Chapter Sixteen
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
NATALIE
Saturday finally rolls around, and I can’t believe it’s been only a week since the wedding was called off. So much in my life has changed in a short amount of time.
The familiar scent of the life I was living consumes me as soon as we step into Griffin's house. I used to think this smell made me miss him. Now I want to vomit.
Tobias follows me inside. I know we aren’t doing anything wrong, but it still feels like I’m not supposed to be here anymore.
“Should we have brought my truck? I didn’t even think to ask if you needed to move any furniture,” he asks.
“I don’t. I sold all my stuff when I moved in here. Griffin already had the place furnished, and the only things we bought were a bigger bed and an additional tall dresser to the set he already had. I don’t see any reason why I need them. I just want my clothes and a few other easy packable items. Nothing else.”
Tobias nods, then follows me up the stairs to the master bedroom. We brought one of his suitcases to help move my things. I never got into decorating this house or buying much to make it feel like my own. I should have recognized that as a sign. Or maybe I’m just overthinking it now.
Neither of us says much as I show him which drawers are mine and then start pulling hangers out from the closet. I’d cut a hole in a few trash bags to move them. It all feels weird, but it needs to be done.
The funny thing is, I’m more excited to move in with Tobias than I was the day that I moved in with Griffin.
I let out a sigh and sit down on the bed. How did I not see any of this? I was happy, wasn’t I?
God, this is so stupid.
I know I was happy. I’m not the one who did something wrong, and I hate that Griffin’s choices are making me rethink who I am.
I could scream. It’s not fair.
If anything, I’m sad that he wasted four years of my life. I’ll never get those back.
Tobias crouches in front of me, one hand cupping my face and gently guiding me to look at him.
“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours, Dove?” he asks. “Do you want me to finish for you?”
I shake my head. “No, I just wish I had figured this out sooner. Does it make me a shitty person that I want to get this over with and move on? It’s only been a week.”
Tobias looks into my eyes, and a grin slowly takes over his lips.
“No, it doesn't. You have been more you in the last few days than you have been in years. Every choice you’ve made has been the right one. Don’t ever feel like you need to feel different for anyone else.”
I lean forward, pulling him into a hug. It lasts longer than your typical embrace, and just when I think there’s some hidden meaning in the way we hold each other, a throat clears behind us from the bedroom doorway.
Tobias and I both stand quickly. I step toward Griffin, but Tobias moves next to me, half shielding my body from my ex-fiancé. His hands bunch at his sides.
“Griffin, I thought you were in California today,” I say.
“There was a change of plans,” he says in a clipped tone and crosses his arms. His gaze is on Tobias, and there is nothing friendly about the look in his eye.
After a beat, Griffin points at me, Tobias, and the bed where I'd just been sitting.
“This was going on the whole time we were together, wasn’t it?” he fumes, then advances on Tobias. I move in front of him, holding my hands up to push Griffin back if needed.
“No, it wasn’t, and you’re one to talk. How is Nikki ?” I snap.
Griffin huffs a laugh. “You can’t lie to me, Natalie. I’m not stupid.”
Tobias snorts.
I toss my hands up. “Griffin, I’m here packing my things. Just give us ten minutes and we’ll be gone.”
He laughs in my face. “Oh, you're an us now, huh? Tell me again that you two weren’t fucking behind my back.”
Tobias moves fast to get between me and Griffin.
“If you thought for one minute that Natalie wasn’t faithful, you never really knew her. She’s the kindest, smartest, most considerate, and selfless person I know. You’re the dumbass who couldn't see it and lost the best thing to ever happen to you.”
Griffin shakes his head.
“You know damn well I was right about you two, Tobias. Damn, if I’d known she was such a slu?—”
I have a good hunch where his next sentence is going, but Tobias’s knuckles crack against Griffin’s face. Guess he was done listening too.
“Oh my god!”
Griffin groans, crouching over to cup his face, blood instantly dropping from his hands.
I move to check Tobias's hand, but Griffin moves faster, catching Tobias off guard and punching him right between the eyes.
“Ahhh! Stop,” I cry out. “Stop.”
Tobias stumbles back but rights himself. I can tell he wants to keep this fight going, but he’s looking at me for the go-ahead.
I shake my head and then glare at Griffin.
“Go!” I yell at him. “If you had even an ounce of respect for me in the time we were together, you’ll leave this room right now.”
“Get your shit and get out of my house.” Griffin spits blood from his mouth to the carpet and then storms out of the room. “I’ll be back in an hour. I suggest you two finish packing and be gone by the time I get back.”
“Fine by me,” I say.
I rush to Tobias and hold his face. It’s swelling fast; he’s definitely going to look like a raccoon in the morning. I grab a shirt from my suitcase and hold it up to his nose to stop the bleeding. It’s not near the amount I saw gushing down Griffin's face, but my hands are still shaking as I hold the cloth to his face.
“Are you okay? Oh god. Of course you’re not. How bad does it hurt?”
I kiss his forehead.
“I’m so sorry.”
This is all my fault. I should have come alone. Griffin hates Tobias more than I really knew, and now?—
“Do you remember when we were in Lovers,” Tobias asks, catching me off guard, “and you said I could win in a fight against Griffin?”
“Yes?”
Where is he going with this?
“That counts, right? I mean, he left us to get your things because he was scared of me, right?”
I let out a laugh. Only he would try to take a moment that was getting me worked up and turn it into something to make me laugh before my mind could get carried away.
“Yeah, that’s totally why.”
“I thought so too.”