“I’m processing,” I reply as he waits for a response.
My ex was cheating on me with a man for three of the four years we were together. And he was using me to try and turn himself straight? Like that’s even possible!
“Why do you still meet with Daddy?”
He looks at me with his head tilted and his eyebrow raised. “Okay, not what I expected, but I’ll go with it. I still talk to Rutherford because he helps me with work, and I like the old guy. He’s a friend, and I know how much he and Liz care about you. I care about you too. I only ever wanted to see you happy. I was trying to make us both happy, but in the end I just couldn’t.”
“I should be furious with you… for cheating on me, for using me as some sort of ‘gay repellent,’ and especially for lying to me for three years and making me believe I wasn’t sexy enough to get you hard.” Beneath my anger lies a profound sense of betrayal and hurt. “I trusted you implicitly, shared my life with you, and now I am grappling with the reality that our relationship was built on a foundation of deception.”
I smile before continuing, “However, I realize how fear would have accompanied your self-discovery. I don’t hate you, Joseph. If anything, your struggle would have been so hard to hide from me, and I am sad you chose to do that. I would have understood. I would’ve been supportive. But you didn’t trust me enough to tell me, and that’s what hurts the most.”
Joseph rubs the back of his neck and exhales deeply. “I know. I really am sorry, Deliah. Forgive me?Please?”he pleads, taking my hand and pressing a gentle kiss to its back.
I smirk, pulling my hand away, and he raises an eyebrow in response.
“I don’t know where that hand’s been, Joseph McCleary,” I say sarcastically. “And can we stop with the posh Deliah name-calling? I can’t stand it. Please call me, Dee.”
He rolls his eyes, and his face flushes. “I’m gay, Deliah, not gutter trash… and Dee… okay, I can lower my standards and call you that.” He chuckles.
“You might like it down here where the standards are lowered, Joseph. It’s way more fun,” I reply, leaning in and hugging him. “Oh, and I am sorry I, ah…well, interrupted. Sounded like you were having agreattime.” I smirk, and he slaps me on the arm.
“Dee Norman, you pervert. And yes, I was, thank you. Averygood time before you rudely interrupted,” he teases, raising his brows up and down insinuatingly.
“Okay, wow. That’s enough. A girl can only handle so much information until she overloads. Can I crash in the guest room if it’s not too rude to ask? If you and Danny want privacy, please let me know. I will completely understand and find somewhere else—”
“Don’t be ridiculous. This is half your condo, anyway. You belong here as much as I do.” His smile helps a little as he sits back. “So, is it officially off between you and the rock god?” he asks, causing my smile to fade into a frown.
I nod and exhale—words are too painful to utter.
“Well, move back in here, no questions asked. C’mon, I know a pup who’ll be incredibly excited to see you.”
“Oooh, where is she?” I ask, jumping up from the sofa.
He laughs and stands in all his naked glory, then leads me upstairs to our old room. It feels weird. So much has happened since I last walked into this room. Danny’s obviously sleeping inourbed, which also seems strange, but I look over in the corner at Princess Sophia’s bed, and there she is, sound asleep.
My eyes well up—I didn’t realize how much I missed her.
“Can I?” I whisper to Danny and Joseph.
They both smile and nod.
I walk over and gently pet Princess Sophia. Her eyes slowly open, and suddenly, she is up and bouncing around everywhere. I laugh, as do the guys, while I sit on the floor, and she jumps into my lap, licking my chin.
In that moment, the weight of the past few days lifts ever so slightly, replaced by the simple joy of being reunited with my gorgeous Yorkipoo.
“Oh, baby girl, I missed you so much. Mummy should never have left you. You precious, precious little girl,” I coo in that silly, high-pitched voice reserved only for pets. Princess Sophia’s excitement is palpable—her tail wags furiously, and her eyes sparkle with joy. For the first time in forty-eight hours, a genuine smile spreads across my face, warmth flooding my heart as I hold her close.
After I spend a little more time introducing myself to Danny and apologizing for ‘interrupting’ them, Princess follows me to the guest room. Danny seems lovely, and I can tell by how he looks at Joseph that he’s madly in love with him.
That in itself makes me happy.
Joseph deserves a chance at happiness, and I guess I do too.
But for the moment, I’ll take it day by day.
I remove everything except my underwear. My luggage is still downstairs, and I can’t be bothered retrieving it. I’ve been awake for over twenty-four hours and am beyond emotionallyand physically exhausted. Sliding into the guest bed, I roll over, taking my cell phone from the nightstand.
The screen readsthirty-eight missed calls.
