I Might Miss You (I Might Need You book 2)

Chapter 34

"Are you sure? I mean, they can wait. They did show up unexpectedly. If you want, I can take you back." He runs his hand through the side of his head, ruffing out his hair in a stressed way. I press my hand to the side of his face.

"I'm positive. Go on. Do your work."

"Okay, well, get some more clothes on please. I can't have you walking out of my room like we just fucked." He smirks and gets off the bed as I swat at him. Laughing, he walks into the bathroom.

I stand up and walk over to the rest of my clothes laying on the floor. Slipping on the plain dress I wore to work, I stare out of the window beside the broken king bed. The town bustles with excitement underneath the penthouse windows.

"I just called Kevin. He should be here in a bit." I jumped at his sudden words. I turn around and look at him, standing stunningly in front of the door frame. One hand grips the top of the door and the other is braced in a pocket. I feel my heart stutter and my body heat up.

"Why are you blushing Nova? Are you okay?" He asks in a cocky tone. I roll my eyes and make my way towards the door. His hands grip my sides as I grip the door handle. Turning me around, my back is forced upon the door and his hands pull me into him.

"You're not leaving me, you know that right?" He whispers.

"Dustin, I have to leave. I have work and I..." He cuts me off.

"You aren't leaving," He pointed his finger in between the two of us. "You're not leaving this behind, right? You're gonna come back?" He looks scared, fearful he might lose the thing he wants.

"It's going to take a lot. I'm gonna have to find a way to hide from Wes, and I'm not going to be able to see you all of the time. I have to have time with Elijah too, and Colin, Carly, and Greg. You're going to have to visit me at work or come to the club or come to Colin's house or..."

"I got it, Nova. As long as you're not leaving me again." I place my hand on his chest.

"I didn't plan on it." He lets out a long, exhausted sigh and closes his eyes in relief.

"Good, that's good."

"Bye..." I whisper. He grabs my face and kisses me softly, wanting to linger his taste on my lips.

"Text me when you can, okay?" He pulls away, sadly.

"Of course." I nod my head and exit the room, Dustin following me. The old man, Doug, stands in the kitchen, looking over the broken glass that Dustin still hasn't cleaned up. The old man turns around and stares at the two of us.

"Again, so sorry about earlier." I wave him off and walk towards the elevator. Dustin holds my hand as I step into the metal box. He lets me go as soon as the door starts to close.

Going down to the bottom floor. I look at my hands and fumble with my thumbs. For one, what am I doing? I start to wonder how I'm going to be able to keep this up without having Wesley find out, or Dustin get upset, or losing Elijah. For two...

My thoughts are cut off when the door to the elevator opens. Before me stands a woman, long, wavy blonde hair person. She looks down at her phone, scrolling on Instagram. She looks up and sees me, smiles, then looks away. I see the black Suburban pull up.

"Hey, wait!" The woman says. I turn around at the sound of her voice, looking into her milk chocolate brown eyes.

"Uh...yeah?" I have a question.

"Do I know you?" She asks, stepping out of the elevator and walking towards me, her black heels clicking on the concrete floor.

"I don't really know..."

"You're Nova Dixon. The loner girl from high school?" She asks.

"Yeah, that's me. Well, Nova Brown now." I corrected her.

"Oh my gosh. Hi. I'm Bella, Bella Hall?" My heart stops as I stare at the stunning woman in front of me. This is Bella? Short, pretty, cheerleading girl turned out to be this tall, gorgeous, actor? Who just so happens to be working with Dustin, who also used to be her boyfriend?

How can I compete with...this?

"Oh wow, hi. Nice to see you again." I say. I turn around and watch Kevin pull into a parking spot.

"So, what are you doing here?" She looks at her phone as it buzzes.

"Just seeing a friend." I respond a bit too quickly.

"Oh, who?"

"Just my co-worker."

"That's nice. Well, I need to get going. Do you remember Dustin?" She asks. I look around, acting like I'm thinking.

"Yeah I think so."

"Well, I work with him, so that's what I'm going to do."

"Oh, well, have fun. Tell him I said hi if he remembers me." I smile and walk away as she says goodbye, stepping onto the elevator as the doors shut.

"So, you've met Bella." Kevin's quiet voice states when I get into the car. I sigh and nod my head.

"Dustin doesn't want her."

"I don't know how." I told him.

"You haven't seen the way he's acted since he's met you again. It's been a complete change. I used to watch him get into the back of this car and instantly grab an airplane bottle or two. He'd be cussing and slurring his words by the time we got back to the house. He hasn't done that since he's met you. He needs you, Nova." I smile, feeling proud of the fact Dustin has changed.

"Thank you." I whisper.

Later that evening, after picking Elijah up from Carly's, we sat in the living room of our apartment. I listen to the stove beep, telling me that the corn dogs are done. Wesley walks into the house and smiles at his son on the couch. He turns to me and walks in my direction.

"Hey." He whispers, kissing my neck. I force a smile, feeling in my natural habitat. Being fake is my life around him.

"Hi, how was work?" He frowns when I turn around.

"What's that smell?" He asks. I look around.

"...Corndogs?"

"No, it smells like cologne." Fuck. Make something up. Don't slip. Don't say his name. Don't think of him.

"Some guy came in with it today and he kept trying on clothes and I had to put away the clothes he had tried on. So the smell got on me." I shrug my shoulders.

"Oh okay." He nods and walks away.

In a way, I feel proud of myself. The other part of me is disappointed. Four years ago, I spoke vows that told him I would never cheat on him. He said the same things to me, but it's worse in my case scenario. I don't want to be with him any longer, but I can't just leave this, our world, behind.

But I can't be with Dustin if I don't leave Wesley.

And I want Dustin more than Wesley. I'd choose Dustin over him every day.

Sadly, I don't think that's enough.