The ring isn’t all that big, but it really is pretty. I’m glad it can no longer burn a hole in my pocket. The wait has killed me.
“I’m happy you like it.”
“Iloveit.” She slips her amethyst infinity ring off her middle finger and stacks the two rings together. “I want this to be my wedding set.”
My heart’s about to combust. “I think that’s perfect.” Pulling onto my road, I work the logistics out. “I can have it resized at the jewelers I bought itfrom, but that means you’ll have to go without it for a little while.”
She holds her hand to her chest like someone’s trying to steal the ring from her finger. “I don’t like that.”
“I’ll get you a matching one in a smaller size then.”
“I don’t like that either.” She glances at her hand, and I swear she’s about to turn into Gollum and go all “My precious” on me. “I guess I’ll have to suck it up, huh?” She huffs a laugh. “My god, I’ll feel naked and lost without it though.”
“You’ll survive. Promise.”
My apartment is an old house that was converted into four small and efficient rentals ages ago. I’ve lived here since I turned eighteen when I first tried to break away from my shit family. It doesn’t feel anything like Taylor’s house though, and I can’t wait to move out of this place.
“Wait here, I’ll only be a minute.”
“Okay.” Taylor holds her bouquet up and smells the flowers. A ladybug flies out of them and lands on the dashboard. She winds the window down and scoops her up and lets her free.
Shit. Right. My wallet.
That requires me to stop being enchanted by my girl long enough to leave her for a minute.
Slamming my door shut, I go into the main lobby that’s a tight ass vestibule and am about to unlock my door when I see it’s already ajar.
What the hell? Did the landlord let himself in for some reason?
Entering cautiously, a scent hits my nose that sends me spiraling.
My dad’s cologne.
He douses himself in this one particular cheap ass toilet water that you can smell a mile away. It always gave me the worst headaches.
And there he is. Sitting on my couch like he owns the fucking place.
“’Bout time you showed up.” He takes a sip from a bottle of Jack. “You won’t pick up your phone. Too good to answer a call now, boy?”
I don’t know how he would have gotten my number, but now I know who blew my phone up this morning and didn’t leave a voicemail.
“What are you doing here?”
He stands up and cracks his neck, letting out one of those quiet sighs that escapes through his nose. My muscle memory kicks in, and I tense up, bracing for impact.
“I need a place to stay until I get back on my feet.”
“You have a wife. Go be with her until you’re on your feet.”
“Your mother left me.”
I wish I had an ounce of compassion to offer but I don’t. I’m glad she left him. And I don’t feel sorry for her either because my mother was just as big a problem as my father has always been. They deserve each other.
“You can’t stay here.”
“Too good to even help your father out?” His boots thud loudly as he walks across my living room. “You always were the most ungrateful little shit.”
“Leave.”
