back.
I breathe a sigh of relief. He’s not coming here. I text back a peach emoji with three waving hands... spanking hands?... and a question mark.
Exactly. But three is nowhere near enough. More like ten or twenty.
Despite my worries, his message makes a delicious shiver run down my spine. I reply, Yes, daddy.
I was looking forward to lunch. I really need to talk to you. Dinner?
My teeth sink into my lip. What does he want to talk about?
Lexi calls me from the next room. “Hurry up! You’re missing the creepy intro music. It’s totally setting the mood.”
He’ll have to wait.
And if I’m being completely honest with myself, I need the headspace.
He knows so much about me. Maybe too much. But he takes such good care of me. And when I’m with him, I feel like everything in the world is just right.
I’m so…fucking…confused.
Another little text comes in. Only four words, but it turns my world upside down. Warming my heart and making me want to run to him.
I miss you, baby.
I have to give myself a little pep talk. Be strong, Miranda. You told Lexi to come here and you would take care of her. That’s what you’re going to do.
I text back. I miss you, too, but my sister needs me tonight. I hope you can understand. I need to be with her right now. But let’s touch base in the morning. We can talk then.
I don’t wait for a reply. I turn off my phone. It’s the only way I can really focus on Lexi. If he starts sending me anymore babygirl/daddy messages, I’m afraid that despite my questions over his intrusive behavior, I’ll be torn, and I’ll find myself sneaking out to see him.
Dashing back to the living room, I curl up beside my sister. I grab the oversized chunky knit blanket from the back of the couch, throwing it over the both of us. The movie she picked is Danger Zone Zombies. Mindless, predictable, impossible plot, and terrible acting. It’s perfect.
Soon we’re alternating laughing at the characters stupidity with screaming in terror, When the doorbell rings with our orders, we scream and jump out of our skins. Once all the food’s here, we spread it out over the coffee table.
We stuff ourselves and laugh till our sides hurt. This is the best. This is exactly what I needed. And yet... I miss him. Like, miss him miss him deep down in my soul.
The truth is, I am falling for Gabriel. And is he perfect? No. And you know what, I’m glad. Because when I first met him, I thought he was perfect. Which would make him too good to be true.
Imperfect is real.
Is he a little possessive? Obsessive? Invasive? Yes.
But I have my flaws, too. And that’s just fine. We’re just two flawed humans who make one another happy.
I’ll call him after Lexi falls asleep. Talking to him will be the icing on the cake of this day.
When the movie ends, we tuck the food in the fridge. Then we decide to pick another terrible movie, hoping to find one even worse than the last. “Oh, God. Celebrity gossip. Are you obsessed, Lexi?” I go to grab the remote from her. “I don’t know why you love this trash.”
“Wait.” She puts her hand over mine, stopping me. Her eyes are wide as she stares at the screen. “Isn’t that…” She pales. “Okay, you’re right, let’s shut this off.”
The panic on her face makes me look to the screen.
“Is that... Gabriel? And who’s that woman he’s with?”
I can’t look away. It’s an enlarged photograph.
Gabriel stands tall, staring at the camera, a look of intense pride shining on his face. He’s wearing a black tux, looking even ten times more handsome than he does in his posed model ads.
Because his face is filled with pure and utter joy.
Beside him stands a beautiful woman—too beautiful, so stunning it almost hurts to look at her. Big, almond-shaped brown eyes that you can’t tear your gaze from. A heart shaped face with full, red rosebud lips.
She’s smiling, too.
Pain rips through my chest. I can’t breathe.
It’s not her beauty, or the joy in his eyes that kills me. We’ve all had exes. It’s something else that makes my heart detach from my body and rip into shreds.
She’s wearing an all-white dress. A wedding dress. She holds a bouquet of red roses in her hands. She wears a sparkly diamond large enough to ice skate on.
On the ring finger of her left hand.
They