering how short she was. But awkward or not, it felt good to be comforted, and that just made me cry even harder. "Sweetie, you're scaring me," my friend whispered.
