Sugar Lips

Chapter Sixteen

             Jaxon

"There's something you should know." Her voice was fragile and shaky.

I stood, fueled by anxiety. "Is everything okay? Are you okay?"

"No—yeah, I mean, I'm fine. It's just—"

"It's just what?" It was eating away at me, not being near her.

"Jaxon, I'm not coming back to New York." I felt my legs buckle.

I slumped back onto the couch.

"Don't do this." Is all I heard myself say before I threw my head back. "I love you, Everleigh." She had to know. Had to hear how I truly felt. Maybe then she'd come back to me.

"Don't say that—please, forget you ever met me. It's better this way." She was sobbing. And there was not a Goddamn thing I could do to ease her pain.

"Everleigh, please—" My insides twisted, so much confusion, so much fear. My throat tightened with pain.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I think it's for the best if we don't speak or see each other." She hung up, and that was that. I sat, mostly in shock, and feeling utterly heartbroken. A suffocating sensation choked my whole being. Before Everleigh, I had no room in my busy schedule for romance. Now she was gone. I didn't recognize the man I'd become. I went to the kitchen and opened a fresh bottle of whiskey, eager to forget.

Two months later

Time had passed. The pain dulled — it didn't go away, and I doubt it ever will. When you have your heart broken for the first time, it's something that will stay with you forever. I don't think I'll ever forget Everleigh. Or get over her. Yet, it was over before it had even begun. That hurts the most. We could've been so good together. I had to give her what she wanted. She deserved that after all that she had been through. I didn't call her. Message her. I did, however, occasionally scroll through her social media accounts. Torn by jealousy at certain pictures with males. Friend or not, it was tough, not going to lie.

The number of times I had to give myself a good stern talking to when the thought of just arriving on her parents' doorstep popped into my mind. It was slow progress, but work became my primary focus again. Business deals were approved. I had one-night stands with strangers. I couldn't put my heart out there again, made it easier so no one could get anything from me. I wasn't promising them the world, and I wanted nothing in return apart from a distraction, only it failed. Every time someone was under me, all I could see was Everleigh. All that was missing was her pink hair and her smart-ass mouth cursing me out.

I glanced down at my phone, something I did every morning before stepping out of my town car. In the hopes there would be a text from Everleigh. Only there never was.

I straightened my tie before exiting the car. "Have a good day, sir." My driver Nigel said. I nodded, smiled, and wished him one too.

I was walking towards Van Dolce headquarters — a building that boasted luxury office space and a quirky rooftop when a flicker of pink hair diverted my attention.

"Everleigh?" I stopped short in dismay, watching with morbid curiosity. My fingers ached to touch her. I couldn't be sure; the girl had her back to me. Wearing a white cotton dress and tan boots. But the body and height, even the length of hair was similar to Everleigh's. I walked faster; work could wait.

"Everleigh?" I called out. The girl turned around and smiled at someone behind me, waving, catching the attention of whoever she was waiting for. A twinge of disappointment hit me. The stranger walked right past me, and I looked over my shoulder watching her.

There was a sourness in the pit of my stomach. It wasn't her. I was a fool for believing it was. A fool for thinking she'd come to see me if she was back in New York. For comfort, I slipped my hand in my pocket and took out Everleigh's charm necklace she'd given me back in Miami. I turned it over and brushed my finger over her initials EVK. I will never forget a single detail about her beautiful face.

My thoughts filtered back to the day I'd met her. Her beauty was exquisite, fragile. Loose tendrils of pink hair softened her delicate face. She was the most beautiful girl that had ever caught my attention. Now she was gone. My thoughts were jagged and painful. I stashed the chain in my pocket, gathered my composure, and carried on. It was time for me to move on. Time to heal from my heartbreak.