This Beautiful Thing (Young Love Series) (19 page)

He makes it in ten minutes and he finds me on the ground in the fetal position sobbing. I can’t control them. He doesn’t want me anymore. How could I have screwed up the single most important relationship in my life? It doesn’t seem like it could be at all possible. I guess that’s what you get when you act like an immature selfish bitch.

“What the hell? Did he just leave you out here?” Forest yells as he gets out of the car.

“No I have been watching.” Comes Caden’s voice from the side of the car. “Declan came in my room and told me she was leaving and he couldn’t go after her and asked he if I would. So imagine my surprised that I didn’t have to go far. She was on the phone with you when I came out here.”

“What the hell does he mean he couldn’t go after her? You don’t declare your love for someone in front of her whole family and then abandon her.” Forest huffs.

“Well said boy who left her out here was also told to get the fuck away from Teagan by Teagan after declaring himself in love with Teagan.” Cade is leaning against the car fiddling with his zipper.

“Yeah I guess it’s easy to make him out to be the bad guy when your little sister, who you thought was an angel, is actually the bad guy.” Forest bends down and picks me up. I throw my hands over his neck and lay my head on his shoulder.

“Make sure she stays away from him. I’ve had to clean up her mess once and I’m not happy about doing it again.” Caden states as he walks towards the house.

Forest walks me over to his car and places me in the front seat. We are silent the whole way to his house. I don’t think he is going to say anything at all to me. Just another brother to give me the cold shoulder. I don’t blame them for taking Declan’s side by any means because I totally deserve it. I don’t know why I thought he would forgive me. You don’t break the heart of a broken boy and think it’s all going to be okay. In my moment of overwhelming grief I did something completely selfish to someone who needed me just as much as I needed him. I guess I didn’t see it that way but I should have. I should have thought of him too. God I’m a complete bitch.

Forest gets out of the car and heads to the house. Confused I look in the backseat and see Hailey’s empty car seat. I get out and run after him. “Where’s Hailey?” I ask him.

“Well while you have been comatose I got a new girlfriend. She has a little boy about Hailey’s age and they moved in about a month ago. So don’t feel so bad you had to call me to come get you.” He gives me a pointed look and ushers me into the house. He gets a blanket out of the linen closet and hands it to me. Guess I have to sleep on the couch.

*****

I wake up after tossing and turning for hours to the smell of coffee and babies laughing. I sit up as fast as I can because I have to meet this new girlfriend of Forests. I quickly run to the bath room and fix myself up as best as I can. I wish I had clothes to put on because I’m pretty sure I still smell like sex. My stomach clinches thinking of last night with Declan and I feel tears form in my eyes. “You know what? No I’m not going to cry about it anymore. What’s done is done. No use feeling sorry for yourself over something you can’t fix.” I tell myself.

I finish up and walk into the kitchen where there are two high chairs with one little blonde girl, my niece Hailey, and one little brown headed boy. They look to be about the same age end even share some similar features. That’s when I notice the leggy brunette standing at the kitchen sink. Hailey wails excitedly “Auntie Tea!” I smile at her and walk over to pick her up.

“Good morning Teagan. It’s nice to finally meet you. Forest talks about you all the time.” The brunette says. When I met her face to face I realize that I know her.

“Your Holly’s sister right?” I ask her with one my eye brows arched.

“Yes I am her younger sister, Monica.” She smiles politely at me.

“And you’re dating my brother now?” I know it may seem obvious but I’m still confused on how these two hooked up.

“Yes, well more than dating since me and Eric live here now.” She says pointing to her tiny son.

Forest walks into the room then and pours himself some coffee and says to me, “Teagan are you ready to head home? Monica and I have plans with the kids later today.”

I nod my head and he motions me out the door to his car. It doesn’t take long and we are on our way to my parents’ house. “So you’re dating your ex-wife’s sister?” I ask him.

“Well since my ex-wife ran off with Monica’s ex-husband I don’t see a problem with it. She’s nice and she treats the children way better then Holly ever did. She’s not all wrapped up with herself and she actually listens when I talk. I really like her so don’t bug me about it.”

“Well at least you’re in the same boat. She seems nice. The first time I met Holly she said I looked like a street rat. So this is an improvement.”

“She did? Damn I wish I had known that. I wouldn’t have married her. She wasn’t that way around me till after we got married. I feel out of love with her so fast.”

“I wish I could fall out of love with Declan that fast.”

“No you don’t Teagan. You need to show him how much you love him. Holly wasn’t anything to fight for but Declan is. Relationships like yours don’t come around all that often. You need to show him that you really love him and that you’re not going to make the same mistake twice.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” it seems hopeless to me. He doesn’t even want to see me again.

“I can’t tell you that. You have to figure that out on your own baby girl. It’s not going to be easy by any means but you can do it.”

“He doesn’t even love me anymore.” I say softly

“Did he tell you that?”

“No he didn’t tell me that. But why else would he not want me back?”

“Umm I don’t know maybe because you broke his heart and that scares him. Guys like to be secure in the knowledge that no woman, besides his mother, has that kind of control. Declan likes his control anyway but you take away the control of his feelings? That kind of power over him scares the crap out of him.”

“I guess that makes sense in a way. He might be scared that I would hurt him again but I’m more scared that he won’t ever take me back.”

“No need to be scared. I’m not saying make the guy but convince him that you really want to be with him for the long haul, well if you do anyway.”

“Oh I do. No doubt about that.” I smile while forming a plan in my head.

Declan

I’ve been lying in my bed all day. I didn’t sleep much last night either. When I would actually get to sleep I would have a nightmare and wake up and reach for her. I didn’t think I would miss her this much for so long. It’s like a constant ache in my heart that only she can fix. Why did I let her go last night? Maybe I should just let her back in even though I’m terrified she will leave again. It was like watching my mother walk out the door all over. It fucking hurts. But this pain I have is almost too much to bear.

It’s been hours since anyone dared to even come past my room. The first time she left I broke a bunch of shit and hit Caden a couple of times. I guess they are afraid that I might blow up again. This time I think she took my soul with her. I don’t feel angry this time I just feel lost and alone.

“Hey.” I flinch when I hear Caden at the door. I had no idea he was even there.

“Hey.” I mumble back.

He comes to sit on the end of my bed. I thank god every day that I have this guy as a friend. He doesn’t care what I do and doesn’t take my shit. Honestly he is even better than his twin. I don’t even feel the need to hide things from him or watch what I say. I guess that’s a true friend. Someone who has as much shit as you going on but still sits down to make sure you’re still alive.

“So what happened before you had me go outside with her?” he lays down horizontal so that we are lying in opposite directions. “I’m sorry by the way for getting that drunk and then letting her take you home. I should have had Grace takes us. Teagan could have just followed.”

“It’s okay man. I wouldn’t have been able to make rational decisions in the state that you were in.” I pause turning over to stare up at the ceiling. “I fucked her in my brother’s car. How could I do that? I’ve spent months trying to get over her and the second she flashes those mesmerizing eyes at me, I’m putty in her hands.”

“Yeah now I really hate myself. I should have just called Forest to come and get us. I made some mistakes with Grace last night too. Things I can’t take back. I don’t know whether I would be able to choose between the girl I love or my twin brother.”

“You shouldn’t have to choose. He should let go seeing as your both in love with each other. Any idiot can see Grace doesn’t love Jaden. Hell her skin flushes whenever you walk into the room.”

“If only I could get her to say that out loud. Life would be so much easier, in that department anyway. She doesn’t want to hurt either one of us. This makes me love her more. God I’m such a chick.”

I laugh softly. “Well maybe a little. I’m the one who has been moping around for four months. Over a girl I never even told how I felt.” That’s when something she said last night registers. “She said she loved me.”

“Who Teagan? She told you that last night?” he sits up on his elbows looking confused.

“Yeah we were arguing and she just said it. I guess I didn’t even notice till now. God I’m such a fool.” I sit up all the way throwing my legs off the side of the bed. “This might be a stupid idea but what if she did what she did because she didn’t know I loved her?”

“Well that might be possible. Teagan isn’t the best when it comes to seeing other people’s feelings.” He chuckles. “She doesn’t even think that my mom loves her. My home life really sucked till she came around. I don’t know what my parents had going on but the second she walked into our lives everything got better. She was clueless the whole time.”

“Yeah she is pretty clueless but I really didn’t think she was that clueless. Maybe we can work it out.” I rub my hand down my face and pace across my bedroom floor. “I don’t know why I let her leave this time. It’s what I was hoping for this whole time, deep down anyway. When I got faced with the possibility that she would hurt me again I did the same thing she did. Run away from it.”

Caden opens his mouth but he gets interrupted by Marcus who flies into the room huffing and puffing from running up the stairs. “You’ll…never…guess…who’s…here!”

“Teagan.” I say hoping that I’m right.

He nods disappointed I ruined his surprise. I look at Caden who nods his approval and I race down the stairs just to stop short at seeing her in the door way. Her wild curly hair is down just the way I like it. She has a white headband on to keep it out of her eyes. She’s got her trade mark tank top on this one white plus a pair of sexy skinny jeans. I’ve never seen her in anything other than boots or tennis shoes so the flip flops bring a faint smile to my face.

“Will you come somewhere with me?” she bites her lip and looks at me with pleading eyes. I’d go anywhere or do anything just to hear her tell me she loved me again.

“Yeah Beautiful I’ll come with you.” She looks shocked that I said her old nickname. Darn I shouldn’t have let on so early I already forgave her.

Chapter 22

Teagan

He called me Beautiful. A feeling of warmth comes over me at hearing the words. Maybe everything will be all right.

I borrowed daddy’s car to drive Declan to the graveyard. I think he deserves to know about it. Even if everything doesn’t turn out all right at least we will have this place to mourn our baby that never was. I don’t know if everything will be okay between us but I do know that this will help with closure over the entire messed up situation.

“You brought me to a graveyard?” he asks when we pull up to the little gravel parking lot.

“Yes. Don’t worry it’s a good thing.” I give him a little smile and get out of the car.

“Okay I will trust you on that.” He says as he exits. It almost breaks my heart that I can’t freely touch him like I want to. He looks so damn sexy in his low rise jeans and black t-shirt. His hair is styled in that messy way all the guys do their hair. I haven’t ever liked it on anybody before but Declan sure knows how to pull it off.

“Lead the way.” He says and I blush realizing that I was totally staring at him.

I turn and head towards the gravestones of my mother and my unborn baby. I start to get really nervous of his reaction. What if he thinks it is totally crazy?

So to save time I stop in front of my mother’s grave. I’ve never brought anybody else out her to see it. I guess I feel like she was all mine when she was alive. I miss her so much and it’s been hard the last four months without her, though Sarah did a pretty good job of filling in her shoes. “This is my mother Declan. Bethany Reed.” I pause and smile. “Mom this is Declan Sage, the love of my life.” I feel my face burn again but I don’t care. I have never said words more true in my life.

He does something completely unexpected. He wraps his arms around my waist pulling me into him. He puts his head at the croak of my neck and shoulder and nuzzles my face. I shiver at the foreign and familiar touch. “Who made that grave for you Beautiful?”