Chapter 20
Lorelai - Three Days Later
“I’m going to run over to Sip and Stir,” I called out from the front door of our condo. “What for?”
“Coffee!” I lied.
“Can you grab me a cinnamon scone?”
Alarm bells went off. A cinnamon scone was her go-to when she was stressed, but I shouldn’t talk. I wasn’t only going over there for coffee. I was going for half a dozen peanut butter cookies. Yet, I frowned and slowly made my way back to her bedroom door. She sat in the middle of her room, going through a bunch of boxes.
“Everything okay?” I questioned.
“Oh yes. Just packing,” Aurora said, looking over her shoulder at me. “You?”
“All good.” I nodded. I still hadn’t told her that Knox had asked me to move in. It still hadn’t registered that it had happened. It had only sunk in that we’d finally admitted our feelings for one another, which I was sure was why I needed those cookies.
“You sure you are okay with it? I can always tell him we will wait until you find a new roommate. It’s the least I can do.” She shrugged.
I smiled. This was why I truly loved my best friend. She’d always taken my feelings into consideration, no matter what, just the way I’d done with her.
“No need. Really,” I said, still not ready to divulge that I was moving in with Knox.
“You’re sure?”
I nodded.
Aurora frowned. “Is there something you aren’t telling me?”
When had she gotten so perceptive? This wasn’t normally like her, and I wondered if perhaps Knox had mentioned something to Dylan already. He had already gone to our landlord and was in negotiations to get me out of my lease, another thing I really wasn’t ready to divulge.
“No,” I lied.
“Lorelai, you should know that you can’t get away without telling me things.”
I let out a little giggle, trying to suppress my smile.
“Fine. Knox, um…he asked me to move in with him on Friday,” I replied, clearing a space on her bed and sitting down.
“WHAT!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!! THAT IS AMAZING!!!!” Aurora said, getting up off the floor and dancing around the room.
I couldn’t help but laugh as she grabbed me and hugged me.
“Okay, one cinnamon scone and no coffee, because you clearly need no caffeine.” I laughed, getting up and heading to the door. “I’ll save that for me.”
“Did he wear you out?” Aurora questioned.
I couldn’t help but giggle. “Not at all. Just need a little pick-me-up.”
* * *
With my head down, looking at my phone reading a message Knox sent with an update on the condo situation, I pulled the door open and walked into the coffee shop. I had just taken a step inside when I banged right into someone.
“Oh god, I’m terribly sorry,” I muttered, shoving my phone into my pocket and looking up to see Hugo standing there in front of me.
“Watch where the hell you are going,” he barked. “Oh, Lorelai.”
Immediately, his body language changed, as well as the look on his face.
“Hugo,” I bit out, walking past him and over to the counter where I quickly placed my order. I wanted to get out of here, and at the last second, I changed my order from six cookies to a dozen.
“Sorry about that,” I heard behind me.
I looked over my shoulder to see Hugo standing there watching me.
“What do you want?” I asked, hoping he’d just leave the building and leave me alone forever.
“Could we talk?” he questioned.
“That is not a good idea,” I bit out.
“Why, is the protector around?” He chuckled, glancing over his shoulder.
I closed my eyes, ignoring him. Hugo should be lucky Knox isn’t anywhere near Vancouver right now , I thought to myself.
Ignoring his comment, I grabbed my coffee, cookies, and the cinnamon scone from the counter and made my way over to the station where I could add cream and sugar. He, of course, followed me over and stood there waiting for me to acknowledge him.
“What do you want, Hugo?” I questioned.
“Look, I wanted to talk to you about the article.”
I clenched my jaw. If only he knew how he’d made my life hell once again for an entire month, almost causing me to end things with the man I loved. He was taking his life into his hands, and if Knox had been here, I knew he’d be sorry forever for bringing it up.
“You are kidding, right?” I questioned.
Hugo shook his head, looking at me with that stupid, smug smile on his lips. Fire ripped through me as I stood there, dumping not one but three sugars and two creams into my coffee.
“You know, just when I thought you couldn’t sink any lower. I can’t believe you had the audacity to have that printed about me. How the hell can you act like I’m the one in the wrong when all I ever did was love you? You broke my fucking heart,” I said under my breath.
“For almost an entire year and a half, I thought I wasn’t good for anyone. I blamed myself for your actions, and until recently, didn’t realize that I wasn’t the cause of every horrible thing that happened in my life.”
“Look, I’m sorry. I tried to tell you that,” Hugo said.
“Yeah, after I found out. The least you could have done was come clean, tell me that things weren’t where you wanted them to be with me, and let me go. Instead…”
I stopped. I’d never mentioned to Hugo that I’d caught him that night. Instead, I’d made some story up about seeing him in public with another girl. Well, it wasn’t exactly made up. I had seen him with my cousin once, which I learned he had put the moves on her as well. I couldn’t even bring myself to confront what I’d walked in on. Perhaps if I had, maybe I would have found out sooner that I really wasn’t the issue, that it was him.
Hugo looked at me. Some form of sympathy was behind his eyes. “I told you, I ended it with her after you saw us in public. When she came to me claiming to be pregnant, that was when I ended it with you,” Hugo said, still not knowing the whole truth.
I’d give it to him. He was at least consistent with his lie, yet I wondered how long he’d keep up with that story. I’d have thought he’d falter by now.
“Well, Hugo, I hate to break it to you, but that isn’t my problem, and regardless, you screwed me over.”
“I screwed you over? How do you think it felt to see you in Hawaii with Knox? I wanted another chance with you, especially after I found out the pregnancy thing was a lie.”
“And I thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. It sucks when we can’t get what we want, doesn’t it?” I bit out, turning on my heel, going to make my way to the door.
“It ripped my heart out,” Hugo said, causing people to turn and look our way.
I turned back around and looked at him. He was pathetic standing there, and honestly, I didn’t care if I’d ripped his heart out, stomped on it, and then put it back in his chest. He now knew how I felt that very second I walked in on him.
I walked back over to him and met his eyes.
“Well, Hugo, all I can say is that now you know how I felt the night I walked in on you and found you in the shower with her, listening to you say the same words to her that you said to me over and over, every time we’d done it.”
He stopped, his face turning ashen.
“What girl? What night?” he questioned, panic hitting his eyes.
“Two weeks before Christmas, when we broke up. I didn’t see you out in town with another woman. I lied, well sort of, I mean I did see you with my cousin. Regardless, I came home from school to surprise you. You weren’t even supposed to be home. Only the surprise was on me. You were in the shower with her.”
I could see him thinking, the wheels turning in his head.
“I um, I can explain,” he muttered.
“No need. The explanation was done, and you didn’t need to say a word. I am going to tell you, though, that I am happier now than I’ve ever been, and if you dare want to start any more shit, be prepared to face a lawyer this time. You and, oh gosh, I forget her name…deserve one another. I hope the two of you are very happy together.”
Without another word, I spun on my heel and headed out of the Sip and Stir, feeling lighter than I had in almost a year and a half. It was amazing what confronting the events of that night had done for me. I no longer blamed myself, and I felt more amazing knowing that I had a man standing behind me, one who supported my dreams and loved me unconditionally.
* * *
My phone vibrated against the table in the bathroom as I soaked in the large tub.
KNOX: What are you doing?
LORELAI: Soaking in the tub…you
KNOX: Sort of the same. My therapist told me I should after a long practice.
LORELAI: She sounds like a smart girl ;) You should probably keep her.
KNOX: I plan on it ;)
LORELAI: How was your day?
KNOX: Good, we are going for the cup, baby!
LORELAI: Seriously???
At that news, I wished he was here to celebrate with me, instead of thousands of miles away.
KNOX: Seriously! Best part, the last three games of the year will be on home ground.
LORELAI: I cannot wait.
I wanted to cry; I was so excited. This meant I’d be able to watch the games from the arena, not from the comfort of the living room. I’d be able to be there when they won, to be wrapped in his arms at the end of the game, the adrenaline coursing through everything. I couldn’t wait.
KNOX: Neither can I. How’s everything coming with the packing?
LORELAI: Good. I started tonight, got a few things ready. It’s going to be a change.
KNOX: Sure will be, but a great one at that.
LORELAI: Oh, I ran into Hugo today.
KNOX: really? And?
LORELAI: He won’t be bothering us again. I also confronted the truth.
KNOX: How did that go?
LORELAI: Better than I could have imagined. Facing it, freeing it from inside of me, has made me extremely excited about the future.
KNOX: I’m glad. I’m excited as well. I can’t wait to have you all to myself.
LORELAI: How is the hip?
KNOX: Must we, I’m doing as you say, and if you must know, I hate taking baths, I’m more of a shower guy.
LORELAI: Baths are great, and yes, we must.
KNOX: If we must, then once I tell you, you best be ready for what I want.
I squinted at my screen, wondering what on earth he meant. I let out a sigh, wondering if I dared continue with the conversation, but then shrugged and continued typing.
LORELAI: How is the hip ;P
KNOX: It’s getting there. Summer will be a good time to relax it.
LORELAI: No summer will be a good time to get it into shape for next year ;P
KNOX: We will see about that.
LORELAI: Yes we will. Now what do you want?
KNOX: Pictures.
LORELAI: Pictures of what?
KNOX: You, in all your glory, in that tub of yours, with that wonderful little toy I got for you last week.
Immediately, my cheeks heated as I re-read his words. This was Knox, this was my life, and I was so damn grateful that even if he were thousands of miles away, he wanted me, and only me.
LORELAI: Get ready ;)