Colors Always Bleed Together [DUFN]

Chapter Twenty-One: Honey Glow

I was too late.

She's already gone.

I screwed up.

I shake my head in disbelief. No. This isn't happening. Not now. Not when I found a way to fix it all.

I look around for a clue that Nicki will be coming back. The room is free of all her possessions. Not even a single sign that she was here in the first place.

I take a shaky breath and hold back a sob. I was too late.

I sit on the edge of the bed and put my head in my hands. What the hell have I done?

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I honestly don't have the heart to answer it. It's probably just Brent anyways. Either way, feeling it or not, I end up picking it up and clicking on the screen.

I sigh in utter relief. It's from the one person I would beg God just to see again. Nicki. "I'll be back in about half an hour."

"Where are you?" I ask.

"Texas Roadhouse with my family."

Well, maybe a surprise visit will make us both feel a little better.

I send back a message informing that I will soon be driving and unable to answer her texts. My phone vibrates again the second it finds its way back into my pocket. I don't check it, nonetheless.

I quickly make it out to the parking lot and find my car. I Google directions and look at the map swiftly and carefully before throwing my phone on top of my jacket. I dig out my keys the second I remember that I still need my phone and realized how dumb I may actually be. I sit it face up in the console to occasionally glance down at while driving. After carefully pulling out of the allotted parking grounds, I start down the road ahead.

I follow the directions closely and carefully until I see the top of the brown log building. I keep my eyes on the parking lot as I wait for the car in front of me to go. If there was an award for worst driver, this woman might win it. Honestly, I would have time to sit here and not only make one, but also sew a suit and present it to her like an Oscar.

What seems like a lifetime later, I park in front of the restaurant. I walk in the door and the smell of grilling steak instantly fills the air. My stomach begins to growl.

I look around the room for Nicki before the hostess can ask if I would like a table. She and her family are sitting near the back wall. She turns to face me and an unreadable look crosses her face. As she stands and makes her way over, it becomes increasingly clear that it is probably anger.

She grabs me by the arm without a word and leads me out the front doors. Nicole looks around to make sure nobody is in earshot before whispering loudly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Wow. Not the response I was hoping for. Not even a little.

"I need to talk to you," I answer truthfully, adding another truth to the end, "and I'm hungry."

She rolls her eyes, obviously not believing the second part. She even adds a bit of a head shake for effect. "It couldn't have waited an hour?"

I lift my hands the same way someone would to surrender. I cock my head to the side and smirk at her. "Hey, I'm an impatient man."

She looks away from my face and her eyes settle on my brace. "When did you get it off?" She asks.

"When I came to see you." I reply.

She visible softens; gilt is shown on her face. I hope she doesn't feel too bad because of me. That would make me feel even worse.

She sighs. "I'll be right back."