Forever Mine (Roommate Duet 0.5)(18)

“Fuck,” I mutter, trying to gain control. I stand under the stream of water as I try to catch my breath and clear my damn head. Once I’m calm, I step out of the shower and get dressed. I glance at the time on my phone and see a text message from Savannah.

My heart drops because I know how she is or, rather, how she was, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she texted me to let me down. With a racing heart, I unlock my phone, open the message she sent right before I stepped in the shower, and grin like an idiot.

“She said yes!” I yell out to no one. I’m so happy, I feel like I’ve won the goddamn lottery. I wonder if stopping and getting her flowers before is too over the top. I’m not trying to scare her away, for fuck’s sake. Because it’s just lunch, I decide against it. Knowing I need to calm down and mentally prepare to be around her, I take a shot of whiskey and think back to what Hunter said. The feelings I had for Savannah never faded, and when we broke up, she left a permanent hole in my heart. That space has always been reserved for her, even if she never intends on filling it again. I have to remind myself not to go into this with any expectations, but the fact she said yes and how she acted last night give me hope that these old feelings aren’t one-sided.

After ten minutes of contemplating exactly what I’m going to say to her today, I decide to leave and head back to the hotel. It’s a good twenty-five minutes away with traffic, and I have enough time to really think everything over by the time I hand my keys to the valet. I can’t stop grinning as I step onto the elevator and take it up to her room. Savannah was right; it’s slow as hell. Eventually, it stops at her floor, and I take a deep breath and walk to her door then knock.

I wait a few seconds before knocking again. I stand and wait for a few minutes then call her. Maybe she fell asleep? I hang up and redial her number, but this time, I’m sent straight to voicemail.

It’s confirmation she’s not coming.

Savannah must’ve gotten cold feet and ditched me.

The realization punches me in the gut, and I think back to anything that would’ve caused her to cancel. The rejection I felt when she broke up with me comes rushing back again, and it stings. I’ve been ignored by her before but this—it’s like she poured salt in a reopened wound. Instead of camping outside her door, I pull my phone out of my pocket and walk to the elevator as I text her.

Hayden: I’m here. Waited almost ten minutes at your door. Considering you’ve rejected my call, I assume you don’t want to do lunch. It took years for me to get over you and work through the heartache that practically destroyed me. You didn’t have to agree to meet up with me if you didn’t intend to. You could’ve told me no. I’ve endured worse pain than that before from you.





I read over the message one time before I hit send, lock my phone, and step onto the elevator. I’m so fucking aggravated that I can’t think straight. I’m shocked honestly because of how she acted this morning toward me. Maybe the realization that she admitted to lying to me hit her, and it was too much? Fuck, I don’t know. I could come up a million scenarios.

Once in the lobby, I run my fingers through my hair and contemplate what to do next. I could sit at the bar and wait to run into her and confront her face to face or just walk away for good. I want to tell her exactly how I feel, but I know the best thing for me to do is leave, as hard as it is. I have too many unspoken words. Letting out a huff, I pull the valet number from my pocket and wait for them to pull my truck around.

Just as the valet opens the door for me, and I get inside, I get a call and blood rushes to my head as I rush to pull it from my pocket. Hoping it’s Savannah, I’m disappointed when I see Veronica’s name flash across the screen. Instead of avoiding her, I answer as I pull out of the parking lot onto the highway.

“Hey baby,” she purrs as soon as she hears my voice.

I try to force a smile, so I don’t sound as aggravated as I am. It’s not fair to her. “Hey. I’m really sorry about last night and all of that. I was going to call you.”

She chuckles. “It’s okay. I forgive you. I just wish you would’ve been the one to take me home last night. So what are you doing right now?”

I focus on the road, trying to figure out why Savannah would do this to me. “Driving home.”

“I’m heading back to my place now. Had to run some errands real quick. Why don’t you come over?” Veronica asks in her seductive tone that I know all too well.

I contemplate her invitation for a moment and find myself taking the exit toward her place. After last night and everything that’s happened, I feel as if I owe her as much. After a few seconds, I think back to what Hunter said today, and it helps me to make up my mind.

“I’m on my way there,” I tell her, matter-of-factly.

“Good, baby. I’ll be waiting for you.”





Chapter Seven





Savannah





Veronica pushes past me and helps herself inside my room. I’m too hungover for this right now.

“You need to leave,” I demand. My adrenaline spikes, and I want grab her by the hair and pull her out the fucking door, but when she turns around, tears are streaming down her cheeks. I don’t know what to think and I’m confused, but she has no business being here.