Goonie comes in, meowing and rubs against my legs.
“I really screwed up, pudge,” I whisper. Using Ryder’s nickname for him makes my heart twist. I pull him into my lap, burying my face in his tummy.
I have no idea how long I’ve been sitting here, lost in my own misery, when a loud, insistent knock at the front door startles me back to reality.
“Ryder?”
Heart pounding, I scramble to my feet, ignoring the pins and needles shooting through my legs as I rush to the door.
Halfway there, another knock comes, and then the doorbell.
“Coming!”
Hope blooms in my chest as I fling the door open, only to freeze in shock.
“Hey, Noia.”
Perfectly groomed in his designer suit, reddish-blonde hair styled just so, Eric’s smile is as practiced and polished as ever.
“What the fuck?” I grip the doorframe, suddenly light-headed. “What are you doing here?”
He has the audacity to look hurt. “I come to surprise you and that’s how you choose to speak to me?”
I sputter, anger rising to replace shock. “Are you seriously asking me that? You left me at the altar without a word, and now you just show up at my door unannounced?!”
His smile falters slightly, but he recovers quickly. “I’ve been trying to call you for weeks. I know I have a lot to explain.” He shifts his weight, looking nervous. “Can I come in? Please?”
Every instinct is screaming at me to slam the door in his face, but curiosity and a lingering need for answers, has me stepping aside.
“Five minutes,” I say coldly. “Then you need to leave.”
“Thank you.” He steps inside and looks around. “The place looks good. Different than I remember.”
I cross my arms over my chest, suddenly aware I’m still wearing Ryder’s oversized T-shirt. Hope blooms in my chest again. Maybe he hasn’t disappeared after all.
“Clock’s ticking, Eric.”
Eric’s eyes narrow, gaze lingering on the T-shirt that clearly doesn’t belong to me. “Look, I know I owe you an explanation.”
“Then get to it.”
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I messed up,” he says finally. “Leaving you hanging like that... it was a big mistake.”
I bark out a laugh. “You’re a few months too late for that revelation. You left me behind and didn’t even have the decency to tell me to my face.”
“I know.” He takes a step toward me, and I instinctively take a step back. “But I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. A lot of soul-searching.”
“Soul-searching?” I repeat incredulously. “Since when have you ever been one to ‘soul-search’? You don’t give a shit about anyone but yourself. It just took you leaving for me to realize it.”
“I deserve that,” he says sheepishly. “But I’m here now because I want to make things right. I want another chance.”
The sheer audacity almost leaves me speechless. “Are you being serious right now?”
He reaches for my hand, but I yank it away. “I panicked. I know it was unforgivable, but?—”
“But what? What could possibly justify what you did?”
“I got scared.” He shrugs. “Our relationship moved so fast, and suddenly there was a wedding and all these expectations...” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “I just needed time to think.”
