“It was my pride and joy for a long time,” Julian says from behind me, startling me as he comes closer. He doesn’t touch me. Instead he stops a few yards away from me. It’s almost as if he’s scared to be too close.
“It’s a beautiful garden. I’ve always enjoyed spending time outdoors.” Even as I speak to him, my voice is tinged with frustration at our situation. “I’m grabbing lunch. I’ll be back in an hour.”
“If you want to take a half-day, that’s fine. I’ll have lawyers here this afternoon, and I didn’t think you’d want to sit and listen to us talk.” There’s tension in his tone. He’s nervous, because when I look up at him, he turns away. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” And he leaves me staring at his retreating form.
I could’ve told him I’d stay. But I didn’t.
“Thank your contact for the address,” I call after him, but all he offers is a wave, his head bowed, his focus on the ground rather than what’s happening around him.
When I arrived this morning, he looked worse for wear, and even though he still looks troubled, I realize it’s not up to me to fix anyone. I need to focus on myself.
With a heavy heart, I go to pack up my things. As I’m walking down the driveway toward the Uber I called, a car rolls up toward the house, and I notice two well-dressed men in the front, and in the back is a buxom blonde who looks out of place here. Even though the plantation house is expensive and well maintained, and the gallery brings in thousands of dollars, this woman looks like she’d be more comfortable in front of the spotlight, being hounded by paparazzi.
Ignoring the burning bite of jealousy, I walk away from Julian and whatever drama is about to unfold in that house. I have the address to my mom’s old home. Perhaps today is the day I need to pay a visit and focus on something other than the love life I thought I had.Chapter 24JulianThe moment Nea left, I felt the loss. But I needed her to leave so I can say goodbye to my past. Once I can do that, Nea and I can finally sit down and talk. I want her to know me, all of me. And I need her to know that I love her.
My phone buzzes, and when I glance at the screen, I see Eli’s name flashing at me. I answer, “Hey, man.”
“You okay?” he asks, knowing Shay is coming here today. I told him via text message, and when he called me back, he advised me to tell the bitch where to go, but I haven’t yet. I need to know what she wants from me.
“I don’t know. I just fucking sent Nea away.”
“Why?” I can hear the confusion in his voice, and I know I should’ve asked her to stay, but this is a fight I need to finish before I can focus on Nea.
“Because I can’t let her see this bitch who’s torn my life apart,” I bite out, anger at the situation taking ahold of me.
“I get it. But remember one thing. Nea is your future. Don’t jeopardize it for Shay just because you were married.”
“I know. Thanks for checking in on me. But once I’ve gotten the papers signed, she’ll be in my past, where she belongs.”
“That’s exactly right. You found a good girl. Kate was gushing about Nea, and I think you can be happy with her. Just don’t let Shay fuck with your head again.” Eli is right, as he usually is, but I don’t tell him that, or I’ll never hear the fucking end of it.
“Thanks, man. It means a lot that you both like Nea because I think I’ve fallen hard,” I admit to my best friend. He’s known me for far too long, and I know he’ll see the change in me.
“Oh, I know that; so does Kate. That’s why she made me call you today,” he tells me with a chuckle. “Be strong, man. Call me when you’re done.” Once he hangs up, I can’t help but smile. He’s been a good friend, level-headed compared to me. And Kate’s been a godsend.
Shay suddenly glides through the house as if she owns it. The hate I have for her is stronger than I could ever have anticipated. I’ve always been an angry person, always focused on myself, on my pain and my heartache, but Nea changed that for me. She made me see more than I could ever have imagined. But now that Shay is back, I feel like that young, inexperienced boy again.
It doesn’t help that she’s older than me. It also doesn’t help that she was the one who wanted the marriage, the name, and the fame when all I needed was someone who would take me as I am. Who accepted my brooding personality and lightened my world with color.