I can't believe I'm here and giving in to terrorism.
That's what I'm choosing to call what Alec is doing to me.
He's holding our divorce papers hostage until I cave and give in to his demands.
Well, the fucker wins. I've caved. I'm here but I'm not willing to negotiate. I want our divorce papers back and I want them signed. I'm tired of playing mind-fuck games and emotional tug of war.
I get out of my car and the salty air pleasantly invades my nostrils. It's a smell I've missed.
The sight of the ocean greets me, and I sigh contently. There truly is no place like home. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore caresses my ears like a beautifully orchestrated symphony.
Excited chatter, laughter and music gets louder as I round the corner. The road is blocked off with barricades, no vehicles are in sight in the public beach parking. Instead, lines of stalls fill up the space.
People scatter the street, some helping stall owners place chalk boards outside, others putting the finishing touches on their stalls.
Mrs. White, a fiery redhead from a few houses down and also my high school mathematics teacher, huffs. She places her hand on her left hip with a heavy shake of her head. "Tristian!" She booms, drawing the attention of the people walking by. "The banner is lopsided! How many more times do I have to ask you to lower the left side? The left side, Tristian the left!"
"That is your right!" She exclaims, smacking her forehead with frustration.
I snicker, covering my mouth with my hand as I slowly approach the comical scene to assist. Before I reach however, Alec jogs across the road. He says something only him and Mrs. White can hear as she flashes him an appreciative smile.
Tristian, the flushed boy, descends the ladder, embarrassment coating his red cheeks. Alec takes his place, adjusting the left side of the brown banner with Shoot your Shot written in bold white letters outlined with yellow.
"Just a little down," Mrs. White instructs, and Alec obeys. "Perfect!" She cheers, clapping her hands together.
A smoldering, breath-taking smile curls Alec's lips and I look away. Unable to handle the sight of his panty dropper smile.
"Oh, my God!" A familiar voice exclaims. "I must be dreaming 'cause I'm looking at a ghost taking on the form of my daughter-in-law!"
I smile, walking towards Tracey and my parents. "It's really me."
She throws her arms around me with a glorious laugh echoing in my ears as I attempt to hug her back just as tightly. "It's been so long!" She cups my cheeks, squishing them together. "You're even more beautiful than I remember," she smiles.
"I missed you, too," I embrace her again, kissing her cheek.
"Hi daddy," I kiss my father's cheek, giving him, a side hug and I repeat the action with my mom.
Dad places his arm over my shoulders, kissing the top of my head. "How's the hangover?"
"There's no hangover this time round. She looked good this morning when I was there," Alec responds nonchalantly.
"She drank beer again, didn't she?" Tracey asks with a laugh.
"Yes," all three echo and burst out laughing at my expense.
"I'm not that bad," I mumble, leaning my head against dad's shoulder.
"Oh. We know you aren't, sugar," mom smiles. "You're worse," mom erupts in laughter, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
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𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 |𝟏𝟖+| Slow Updates
Romance"We agreed. If I won, you'd marry me someday." "Why'd you wanna marry me, anyhow?" I ask. "So, I can do this for the rest of our lives," he stops walking with me in his arms, his radiant blue-green eyes flickering between my eyes and lips as the ons...
Chapter Ten
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