Read Morning Glory - A Novelette for Free Online Page B

breath to calm my nerves.
    “I’ve been thinking about you, too.”
    “You have?”
    “That surprises you?”
    “Kind of. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m not even sure why I called, Nick.”
    “I’m glad you did. It’s been kind of awkward between us this week.”
    “Yeah,” I say. I don’t like where we are with things, either. We’re in limbo. “This morning—”
    “Let’s not rehash that. I’m suffering from an extreme case of embarrassment. I shouldn’t have come over last night. Sorry about that.”
    “I liked that you did, and I want you to come over again if you want.” A wall begins to form around my heart, preparing me for rejection.
    “I’ll be over in fifteen minutes.”
    And he is.
    When I open the door, he’s standing there in an old and wrinkled concert T -shirt and well-worn jeans and sneakers. The vibe between us is more organic, changing with every breath we take.
    He steps inside then closes the door behind him. N o words are shared between us as he moves closer. I stay still, anticipation building. This is my chance. This is the time to tell him how I really feel. “Nick—”
    He cups my face gently and kisses me as his strong arms hold me in place. He must not know how much I want to be here or realize how much I want us to happen.
    When our kiss ends, we open our eyes. I’m out of breath and a bit stunned, but smiling. I’m in love with him, and my heart leaps realizing it’s finally time for us to be together.
    “If you’re getting back with Alejandro, tell me now, Hayley.”
    “What?” I ask, taken aback. “What are you talking about?” His words are confusing and oddly demanding.
    His warm hands disappear from my cheeks and he begins pacing in front of me. The swiftness of his words match the speed of his feet. “You need to realize that you don’t have to be with him. He doesn’t deserve you, and you shouldn’t settle. He never loved you like—”
    I’m furious he’s ruining our moment. “Like what? What are you talking about? I don’t understand why you’re even thinking about Alejandro. Why is he on your mind when you’re kissing me? I wasn’t thinking about Jennifer when I was kissing you!”
    “Because you already know deep down nothing is going to happen with her. But what you don’t seem to know is that you’re better than Alejandro.” He raises his voice as anger seeps into his tone. “You should expect more than a guy who doesn’t even care to try to be the boyfriend you deserve. Why can’t you see that? He’s just the asshole who didn’t realize what he had until it was gone. Open your eyes, Hayley!”
    I know this is coming from a place of concern. I can hear it in his words. He’s so caught up in what I might do that he’s not seeing what I am doing, who I’m choosing. “I may have originally thought we’d get back togeth—”
    He takes me by the wrists, leans down until he’s eye-level with me, looks me straight in the eyes, and says, “You have other options.”
    His words cut through the argument and hit me in the heart. Options . “I know what I want. My heart knows—”
    “You don’t get it.” He sighs. His voice is soft now, the pain of us fighting, evident. “And I wonder if you ever will.” He shakes his head and walks to the door. With his back to me, hand on the knob, and head angled down, he says, “I’m going. I think we’ve said enough.”
    I let him go, needing time to process what just happened and why we’re fighting. “My heart knows you’re the one.” I finish saying what I intended to, the words needing to be said even if it i s to a closed door. He’s seen me through countless, faceless relationships and he’s hated every last one of them. Just like I’ve never liked his girlfriends.
    Well, I kind of liked Suzanne, but that’s different. They never got serious.
    The cycle continues. Our relationship plays over in my head for hours until I rationalize all of my worries of admitting my