BRANDON~•~I stared at my phone long after the call ended, her voice still echoing in my ears. “I just needed a little space.”I wanted to ask if it was from me but I didn’t want to push her any more than I already did. I should have known something more was coming after she let herself kiss me. It wasn’t just a slip. She wanted me. I could feel it at that moment. I felt it in the way she gripped my shirt like she didn’t want to let me go. But after the kiss, everything I hoped for slipped away again. I’d foolishly thought that was the beginning of something again.Instead, she was currently in San Diego.If only she could just let her inhibitions go.My chest was tight with the kind of frustration I couldn’t put into words. I’d told her to take all the time she needed but I didn’t expect her to take the first flight back to San Diego, the first place she ran to after she left Los Angeles six years ago. Was that her safe place? What kept drawing her to that city? Or was that just t
GIANNA~•~“Are you trying to make it up to yourself for leaving six years ago?” Emily asked as we rolled our suitcases out of the airport.I chuckled. “You’re the one who offered to come.” I shrugged. “I was fine with traveling alone.” I had told Emily that I was traveling to San Diego for a business trip and she offered to come along, wanting to see how I’d been living in the past few years. I was sure she just wanted a break from married life but I didn’t probe. Emily had gotten married the year after I left. According to her, she was pretty sad during her wedding because I was supposed to be her maid of honor and I was nowhere to be found.I was indeed trying to make it up to her but one trip to San Diego wouldn’t excuse my six years of absence in her life.“Take the excuse if I give it to you, babe.”I laughed at her words but stopped short when I saw Jack standing by his car. I waved at him and caught his attention. He smiled as he walked toward us, taking our suitcases. “I was
BRANDON~•~I exhaled deeply as I waited for someone to get to the door. It was late at night and I had no reason to be at Gianna’s place but as soon as I stood up from my couch, I grabbed my keys and started moving.I just couldn’t help it.After what felt like an eternity, Gianna finally opened the door. I had been hoping she’d be the one to open it and thankfully, I was right.She looked confused when she saw me standing outside. “Is something wrong?”I bit the inside of my cheek. Of course, she would think something was wrong if I visited by eleven at night. I shook my head. “Olly forgot his sketchbook in my car.”“It’s late, Brandon.” Gianna pointed out. When I didn’t say anything, she sighed and stepped aside to let me in. She closed the door behind her and headed to the kitchen. I followed behind her, keeping my footsteps light. “You didn’t have to drive all the way here for that.” She said as she poured water from a bottle into a glass and handed it to me.I gulped it down in
GIANNA~•~“You’re such a baby,” Isabella said to her brother as we walked out of the hospital. She was holding on to my hand while Oliver held on to his father’s. “I’m not a baby!”“Then why were you when you saw the injection?”He actually started crying when he saw the nurse, but I didn’t point that out because it would only make them fight. “I didn’t cry!” Oliver denied vehemently even if we all saw him crying.Brandon laughed. After spending a few weeks with the kids, he was used to Isabella teasing Oliver all the time and knew better than to interfere. Brandon and I had brought the kids in for school vaccines, but while Isabella mocked Oliver for tearing up, she was also scared when she saw the injection. However, she was much braver and closed her eyes tightly during the vaccine. She even held Oliver’s hand when it was his turn. She saved mocking him for later, which happened to be now.We reached the car before they could start fighting and we each helped a child into the ba
GIANNA~•~Oliver couldn’t sit still. Since he finished getting dressed, he was standing at the window, waiting for Brandon to arrive. He was so excited about seeing his father that he didn’t even bother to question where he had been all these years. Then again, I was grateful he wasn’t asking me any difficult questions.“It seems Olly can’t wait to see his father,” Stella said with a chuckle.“Neither can you.”She smiled sheepishly. “Well, I want to see the man who left you while you were pregnant.”“Fair enough.”“He’s here! Mommy, he’s here!” Oliver yelled just as we heard the engine of a car settling down. Knowing we weren’t expecting any other visitors and it was definitely Brandon, I went to open the door. He was already about to knock, and he dropped his hand when he saw me. “You’re early.” My tone was dry.“I figured punctuality would earn me a few points.” He raised his other hand, holding a bouquet. “These are for you.”I eyed them warily before staring at him. When he di
BRANDON~•~There was no knock on my door, so when my door was suddenly pushed open, I was a bit taken aback, wondering who was barging into my office without permission.When I saw it was Bailey, I sighed. Of course, it was her. She was the only unmannered person in my life.After the conference I conducted, our goods were starting to get better reviews. The public’s opinion had changed and they were starting to slander Bailey instead. I would have felt bad for her if she weren’t such a manipulator. I didn’t know if I was blind to it while we were growing up, or she just changed when we became older, but she was someone I didn’t want to associate with anymore.“So that’s it?” She sneered, looking furious already. “A press conference and a polite middle finger?”“I couldn’t stop her!” Zan came rushing in after her. “You shouldn’t be here, Bailey.” My words came out with a sigh. “It’s fine, Zan. You can leave, but inform the security to never let her in again.” I instructed him and he