Page 75 of Almost
“I’m sorry; I’ve got an early start tomorrow. I have to meet with my realtor and lawyer to back out of the house Kiera and I were going to move into. I have to get it done before I leave for training camp,” I explain, brushing a lock of hair out of her face.
“But…I thought you weren’t leaving for a few days?”
My agent and I spoke earlier, and we agreed that the best thing for me right now is to get out of town. “I’m leaving tomorrow after meeting with the realtor. I was going to tell you tonight, but then you called me drunk.”
“Oh.” She swallows, standing up. I feel the loss of Thalia’s touch immediately, and I’m tempted to sayfuck it, and haul her back into my lap. But, I don’t.
“I’m sorry,” I apologize again.
She shakes her head, still refusing to look at me. “There’s nothing to apologize for, Sebastian. We’re not together; I don’t need to hear you’re sorry because there’s nothing to be sorry for.”
If that were true, then she wouldn’t be upset that I have to leave. “Lia, this isn’t how I want to leave things. The decision was made after the shit show went down earlier. It’s only eight weeks. Who knows what could change between then and now?” I point out, trying to soothe the situation. Thalia grabs a nearby clip to pull her blonde hair out of her face, finally letting me see what she’s trying to hide.
“Exactly. What if things change?”
Oh shit. Does she really think I’m going to change my mind? I’m not sure how much more clear I could be about where I stand when it comes to my feelings for her, but if she needs to hear me say it again, fine. “My feelings for you aren’t going to change,” I say softly, and she drags her hands over her face.
“Will you stay here tonight? Please? I just…I’m going crazy. I know that’s an impossible ask, but I don’t know if I’m ready to go eight weeks without seeing you,” Thalia says, dropping her hands in front of her. She’s completely sober by this point, and I wish more than anything I could stay.
Instead, I shake my head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. If I’m being honest, I’ve replayed the last time we spent the night together through my head more than I care to admit. I can’t get you out of my head.”
“Can you at least stay until I fall asleep? Please?” Thalia asks, hope flaring in her eyes. I’m awful at saying no to her.
“Yes. I’ll stay until you fall asleep—but no funny business,” I warn, dreaming for the day that I don’t have to leave when she falls asleep.
Thalia smiles at me. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
~
Training camp was a much needed break from reality, giving me a chance to get my head right for the coming season. I’d been able to push Kiera out of my head, but as hard as I tried to do the same with Thalia, it didn’t work. She’s the only person who has ever remained on my mind while playing. Everyone else I’ve been able to erase, but I guess it just affirms what I already knew.
There’s never been anyone else for me but Thalia.
We haven’t spoken in almost six weeks, but in that time I’ve written Thalia letters of everything I haven’t been able to tell her. I’m not sure if I’ll give them to her yet or not, but it made me feel closer to her.
Unfortunately, as much as I loved putting all the shit with Kiera in the back of my mind, everything has resumed in full force upon re-entering real life. It’s only been a few hours, and I’m already wishing I could go back into the bubble.
I keep my eyes peeled for any sight of her as my foot taps nervously. I’m doubtful whether she’ll show or not—but I have to try because this shit needs to stop. I never imagined everything would turn out this way.
Kiera walks into my line of sight, and I immediately zero in on her growing stomach. My PR team and I had a meeting earlier today to update me on everything I missed duringtraining camp, and I knew it would get worse before it got better. Her pregnancy started showing a few weeks ago, and since the news broke, I’ve gone from being the guy that supposedly left his fiancée for another woman to the guy that left his pregnant fiancée to be with another woman. I could try to deny it, but it would be seen as an attempt to save face.
My team’s hope with this meeting is that Kiera will come clean to the media, but if she hasn’t by now, I’m not hopeful she will after speaking with me.
Seeing Kiera hurts, but not in the way I expect it to.
She approaches, faltering in front of me, but I refuse to feel guilty as Kiera carefully takes a seat on the bench next to me. She’s had every opportunity to correct the things being said about me in the media.
“Hi, Seb,” Kiera greets cautiously, resting her hand protectively on her stomach. I can’t look at it anymore. Swallowing the lump forming in my throat, I look at my hands, the cars, and people passing by around us—anywhere but the reminder of her betrayal.
“Kiera,” I reply curtly.
“How are you doing? You look good.”
Is she joking?I tilt my head to look at her, seeing Kiera in an entirely new way. “How am I doing? I can tell you I’d be doing a whole lot better if you and Nina stopped talking to the media.”
“It’s only Nina. I haven’t said anything to anyone,” she tries to defend weakly, and I shake my head. That’s a pathetic excuse.
“Maybe I’d believe you if you hadn’t proven previously how good you are at lying to my face. I need you to stop. If you actually cared about me, just please stop.”