A real goodbye.
My heart feels heavy. I won’t lie and say there aren’t any feelings there. There are. We grew up together. At the very least, there’s that. Friendship. A childhood bond that will always be present, whether we see each other again or not.
I clean up in the bathroom and attempt to make myself presentable again. I catch a glimpse of my fading love bite in the mirror and immediately think of the mark I left on Damon. The dark purple bruise complemented his black and blue eyes perfectly. I actually laugh. And then I cry. I don’t even know why. Just because a burst of emotions was suddenly there, and they needed to be set free.
I sit back down at my desk with a wad of tissues. Drying my eyes and catching my breath, I try to go back to scheduling, but I’m just too messed up. My mind feels like a jigsaw puzzle.
I pull open the side drawer and stare down at my father’s letter. I haven’t been able to bring myself to read it, but maybe now is the perfect time.
I slide the white envelope through my shaky fingers and wonder what could possibly be inside. What could he have possibly written? “I love you” one last time, perhaps? I would give anything to hear him say that again.
Just as I slide a fingernail under the seal to break it open, the doorbell rings. I glance up at the camera to see the photographer is here.
Daddy’s letter will just have to wait.
I fix my dress as I walk to the front door and let him in.
The day is finally ready to start.
And so is the rest of my life.
7
Damon
I pullup to the colossal beach house perched on a Malibu hill.
Man, some motherfuckers got the life.
I ring the doorbell and wait, cracking my knuckles as the seconds tick by.
When the front door swings open, I’m met by Malibu Barbie in the flesh.
“Damon?” Kira takes one look at my face and reacts. “What the hell happened?”
“This?” I point to myself. “Paintball.”
“Paintball?” She cocks her head at me like I just sprouted horns and a tail.
“They ran out of masks. I’m tough, though.”
“Uh-huh.” I don’t know if she’s buying my story or not. She doesn’t know me all that well, and I am kind of crazy sometimes. So she might swallow my b.s.
“Can I come in?” I move this conversation right along. I’ve got things to do and people to see.
“Of course.” The blonde beauty steps aside. “But Ky’s not here. He’s at the Den.”
“I know.” I step inside the sea of white décor. “I’m here to see Gambit.”
“Oh, well, in that case, he’s in the garage. I’ll show you.” She turns and walks me through the house. I know I shouldn’t, but Lord help me, I do; I check Kira out as I trail behind her. It’s hard not to. She’s the epitome of beautiful, sweet, loving, sexy. I get why Ky fell hard for her. Who wouldn’t? Liv has all the same attributes, plus a sharper attitude. And if things were different. If my entire existence hadn’t just fallen to pieces, I would be with her right now. Professing my feelings, convincing her we are meant to be together, no matter what happened in the past. Since the moment I saw her again, it has felt like I have been waiting my whole adult life for her. And when I finally have her in my grasp, I’m forced to let her go.
For her own good. I broke her heart once. I won’t do it again. I’m older and a smidge wiser now. Back then, I was just a dumb kid who thought he was invincible. Who thought he could walk on water. Lord, was that guy delusional. I get my way plenty, don’t get me wrong. But there are just some people you can’t fool. They see right through you. Through all your bullshit, and they call you out on it. Liv has always been one of those people. The man I’m about to see is another.
Kira opens the garage door, and I step over the threshold.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” She smiles sweetly. “Can you remind him he needs to come inside for food at some point? I don’t want to find him dead on the floor from starvation. My mother will kill me.” She laughs.
