Chapter 2
KILLIAN
I’d waited nearly fifteen years just to hear her voice again. I’d even gotten my hopes up, thinking the past could just be in the past. After all, she had agreed to live with me. Granted, there weren’t really any other options here in Lake Placid, but still, she chose here.
That had to mean something, right?
But the moment I opened the door, all hope vanished. Just by the look on her face, she was not thrilled to see me. Not thrilled one bit.
So, I bit my tongue and kept my mouth shut about how much my heart still skipped a beat every time I saw her.
And how all of the emotions just came flooding back, causing me to freeze in place. I’d spent so long burying all of the thoughts I had about her, and I thought I was truly over her.
Apparently, they were just lying dormant. She’d only gotten more beautiful as the years had gone by. I wanted to take it all in. I wanted to stand there, drowning in her bright blue eyes.
But it was also obvious that she still hated me. I’d hoped she would have moved past it. Honestly, I’d hoped that maybe I could finally get the chance to tell her the full truth and that maybe, just maybe, she’d finally give me a chance.
Yet, my hopes were dashed. So, I stuffed everything back down and showed her to her new room.
When she cut me off by saying she was going to take a nap, I came up with the quickest excuse I could muster. “I’ll probably be heading out soon.”
But to where? I had no plans. None other than the hope of catching up with her.
So I made my way to my room to figure out what I was going to do. I texted a local friend, Henry, to see if he would grab some drinks with me.
Within moments, he shot back…
Henry: Sure thing, bud.
I decided to change my clothes, but forgot I needed a shirt from the laundry. As I ventured out of my room, Josie was nowhere to be seen. I made my way through the house, but I was lost in thought when I ran smack into Josie, shirtless.
I instinctively grabbed her, making sure she didn’t fall, but couldn’t let go. Just the touch of her hand on my bare chest sent a shock through my system. My eyes started to drift down, wanting to take her in, but she was already pushing against me.
I reluctantly let go of her, and she disappeared into the bathroom.
This wasn’t going to be easy. Not on either of us, and especially not on my heart. The same heart that I’d locked away years ago. No one had come close to cracking it open in the years since. Casual flings were all I seemed to be capable of these days, and for the most part, it was getting me by.
I huffed and found a shirt before heading to the bar. Thankfully, it wasn’t busy. I hadn’t planned on being around a lot of people.
“Let me guess. Things did not go how you wanted them to, did they?” Henry didn’t even have to look at me to know.
“Nope, not in the slightest.”
“She still hates you?”
“She still hates me.” I nodded to the bartender as he held up my preferred bottle of beer. It was a local that was only available in autumn and winter.
“Fuck, man. I’m so sorry.”
Henry moved to Lake Placid a few years back, so he’d only heard about the whole situation from me. So thankfully, he was easy to win over to my side.
“You know, you’d think after fifteen years, she would have let go of this whole goddamn mess.”
“Some people can’t let grudges go.”
“She was so cold to me today that I don’t think I should even try to break through to her anymore.”
“Man, don’t give up. You never know.”
“No, you didn’t see the look in her eyes when I answered the door. And you didn’t see how revolted she was for the split second her hand was on my chest.”
“Her hand was on your chest? Dude, did you answer the door naked?”
“No, we ran into each other before I left. I was getting a new shirt.”
“She’ll come around.”
“Yeah.” I huffed, not believing him one bit.
We spent the next few hours casually chatting and mulling over a couple of beers each. Not enough to get drunk from, but just enough to take the edge off. Before too long, we went separate ways.
Josie’s door was shut when I got back, and I didn’t even bother trying to check on her or tell her goodnight.
If I had to be cold and distant to the one person I never wanted to do that to just to protect myself, then that’s what I would have to do.
It actually wouldn’t be too difficult if I lumped her in with the fact that the holidays were rapidly approaching.
Call me Chandler from Friends, but with Christmas and you’d have an accurate description of how I felt about Christmas. I hate it.
My head hit my pillow with a soft thud, and it wasn’t long before I was out.