I made a mistake.” He takes my hands in his. They’re warm and heavy. “I understand why you tried to move on. But what you have with this guy can’t compare to what we had.”
“Actually…” I exhale. “It doesn’t compare. It’s much, much more.”
“No.” He squeezes my hands. “That can’t be. We have years together—the best times. Forget when we were with my family. I’m talking about when we were alone ordering Dominos and watching movies—going dancing. Beer specials on the Lower East Side. Even at work, how you knew my steps before I made them. We were good. We are so, so good.”
“Actually, I think you were right when you said our lives don’t gel. They don’t. I need to be with someone who really truly sees me. Not someone who wants my body and brains to channel a woman I’m not, depending on the circumstances.” I shake my head, feeling more sad at this point than angry. “You wanted the real me, sometimes. Other times, you wanted a kept woman who wore the right labels and spoke the right words. But this is me, Townes. I’m not fancy. I’m not kept. I work hard. And I love my family. The fact that after all those years, you saw me as a gold digger—”
“I know, Nikki. God, do I know it. I miss you. And I know damn well you’re not a gold digger. That’s what I love about you. You think I don’t know how different you are from all the other girls? You are beauty and brains. You are warmth and kindness. When you and my mom got into it, I made a huge mistake choosing her over you. You are meant to be—”
“Mine.”
I jump and look up to see Raff standing tall, the vein in his neck pulsing. His dark eyes swirling with anger.
Townes looks up, a look of complete composure on his face. “You are?”
I clear my throat. “Townes, this is Raff. My boyfriend.” The level of hesitancy in my voice? Higher than Mt. Everest. Raff’s gaze moves to mine, and he is angry. Furious. I want to quickly explain what I’m doing here with Townes, but I can’t do that now. Not without undermining what Raff and I have.
“Thanks for taking care of Nikki while we were taking time apart.” He stands up, the men now looking at each other face-to-face. “I guess it’s good I tell you myself in person. We’re going to try again.”
I stand up, the chair grinding against the floor behind me. “No. I-I never said that.” I shake my head, worried that Raff won’t believe me. “Townes, we are done.”
I grab my jacket, putting my hands in one pocket. Nothing is in there. I turn the coat around, cursing that there is so much material. I can’t find the other pocket! I finally find the ring box and pull it out. But then I look around, and Raff has gone!
I drop the box on the table. “I want to be sorry, but I’m not. I’ve moved on, Townes. I’m not coming back to New York City. And I sure as hell am not coming back to you. Good luck.”
I leave the box on the table and run outside, my jacket in one arm and my purse in the other. If it’s cold out, I wouldn’t know it. My blood is running hot.
“The keys to the Jeep, Nikki!” Townes calls from behind me.
“What!” I whip around and look at him.
“The lease is up next month.”
I toss my keys at him and hurry toward Raff, who is on his motorcycle.
Raff throws his leg over the bike and stomps toward the keys, grabbing them before Townes has a chance to.
“She’ll get her things out, and then you can take the fucking thing.”
I shake my head back and forth. “I don’t care, Raff. He can have whatever is in there. I—”
“Nikki, not another word.”
He swings the door open and starts emptying the content of my glove compartment and console into a reusable grocery bag.
“Is that how you like to be treated, Nikki?” Townes huffs.
Raff swings around and steps toward him. I quickly slide between them.
“This piece of shit leases a car for the woman he says he loves but chooses his mummy's tit instead of hers?” Raff spits.
“Raff, it’s okay. I don’t want anything of his, I—”
He steps forward, his back now against my chest. “This isn’t the kind of woman you rent. She’s the kind you own.”
“I’m not sure my Nikki appreciates