“No. You had one chance.” She holds up her index finger. “One. That’s it. That’s all anybody gets.”
She grabs the doorknob, but I’m faster. I push her hand away.
“I didn’t end things. I never ended things.”
She lets out a humorless laugh. “Oh, really? Was I supposed to wait for the great Colt Chastain to dumpme? That’s not how it works, darlin’. No one walks away from me. Not anymore. Not since—” It looks like she’s going to say more, but she catches herself and shakes her head. “Move,” she orders.
“Don’t dismiss me, Vickie. We need to have a conversation.” I do my best to keep my voice calm because the stress is not good for me, but I can feel anger bubbling just underneath the surface. “I’m not your mama. I didn’t leave you.
“Don’t talk about my mother,” she warns me. “It doesn’t feel good to be dismissed, does it?” she grits out. “I waited around for you for weeks like a simpering idiot while you went on with your life and now—”
“While I went on with my life? Are you kidding me? Look at me.” She turns her head away, but I cup her face so she has no choice but to look into my eyes. “I’m a mess. I’m in pain. My knee’s not healin’ like I was hopin’, and you’re actin’ like a child right now. Do you know what it’s like for me?” I find myself yelling out the last question. The TV gets louder, and I imagine Charlie is trying to drown out our arguing. “Do you know that basketball is the only thing I’ve ever had that made me feel special? It’s the only thing I’m good at, and the idea of not having it anymore hurts, Vickie. It hurts a lot, and I pushed you away because I didn’t want you to see me wallowing around. I didn’t want to take my hurt and frustration out on you. I—”
She puts a palm to my face, but I put it down.
“Do you think I live in some fantasy world, Colt? Do you think I need everything to be perfect all the time? I agreed to a relationship, not some alternate universe where everything is always roses. You’re supposed to wallow with me! You’re supposed to show me your ugly sides. Snap at me if I hover over you too much. I’d tell you where to stick it, and then we’d figure out the rest. Together. Why am I the one telling you how a relationship is supposed to work? What you don’t do is get on a plane and leave the woman you say you love.”
I feel about two feet tall after her rant. That’s exactly what Mama said to me too. Even Charlie gave me the side eye the entire five-hour drive here.
“I know that, baby. I know. I lost sight for a minute. Please understand that I have issues too. I was never a good student. I’m not smart like you. I never had a wealthy parent to fall back on. Everyone has always relied on me. From my mother on down. I’m it. I’m the support, and that’s a heavy burden. I know you don’t understand that, but—”
“Don’t tell me what I understand. Don’t. Just shut up. How dare you say those things? Basketball is not all you have. Your mom is amazing, and so is your son. They are worth more than basketball any day. You also had me, Colt.” She points at herself. “You had me, but I wasn’t enough. I was a fool to believe everything you promised me. I understand how important basketball is to you. I would never belittle that, but you don’t get to push me away when things in your life get rough and expect me to sit around until you get out of your funk. I’m a person with feelings, and abandonment—" She stops speaking and looks away.
“Abandonment is what? I didn’t abandon you. I love you. I’ve told you that every day until you stopped taking my calls, which was crap.”
She sighs and runs a hand over her face. “Look, I want your knee to heal. I really do. So, why don’t you go sit down and elevate it? I think we’ve said enough.”
I put a finger under her chin and force her eyes back on me.
“Tell me you don’t love me anymore, Queen Vee. I dare you.” Hope blooms in my chest when she can’t utter the words. “You can’t.” I press myself to her and say, “I love you too.” I cup her face and kiss her sweet lips for the first time in weeks. It’s like I’m breathing for the first time. She tries to push away from me until she gives in and kisses me back. I lift her dress up and stick my hand between her legs. She moans in my mouth.
I spin her around and pull her panties down. She kicks them off. My basketball shorts and boxers are pushed down, and I stand tall and rigid. There’s already a bead of pre-cum at my tip. It’s been weeks without her. Without her warmth and sarcastic wit, or false detachment. I slide inside. I slide all the way home. She lets out a half moan, half cry. And because her carnal moans are only for me, I put my hand on her mouth to mute the sounds.
I take her rough and fast, giving her as much as my body will allow. I can feel the dull pain in my knee, but being inside of her, reminding her of everything that we are together is more important. She moans, and I stop my thrusts. I stay buried inside of her and let her feel me.
“This is for you, Victoria. For the rest of my life, I don’t want to do this with anyone but you. You will always be my queen.” I bite the side of her neck and suck on the soft skin. It doesn’t take long for her to tremble against me, moaning in my hand. I soon follow behind her and flood her with my release. I rub her engorged clit with my fingers and she shudders. She’s soaked, and our release coats her inner thighs. I pull out and pull my shorts and underwear back up and sit on the toilet to catch my breath.
Her breathing is still shallow while she pulls herself back together. She leans against the sink, head hung low. While she washes her hands and splashes water on her face, I approach and wrap my arms around her.
“Let’s get married.” The words leave my mouth before I can think them through. “We’ll get married before you leave for Mexico.” She stares into my eyes, mouth opened into an o while I speak. “It’s only a year, and it will fly by. I know what it’s like to have a career that’s important to you. That’s one of the things I love about you. I will always support you in that. But don’t tell your dad I’ve already asked you. I’ll call him tomorrow and ask his permission—”
She holds a hand up and says, “Stop talking right now, Colt. Just stop. This,” she says, gesturing between us. “What just happened right now changes nothing.” She pushes away from me and walks out of the bathroom before I can catch her.
I find her sitting on the couch staring at the television but not really watching it. Charlie eyes me, probably making sure I’m alright, before he turns back to the TV.
“Why don’t I help you get washed up, Evan?” Charlie says when the movie is over. He throws Evan over his shoulder.
“You can use my bathroom.” Vickie points to the master bedroom.
“Did you and your brother get a hotel?” Vickie asks. She jumps off the couch and starts to straighten up. She takes the empty popcorn bowl to the kitchen and starts to clear the counter. “I really would like Evan to stay with me for the night, but if you’re not comfortable with that, I understand.”
She’s unprepared for me when I put both hands on her shoulders and press my chest into her back.
“I trust you with my son. I trust you with my life, but I’m not leaving this house, Victoria. Not unless you come with me.” I slowly turn her around to face me. “What can I do, baby, to fix this mess that I caused? Tell me, and I’ll do it.” I kiss the side of her neck and try to snake an arm around her waist, but she moves away.
“Colt,” she begins, and my heart sinks, “you had your one chance, and I don’t do long distance relationships. We tried this and it didn’t work.” She walks away and heads for the master bedroom, but she must remember that Charlie and Evan are in there, so she goes through the sliding glass door.
I follow her to the deck and sit next to her. “I will never give up, Victoria, because you are everything I’ve always wanted. But you’re also everything I’ve always needed. I didn’t know I needed you until I found you, and I’m not giving that up for anything. I’ll ask you to marry me every day until you say yes.”
