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Eighteen
Travis
I’ve been constantly looking everywhere for Lee. She hasn’t been home or to work at all. It has been a week, and God… I didn’t think it was possible to miss someone this much. I miss her coffee in the morning, having to resort going to Honeybee coffee for my caffeine fix. I’m stuck missing the way she feels in my arms when I wake up and I miss talking to her about anything and everything. The natural flirting that happens instinctually between us. Even though I lied and misled her to believe I was someone else, I constantly felt like she was the only person on earth to really know me. Our connection was on a deeper level than anything I’ve ever experienced. I’m desperate to see her again—which is why I’m sitting in my car, across from her store, at an ungodly hour, waiting or rather hoping she will show up.
It feels like I haven’t seen her in forever.
That’s why my heart rate speeds up and my palms go fucking sweaty when I see her walking down the sidewalk to her store. When her back is turned and she begins to unlock her door, I bolt from my car, barely taking time to close my car door. I rush across the street, making it in the door just before she closes it. I lock it behind me, standing with my back to it, watching her. I can see the shock on her face that I’m here.
“You need to leave!” she demands, shaking her head no—already having her mind made up that she won’t listen to anything I have to say.
“I can’t do that, Lee. I need to talk to you.”
God, she’s beautiful. I’ve missed her so bad that I ache. She still takes my breath away, even with the dark circles under her eyes. She looks as tired as I feel. I haven’t slept since the paparazzi showed up at her house. That’s not how I wanted her to learn who I really am. I wanted—needed—a chance to explain.
“Then I will have to call the cops to make you leave,” she says, turning to walk over to the shop’s phone sitting on the counter.
“I love you, Leesa Gibbs.”
She stops walking but doesn’t turn around to look at me. “I knew it the minute I was sitting at that table right there, listening to you talk. I didn’t set out to lie to you, but I didn’t know how to be just me, Travis Drake. I wasn’t even sure I knew who he was anymore. Plus, normally, when people in this town heard my name, they saw me as something else, someone I definitely wasn’t anymore—someone I don’t ever want to be again. I’ve been running for over a year to not be that. I never believed in love at first sight, but instantly, I knew that I wanted to get to know you, have time with you, hell just be around you. I saw my opportunity and took it. Every time we talked, I wanted to tell you the truth, but I couldn’t help but be selfish. I needed more time with you, without all the stuff that comes along with being who I am. That’s the only reason, I didn’t tell you, Lee. It was never about you. You were—are—perfect. I need you.” I clear my throat and bare my heart. “Baby, I still need you.”
“It sounds like you’re just trying to justify why you lied. You’re not admitting that you hurt me.” She’s still not turning around to face me. It’s damn frustrating, but I can’t just let what we have go. I walk over to her, turning her around to face me, forcing her to look at me.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, Lee. God, you have no idea how much. I have no excuse other than I knew right from the start that you were special. You also didn’t recognize me, and I wanted time to see if you could like me before you knew I was a movie star.”
“Yeah, that would be great and all, but I never got to know Travis Drake. I got to know Eugene Travis Trapper,” she says sarcastically. “I knew that was out there and I still didn’t call you on your bullshit, did I, Travis? I’m such a fool.”
“You are not and never could be a fool, Lee. Damn it! I’ve been Travis the whole time. You’ve had me—the real me. You got parts of me that I’ve never shared with anyone else. What does it matter if the name was wrong? It was me that was holding you when we watched movies and when I made sure you weren’t missing meals after a busy day at work. It was me rubbing your belly when you were cramping and not feeling well. It was me that tried to always make you smile and most of all it was me that made love to you. And before you try to deny it, Lee, it wasn’t just sex, it was one hundred percent us making love every single time.”
