Always Wrong - Xyla Turner Page 0,45

Sheryl let out a big sigh and then swung her legs over the lounge chair to face me.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

Turning my body around, I nodded and smirked. I was tempted to grab her calves, but refrained.

“Many reasons, but the first was to apologize.” Looking up to her, I saw that this comment snatched her attention. “When I was eight, my brother was shot and killed. He was near the house, and my mom came running outside, holding his bloody body and screaming for someone to help her. I was young…” I paused to gather myself as the scene felt so real, yet again. “I wanted to do something. Bring him back to life. Comfort her, but I was helpless.”

Sheryl mouthed the words I’m sorry.

With a nod of acknowledgment, I continued. “What I have come to learn is that I ‘re-created’ this idea of helping her with my proposal to you. It was unconscious, of course, but also very unfair. I, uh, never meant to cause you any harm, discomfort or feelings that did not align with my original intentions. That aligned with my heart. Which, to be bloody honest, is gone for you, Sheryl. I have tried to keep myself busy, but I’ve not been good and also dealing with my own grief of losing our child. I’m not telling you for you to do something about it, but just because it was a revelation to me. It took long enough…”

My head turned to view the multi-colored sky that the sun had just fled.

“The second thing,” I began before meeting her eyes again, “is that I missed you and I know you said we always get everything wrong, but I was hoping that you could help us get it right. Not for the sake of a baby, but for us. You’re someone I have come to trust and know, and lately, I have my mates, Noah and all, but they are not you.”

A small smirk began to form on her beautiful face. Her hair was out, curly and unkempt. She was makeup free, didn’t have long nails or lashes, and there she sat, sun-kissed and much darker than she’d ever been, but she looked like an angel. One meant just for me.

“What was your third reason?” she asked.

“Well, my mom wants to meet you, because she’s sick of me moping around. I wasn’t moping, but she said she doesn’t want to see me until she sees you,” I told her honestly. “That is not me trying to blackmail you, but it’s my mother.”

This made Sheryl burst out laughing as she shook her wild hair.

Bloody hell, my mouth turned up in a smile as I was reminded how infectious her laugh was. At that point, I did grab her calf and held it. Once the laughter died down, she looked down at my hand, then pursed her lips.

“Well, Mr. Costa,” she replied and moved her leg away from my hand, “I am on a sabbatical and not making any decisions about a relationship or anything that will require commitments. While I am flattered, I am currently not interested.”

“That’s understandable, Sheryl,” I told her and stood to my feet. “Well, I’ll bid you adieu. Have a good evening.”

Her head jerked back, as if I’d shocked her. “Wait,” she called, waving her hand in the air. “That easy?”

With my hands in my pockets, I nodded. “You said what you said.”

“And you have nothing else to say?” she asked with a twist of her head, similar to a pug.

Shrugging my shoulders, I smiled and said, “I got to respect what you say. Heard you the first time.”

Her head jerked again, but with the corners of her mouth turned down in surprise. With a nod, she said, “That doesn’t seem like you. The man I know would move heaven and earth to get what he wants. No questions asked. If he really wanted it, that is.”

I nodded and said, “Well, it seems you know me. I am headed to your neighbor’s house to rent or buy it. Then tomorrow, I planned to bring you breakfast, because I know you value a good start of the day with your coffee and all. I figured since you have your nails cut down, you might go fishing with me and then we could go to the carnival, so I can win you a big teddy bear. One that says what I truly feel. You know, the one that says, I love you and I