Sienna starts reading, clutching her chest. “Oh, D, this is …”
“I know. I feel it too.” I smile at her.
She hugs me. “I’m so happy for you.”
“I wish he were here now, but I know he is working on himself and that’s all I can ask. That man has been through so much, and if I have to wait for him to be ready, then time means nothing if this is forever.”
“Might be your wedding that we plan next.”
I nudge her gently. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, we are a long way from that, but it’s going to happen, I hope.”
“He’s all in. And I think it’s great that he realizes that he’s not quite there yet to be the person you need. That is mature. You are his biggest motivator.”
“I hope so. Because this week I started fantasizing about our future, you don’t think it’s too soon. I mean, it’s been a fricken week,” I confess to her.
She shakes her head. “You two were talking every single day for months before cutting things off. You got to know each other in a different way. Look, I’m not the right person to ask because look at Evan and me. I was knocked up after us being together for such a short time and got engaged all less than a year after my divorce. But when you know, you know.” I give her a wide smile. I know Charlie is special, I just hope he can come backto me. “Are you still going to talk to the agency about your options?”
“Yes. I’ve told Charlie about it. I mean, it’s not like next week I’ll be knocking someone up. It’s years away, but I would like to know what my options are.”
“Well, whatever you decide you have our support,” Sienna states.
I wrap my arm around her and pull her into me, then place a kiss on her head. “I know, boo. So, what are the chances Evan’s knocked you up this trip?”
Sienna groans. “He’s tried.” No doubt he has. “My boys are enough for the moment, but I would really like a little girl.”
“A little Wyld princess. She would have Evan wrapped around her finger, just like the girls have to Christian.”
“Right? He would make the cutest girl dad.”
“You’re getting clucky, aren’t you?” I tease.
“Dammit, Derrick, I am.” She laughs.
There’s a knock at my villa door, and I’m surprised to see Chance standing there. As soon as I see him, I notice the black eye.
“I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Derrick, please, let me apologize,” Chance pleads.
“No,” I say angrily, pointing my finger at him. “Fuck you. I told you that nothing could happen between us, that I had feelings for Charlie. But no, you don’t give a shit about anyone but yourself.” Chance is surprised by my anger. “Charlie is a good man. My man. Hopefully, one day more. You nearly fucked that up.”
“Derrick, I had no idea,” he argues.
“Yes, you did. I told you. I thought we could be friends, but now I don’t even want that. You need to sort your shit out, Chance, I’m done being your experiment.”
“Derrick, please,” he begs.
“There’s nothing you can say to change what happened. What you did last night was out of line.”
“Fuck.”
“We need space, Chance. I’m so fucking angry with you right now. Look, I understand we were hooking up, but we were never exclusive. I thought I made that clear weeks ago that we were having fun. I wasn’t interested in going back to what we had years ago. I wouldn’t do that to myself. I’ve found someone who is prepared to have me in the light, not keep me in the dark.”
Chance’s head hangs. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be that man for you.”
“One day you will be the right man for someone, it’s just not going to be me,” I tell him.
He nods, kicking a stone on the ground. “You really like this guy?” Chance asks, looking up at me.
