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She shut the window and closed her eyes. Maybe he did have feelings for her, but it still was so difficult to hear him tell the world they were just friends.
The plane landed and they disembarked. Remi kept her phone on airplane mode, not wanting to know if Colton had texted her. If the answer was no, he hadn’t, she wasn’t sure her heart could take it.
Remi dropped her sister off and drove home. Her apartment felt different somehow. Colder. She didn’t like the feeling, so she quickly changed into her pajamas and bunny slippers. Much better. She went into the kitchen to make a mug of hot chocolate. That would cheer her up.
As she waited for the water to heat, she turned on her television. Remi flipped through the channels until she saw Colton flash across the screen. She froze as she watched the scene with her play out.
She almost turned the channel but was so mesmerized by Colton’s face, she stood frozen. She watched the reporters yelling things in his face, then Colton dropped her hand. One reporter asked about Liz’s weight gain, which shocked her. She hadn’t heard that question when she was there. She was still reeling over Colton distancing himself from her.
She winced when he said, “This is just a friend of mine.”
As Colton walked away, she forced herself to watch. He seemed angry. He stood by Liz and pulled her to his side, he defended her and made a speech about the film industry using body shaming tactics, and as he spoke, she found herself getting emotional.
Colton didn’t leave her simply to keep up the ruse. He went to defend Liz Adams. Guilt washed over her, and she felt bad for getting so upset at Colton. He was standing up for someone who was being unjustly picked on.
She was a terrible person. Disappearing on him, leaving him there to deal with the paparazzi. She didn’t even say goodbye. She never told him how she felt. How could she have ghosted him, doing the same thing that she did five years go?
A knock sounded on her door as the electric teakettle began hissing. Remi turned off the television and walked over to peek out of the peep hole.
Tavon? What was he doing at her apartment?
Tavon knocked again, a very polite sound. She backed slowly away from the door. She didn’t want to talk to Tavon, so instead, she went into the kitchen and finished making her cocoa.
Tavon knocked a third time. “Remi, I know you’re home. Your car is in the parking lot. Please open the door.”
“Maybe I’m sleeping,” she called through the door as she stirred her drink.
“Very funny. Please? I want to talk to you.”
Nerves shot through her as she slid the chain and opened the door. Tavon stood there wearing his good Sunday suit. He clutched a bouquet of roses that he extended to her. “These are for you.”
She took them in her hand that was cocoa free and motioned for him to enter. She shut the door behind him and then turned. “What do you want?”
Tavon stood there looking strange in her apartment. Out of place. “I’ve come to ask if you’re free tomorrow night.”
She stared at him like he had grown massive buck teeth that extended to the floor. “What?”
“Will you go bowling with me tomorrow night? I know I made you angry. I’m sorry. Let’s start all over.”
Remi slowly shook her head. “No, Tavon. You didn’t make me angry.”
“Then why did you call off the wedding?”
Remi tried to think of a nice way to say it, but after a brief moment of contemplation, she gave up. “I’m not in love with you.”
“But you can learn to love me. Over time.”
Remi set her mug of hot cocoa down on the end table. “I’m sorry. I can’t. It’s over between us.”
Another knock came on her door. This one was less polite, more insistent. Remi couldn’t believe this. Who was at her door now? She let out an exasperated grunt before checking her peep hole.
It was Colton.
She swallowed. Colton had come? She could barely believe it. How could he have gotten there so fast? She had just arrived herself.
Colton continued to knock, even louder. “Remi? Are you in there?”
She opened the door and Colton burst in. “Remi, I—” He looked at Tavon, then down at the roses still in Remi’s hand. “Oh,” he said.
