She must have left it here after one of our girls’ nights, and right now I'm grateful because it’s perfect. The second I put it on, I realize how short this thing is, but it’s better than everything else in my closet so I roll with it.
I get to Paul’s and groan at the number of people inside. After a few minutes, I finally find an empty seat at the bar and order a beer, needing some alcohol to start this pity session I’ve decided to throw myself. I finish my beer in record time and just as I’m about to order another beer one is set in front of me. I peer over at the bartender, confused, since I know I didn’t order it. He motions to someone behind me and for a split second my heart races, thinking Josh is here, but when I turn around, Cole is standing there with that smug look on his lying face.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I yell as our eyes lock, and I can’t help as my entire body starts to shake with rage. My nostrils flare as he sends me that smile he thinks will melt me into submission. It used to, but all it’s doing right now is making me want to punch that look right off his face.
Seeing him here brings back all the memories I’ve been trying to forget and that’s exactly the opposite effect this night was supposed to have.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I scream again over the music as I make my way to where he’s standing.
I slowly take him in, eyeing his T-shirt and worn jeans and seeing the boy I fell in love with all those years ago. His tall stature, dark hair, and dark eyes scream mysterious and were once something I loved about him. But now? The way his eyes get darker when he looks at me, or the way his body feels against mine sends a sickening feeling through my entire body.
“Can’t a man buy a beautiful woman a drink?” he asks, looking down and taking in my dress.
I can tell from the way his eyes flare that he likes what he sees, and that look has my fingers pulling at the hem and tugging it as far as it will go.
“Not for me you can’t,” I say, crossing my arms across my chest, fully aware of how it makes my boobs look, but too pissed to care at this point. “I need you to leave, Cole. I need you to leave this bar and stop showing up everywhere I am. I mean it this time.” I go to turn back toward Mel when his fingers latch on to my arm, anchoring me in place.
“Come on baby, you know we were good together. Why can’t you remember that?” he pleads as I continue to scowl in his direction.
There is nothing this man can say that will make me go back into his arms. Nothing.
“I still love you, Harper. I would do anything for you.”
I burst out laughing because this has to be a bad joke, right? There is no way he’s being genuine right now; Cole doesn’t know the meaning of the word.
“You love me?”
I shake my head, I can’t believe I am still having this conversation. It’s like talking to a brick wall. “You don’t love me, Cole, and I don’t love you anymore. The minute I saw you between another girl’s legs, you lost me. It’s over.”
His eyes widen as if this is the first time he’s heard those words come out of my mouth.
“Harper, please,” he pleads, stroking the side of my cheeks with his thumb. “I miss you…” His eyes connect with mine and I don’t see sincerity, I see determination and I recoil, shaking my head. This is fucking insane; I need to get out of here.
“No!” I scream at him, hoping this time it starts to sink in. “You are not allowed to do that; you gave up the right to miss me.”
His eyes never leave mine and that’s when I reach the end of my rope.
“You know what? I can’t do this anymore. I don’t have to stand here and listen to you. You need to leave me the hell alone, okay?” I turn around, avoiding his outstretched hand, and make my way to where my purse sits at the bar. I motion to pay for the one drink I actually wanted and once that’s done I turn to leave.
As I turn and walk away, I peer behind me and see Cole standing there, eyes on me the whole time.
The air outside is cool, making me shiver since the coat I’m wearing doesn’t really cover anything that the dress doesn’t. Holding the fabric closed, I begin to walk down the road, knowing that my apartment isn’t that far away. The fresh breeze cascades over my exposed skin as I bask in the calmness of the night. Yet, when I hear those telltale footfalls sound behind me, that calm evaporates.
“Harper, please, I’m begging you for another chance.” He reaches for me but misses, his fingers barely grazing my arm as I step farther away. “You have to still love me…”
I stop in my tracks, unable to stop the cackles that leave my chest at the idea of ever loving this man again, and when I turn to tell him that, all I see is anger. Anger I never knew he possessed until
