“I knew it was you swimming. I remember how your body looked when you swam.”
The voice startles me, and I swing around to look at Daniella approaching me.
She gives me a sheepish smile, yet I can see the seductive way that she walks toward me. She’s dressed in a silk kimono that stops high on her thighs and a bikini underneath; she came out here for a reason.
The lights behind her give her this angelic look that once caught my attention.
A time when I thought we were happy flashes in my head, taking me back to when I believed I would marry her. My gut tightens seeing her like this now, the woman I used to love.
Fuck. I straighten my spine and watch as she comes closer, dropping elegantly next to me and slipping her bare feet into the water.
“Why are you down here and not up there with your girlfriend?” she asks, but I do not miss the slight tone change when she says ‘girlfriend.’
“She is sleeping off the shots she did with my mom and aunties. Why are you down here?” I eye her with suspicion.
She rolls her eyes at me, nudging her shoulder with mine.
“We were friends once, Romeo. Then lovers.”
“Then you ruined all of that by cheating.” I can’t keep the snark out of my voice.
She ducks her head, her hair casting a curtain around her face. Most men would fall for the act and make sure that she was okay, but I have seen this all before with her.
“I know that I hurt you, Romeo. It is the biggest regret of my life, what I did.”
“It is in the past, Daniella; we have both moved on.” Her breath hitches.
“But what if I do not want to move on? I miss you.”
“A bit late for that. I am with Nell now.” My voice is harder.
She looks at me with glassy eyes, sorrow all over her face. Her hand settles on mine and I snatch it away, and her eyes widen at the sudden movement.
“We were so good together. I remember all the good times we had.”
“Until we didn’t.” I cut her off. “We have been over this, time and time again. Whenever you find yourself single, you try to get back with me. You are a beautiful woman, Daniella, but on the inside you can be ugly and hurt people. Maybe try working on yourself. You do not need a man in your life.”
“If you find me beautiful, why won’t you be with me?” She begins to cry, and I force myself not to roll my eyes.
“It is what’s on the inside that counts for me.”
“Clearly.”
“See, that right there. That is your ugly showing. Nell is fucking perfect for me. If she will have me, I plan on keeping her for a long time.”
She sighs, sniffling. “I just miss you, Rome.”
“Romeo,” I correct her.
“What?”
Her look of confusion makes me want to laugh.
“Only Nell and my family call me that.” Her eyes widen once more to my correction.
She stares at me for a long time, like she is trying to work out something in her head about me, or us. I don’t give a flying fuck what she wants to find out. We are never getting back together.
I have Nell.
