Gold (All that Glitters #2)(77)

When she knocked on the door, she was unsurprised to see him wearing dark jeans and a fit red polo. His dark brown hair was spiked up in the front, and his blue eyes were apprehensive. His hesitant smile wasn’t the one that he used for the cameras that made all of America melt. But he still looked like her Gates, and he was still gorgeous.

“Hey,” he said.

She cleared her throat and looked away from his bright blue eyes. She’d fallen victim to them a time or two in the past. “Hey.”

“I guess…come in.”

“Thanks,” she said, bypassing him and walking into the living room.

“This is weird,” Gates said once he joined her.

“Yeah. A bit.”

“I mean…have you ever seen the downstairs to my place?”

Bryna shrugged. “I honestly don’t think so.”

“Yeah. We mostly occupied the bedroom.”

“Yeah.”

An awkward silence fell between them. It had never been there before, but the time apart and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the dissolution of their friendship had forced the wedge between them. There was so much that needed to be said, and it all hung between them.

“Anyway,” she whispered.

“I never thought I’d hear from you again,” he said, breaking the barrier.

“I know. I never intended to call.”

His eyes narrowed. “Then, why did you?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Well, you asked to come over here.” He walked to the couch and plopped down.

His posture showed that he was uncomfortable with what was going on, and she didn’t know how to make this easier. This wasn’t her forte.

She barreled forward, not wanting to lose her nerve. “So…remember that time you told me you loved me, and I didn’t believe you?”

Gates glared at her. “The night you told me to f*ck off at my own premiere the day before Valentine’s Day? Then, I didn’t hear from you ever again? How exactly do you think I could forget that?”

She took a steadying breath and sat down across from him on the coffee table. “Apparently, I make a habit of it.”

“A habit of what?” he asked curiously.

“Not believing people when they tell me they love me, not realizing they love me, and royally f*cking up everything in the aftermath.”

Gates looked taken aback at that. “Ah, I see. So, who was the victim this time?” He sounded bitter.

“Hugh Westercamp,” she answered honestly. She couldn’t lie to Gates. What good would hiding the truth do now?

Hugh was out of her life by her own choice, and any damage she could do to his character had already been done to his heart.

“The hotel executive?” he asked in disbelief.

“That’s the one.”

Gates whistled under his breath. “Damn. You’ve upped your game.”

“I did,” she agreed. “But I’ve decided to give it up.”

“What? Hugh?”

“No. The game,” she told him.

He laughed until he realized she wasn’t joking. “Bri, come on. You’ve got to be kidding, right? Games are in your blood. You live and breathe scheming. You always have.”

“You’re right,” she acquiesced easily. “But when I play games, I hurt people.” She looked him directly in the eyes now. “I hurt you, and I’m sorry about that.”

Gates didn’t say anything for a minute. He stared at her, speechless. She knew she wasn’t good at apologies. Until Eric, she hadn’t even really apologized to anyone. It wasn’t who she was, but she had wronged Gates by letting this gap between them continue, and she needed to make amends.

“Did you just apologize?”

“I should have a long time ago. I know I told you we were broken up, but the line was fuzzy. I could have handled it better.”

His jaw dropped. “What the f*ck happened to you?”

She laughed at his shock. “I guess…I saw the light.”

“I guess is right.”

“I’m still me. I can’t change the head bitch, but I wanted to apologize even if you don’t want to talk to me or be friends again. I had to let you know that I still want that even though I know I don’t deserve it.”

“I don’t want that,” he said immediately.

She tried not to flinch at his harsh words. Of course he didn’t want that. “All right. Well, I said what I came to say.” She stood and hurriedly started toward the door.

“Hey,” he said, catching her arm before she could run off. “I said I don’t, but what I meant was that I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t want us to be friends again.”

“Great clarification,” she said sarcastically.

“Look, I dreamed of the day this would happen, and you never came to me. I couldn’t go to you. I tried to move on. But I guess I’ve realized I should have gone to you a long time ago. I loved you, Bri. I knew you hated hearing it. I knew you didn’t feel the same way. Yet I pushed, and that wasn’t fair either. We’ve both done some pretty shitty things to each other, but we’ve been friends for a long time.”

“We have,” she agreed.