Page 36 of The Transfer
I wait forever for him to finally walk away. Once I know he’s gone, my body drops to the ground in the middle of the parking lot. Tears flood my eyes and fall in streams down my face. Riggs saw Drew kiss me, and he left.
Tonight, it became clear to me that Drew wasn’t the one. He doesn’t know me like Riggs does. I think Mack was right. My feelings for Drew were just leftover from high school. The woman I am now doesn’t feel for him what I did back then. I think it was the idea of Drew and me that I was holding on to, but I’m finally ready to let go.
The worst part of it all is that Riggs thinks he saw the opposite, and I don’t know how to fix it.
My brother finds me a few minutes later and drives me home. We don’t speak on the drive, but when he pulls into our parking spot in front of the apartment, he hesitates before turning the car off.
“I don’t know what happened tonight, Rea, but whatever it is, it will be okay.”
I start to cry again, and my twin pulls me in for a hug, allowing me to sob into his chest. “I don’t know if it will, Jordan. I really don’t know…”
I can’t go to bed without talking to him, but Riggs doesn’t answer my call. So I do the next best thing, hoping a text will at least convey a little of what I’m feeling.
Riggs, what you saw tonight… it wasn’t what it looked like.
It takes a minute, but he responds. Which means he ignored my call on purpose.
Riggs
It’s okay. You don’t need to explain anything to me.
Yes, I do. He kissed me, and I pushed him away.
Look, I get it, ok? You and Cole have history. I am just going to take a minute and put the ball in your court.
What does that mean?
You need some time to think, and I do too.
Is that what you want?
It’s what we both need.
Ok. Good night, Point Guard
Good night, Reagan
He called me Reagan, not Sunshine. My tears start to fall again as I get ready for bed.
I toss and turn for hours. My mind goes over all that happened tonight. I have a man who is offering everything I thought I ever wanted. But I don’t want it anymore.
TWENTY-SEVEN
REAGAN
After just a few hours of sleep, my alarm goes off, and I feel like a zombie. I walk into the kitchen to grab breakfast. I start the coffee pot and open the fridge as I hear Jordan shuffle in and sit down at the table.
“I will pay you if you make me breakfast.” I laugh because my brother is worthless in the kitchen.
“How much?” I ask him, knowing I’ll be doing it for free anyway.
“I’ll do the dishes for a week,” he says, and I take that deal instantly.
“Omelet?” I look over, and he nods.
Grabbing the eggs, milk, cheese, and some pre-cut veggies from the fridge, I put them on the counter. After I have the pan on the stove, I get things mixed and poured. It doesn’t take long before there are two plates with omelets on them. Well, Jordan’s has two because he has an appetite like no other.
J gets the coffee poured, and we sit down. It’s been a minute since I had a meal alone with my brother. It feels good to sit here. I miss this.
