I lean back into his pillow, but my eyes pop open when he yells, “What the hell?”
I scramble to his bathroom to get the pajamas I left on the counter last night. Once I have them on and my hair is in a ponytail, I rush toward the living room.
Nate is in his doorway, and he puts one finger to his lips. I join him and strain to hear what’s happening.
“This is going to be really good,” Nate whispers.
“Who’s here?”
Before he can answer, Holli’s annoying voice fills the other room.
“Aren’t you going to let me in?”
“Fuck no. Now, I’ll ask you again. What the hell are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t let you leave without talking to you.”
“About what?”
“Please let me in,” she tries again.
“What don’t you understand about fuck no? I thought it was made perfectly clear when I saw you at the bar last month that you fucking needed to get over whatever bullshit you had in your head about us. You ambushed my girlfriend at MY apartment pool, while she was alone, to spout your delusional shit about us.”
Bryce’s angry vibes fill the whole apartment. I try to go to him, but Nate grips my wrist.
“Let him do this, Dev. It’s a long time coming. He’s been angry since she pulled her stunt with you years ago. He needs to get it out. You know he won’t hurt her, but he’s finally going to leave no room for misinterpretation.”
I nod and then inch forward to peek around the corner. It’s obvious she put some work into her visit. She’s dressed to the nines, and her three-inch wedge sandals showcase her long, slender legs. Her hair is straightened, hanging long, and her face is completely made up.
No one looks that good this early in the morning unless they have an agenda.
“Holli, for Christ’s sake, what the fuck are you doing banging on my door this early?”
“I saw Nate out last night and over heard him say y’all were moving and heading to Rhode Island. I couldn’t let you leave without clearing the air between us. We were in love once. We were going to have a baby. Can we start over? Maybe I can visit wherever you’re stationed after OCS?”
I whip my head to see Nate’s eyes grow wide and then a smile break out across his face. “Just wait,” he mouths.
I turn back to watch as Bryce crosses his arms across his naked chest and looks at the ceiling, blowing out a loud breath. His eyes slice to the side, and he gives me a small chin jerk in acknowledgement. She remains oblivious to my presence.
“Holli, I’m pretty sure you saw the ring on Devon’s hand at my graduation and know I proposed. If you didn’t, let me go ahead and officially announce, I’m engaged.”
She shakes her head back and forth in disbelief. “I saw it but couldn’t believe you’d ever link yourself to a girl. That’s what she is, Bryce—a girl. Isn’t she still in her teens? There’s no way she can give you what you need. How did this even happen?”
A growl escapes his throat, and when he speaks, the tone of his voice makes the hair on my arms stand. “Let me get this straight. You hear I’m back in town to pack up and move, and you get a wild hair. Then you fancy yourself up, bang on my door at eight in the morning, and haul my ass out of bed—with my fiancée—so you can ‘clear the air’ ?”
Her eyes widen and do a quick scan of the room at the mention of me. She opens her mouth, but Bryce cuts her off.
“I’m going to answer your questions, and then I’m closing this door. Thought I made that clear before, but I was too nice. No more nice.
“I’ve been in love with Devon Harris since the day I laid eyes on her. She’s the most beautiful thing in my world, probably always has been. You call her a girl, and that’s fine because she’s my girl. But she’s also all woman, and I am lucky to be linked to her. If there’s anything I need, it will come from her because she’s my everything.”
He takes another deep breath, and her lips start to quiver.
“As for how this happened? She graciously gave me another chance after I begged. The stunt you pulled the night of her high school graduation will always be imbedded in her brain, no matter how many times I try to erase it. Making her think you were my fiancée was low. You knew our relationship wasn’t serious. I never loved you.” His voice grows soft with kindness, but he continues to speak.
“That may seem cruel, but you know it’s true. You manipulated me with threats and then heartache. If fate was different and we’d had a child, I’d be the best damn dad ever, but I’d be doing it with her by my side. I thought I wasn’t good enough for her after you got pregnant, but she still consumed my mind.”
A tear falls down her cheek, and she puts her hand to her mouth. After all this time and the endless conversations Bryce had with her, she finally realizes he was never hers. His kindness after the miscarriage gave her a hope she’s been clinging to. Even with me in the picture, she thought she had a chance to win him back.