Taking Chances [18+]

Pt. 37 - What Could Have Been

I froze when the doorbell rang. I don't know why. Maybe because I haven't had many visitors since I moved here. Maybe it's because not many people know where I live. 

Or maybe because, for a split second, I thought it was her.

When the door swung open, Shayne was standing there with a cardboard box in her hands. "Don't invite me in or anything," she groused.

She was mad. Correction, still mad at me for what happened. I'm not sure she will ever forgive me for letting Cami go.

As she stepped through the doorway, she shoved the box into my arms. "This is the last of it. Although I should charge you a delivery fee since you're too much of a chicken shit to come home."

"This is my home now. You know that."

Shayne crossed through the living to stand at the sliding glass door that led out to my deck. It was late Fall now and finally cold enough to use the fireplace. Shayne crossed her arms over her chest and stared out over my massive backyard. "I suppose you like it here?" she mused.

"What's not to like?" I smirked. "This house has everything I need."

The scowl she gave me made my smile fade. "Yeah sure. All except one important thing."

"Her choice," I sighed. "Cami had three months to contact me. I moved on."

Shayne scoffed as she moved to stand in front of the fireplace. "You made it pretty difficult when you leave the apartment and change your number."

"I didn't do that because of her! I outgrew the apartment...and I needed a new phone."

"Okay, Chance. Keep telling yourself you're not avoiding her. But the whole thing is stupid. She hasn't been staying with me anyway."

"I wanted my own space. This wasn't about you or her. It was time for me to be on my own," I replied, wondering if I was trying to convince myself as hard as I was convincing her.

Shayne nodded and spread her arms wide. "So how's that working out for you, Chance? You've got a roaring fire going and no girl to snuggle on the couch with. How's this solitary life working out for ya, huh?"

"I like the quiet," I snapped. "I can do what I want out here. No fighting with two chicks for the bathroom. No panties hanging up in the shower to dry. Plenty of space on the counter for my things. Instead of me having to fight for two inches of space with all your lotions, hairspray, makeup, brushes and on and on and on."

Shayne gave me a skeptical look. "Fine. You're right. You can do what you want, yet you choose to spend your Saturday afternoon drinking," she gestured to the tumbler in my hand. "And being completely alone. This is why you were so eager to go?"

"You know why I left." I narrowed my eyes at her and finished off my drink.

"So she assumed you were cheating and she flew off the handle, so what? Everyone fucks up, Chance. People jump to the wrong conclusions but you don't throw away a relationship over it!"