Joseph gasps.
I snap my head up to look at him, then follow his gaze to the doorstep.
Anna and Johnny stand there, their eyes cold, their lips curled in disdain.
My breath catches.
My mouth falls open.
My stomach twists violently, and I can’t tell if it’s from sheer terror or an electric jolt of excitement.
“Can I help you?” Joseph asks while he pulls into a protective hold.
Time has stopped.
There’s only the faint buzz of my heartbeat in my ears.
I’m staring firmly atmy past.
“Yeah!” Johnny sticks his hand out to shake with Joseph. “I’m Johnny, and this is my missus, Anna.”
“Joseph,” he introduces himself. “Um… do we know you?”
I stare at Anna, my chest tightening at the unmistakable look of disgust in her eyes. It cuts deeper than I expect, and much deeper than I’m prepared for.
“Um… you don’t, but Dee does. If this is a bad time, we can come back,” Johnny says, shifting awkwardly.
“No, it’s fine.”
Joseph’s arm stays firm around my shoulders, his warmth grounding me. He looks down at me, concern etched in his face. “Dee, are you okay?” His voice is gentle, but his eyes say something else entirely…Do you want me to kick them out?
Do I?
I swallow hard and can’t hold back the tears as I look at beautiful, gorgeous Anna, who continues to stare at me with hatred and disgust in her eyes.
“Hey…” Joseph says, holding me tightly.
“Look, we’ll go. We didn’t mean to upset you, Dee,” Johnny says.
Fear stabs at me that they’re about to leave.
Get your act together, Dee!
I look at Anna, pleading with my eyes for her to stay.
“No, we came here for a reason and need to carry it through, Johnny. I don’t care how upset she is,” Anna says, huffing, then folding her arms across her chest in a defiant move I don’t understand.
“It’s not like she’s upset because she misses Colt. She’s obviously moved on.” The words are said with cold-stone malice.
I look up at Joseph, whose face is stern.
“Excuse me? I don’t care who you are or how you know Dee, but you willnotcome to our house and treat her poorly when she’s already having a hard enough time just trying to leave the damn house. You haveno ideawhat she’s been through or the mess she’s been in since she left him. You’re friends of his, and the night he never called her, well… it broke her. Something inside my happy, loving Dee broke, which was entirely Colt’s fault.”
In true Joseph form, he puts a hand on his hip and juts it out. “Don’t judge a book by its cover, young lady! Yes, I may be her ex, but just because she’s living here and I have my arm around her doesn’t mean she’s fucking moved on. All she ever thinks about is that prick, and I’ve had to help put the pieces that arseholebroke back together with the help of myboyfriend,Danny. So,no, no, no… don’t you people come in here all high and mighty, accusing Dee of moving on when she’s never gone in any direction other than the past. She’s stuck on Colt and doesn’t need you waltzing in here trying to make her feel bad whenhewas the one who fucked up. Not once, but bloody twice.”
Anna’s mouth drops open. Then, a small smile crosses her face. “Holy shit, your ex is gay?” she asks and laughs.
Johnny shakes his head and rolls his eyes.
