Tate Montgomery flopped down onto his childhood bed, his stomach full of the dinner his parents' chef made.
After the late dinner with his parents, he opted to spend the night at their home. He normally avoided his family home but exhaustion caused him to drag himself upstairs so he could get some sleep.
Just as his eyes were about to close, the door to his bedroom swung open.
Tate sat up with annoyance as his father, Mitch Montgomery, strode in.
"No, you don't need to knock," Tate said, his voice dropping with sat sarcasm.
"It's my house. I don't need to knock," Mitch reminded his son. "Tate, we need to talk."
"I don't want to talk."
As usual, Mitch ignored his son. "Did you break up with that Tuna woman?"
"Her name is Petunia not Tuna."
"Did you break up with her?" Mitch asked again.
"No, I didn't break up with her," Tate answered.
"Why not?"
"I've told you before. Nessa and I aren't going to be a couple again."
"Why not? And don't tell me it's because you don't love her because I just have to take one look around this room to know you're lying."
Tate swallowed back the lie of denial he would've normally shared.
Picture of Nessa and Tate in various stages of their youth decorated the room. There were also hand-made gifts that she had made for him, displayed proudly on a top shelf. The room was practically a shrine to their relationship.
"Why did you break up with her when you know you care so much for her?" Mitch asked.
Tate rubbed both hands down his face. "That's exactly why I broke up with her. I couldn't let her deal with what I was going through. It wouldn't have been fair to her. She was still young and there was a chance that I—"
Tate's voice cracked with emotion.
"Tate, you need to tell her the truth," Mitch urged him.
"You think that'll make her forgive me?" Tate scoffed. "I broke up with her in one of the cruelest ways possible and didn't talk to her for almost two years. Now, I see her out of nowhere and...and it's like we're reliving it all over again."
"You made a decision and although I didn't agree with it, I stood by you but I can't continue to stand by while you ruin your life," Mitch said. "Stop wasting your time with women who aren't going to make you happy."
"It's too late. She's already met someone else. I decided two years ago that I would live without her. I keep telling myself to let go."
Mitch sighed. "The important things in life are always worth fighting for."
"I know but I'll make a bigger ass of myself than I already have," Tate muttered.
"This is why I warned you not to play games with a woman's heart. You should've been honest." Mitch shook his head. "You break a woman's heart and she goes crazy. She forgets logic and reason."
"The same thing happens with a man. I'm proof of that." Tate closed his eyes. "I miss her. I've missed her since the moment we broke up."
"So what are you going to do?"
"Nothing." Tate covered his eyes with his hands and exhaled deeply.
"Nothing?" Mitch glared at his son. "You're just going to let another man steal her away?"
"What can I do? She wants nothing to do with me and I don't blame her. I actually intended to come clean this afternoon but I screwed that up too and lied to her. Nothing is working right. I thought I could live without her, but now that I've seen her again, I don't know how I'm going to do that."
"What did you say to her?" Mitch asked.
"I asked her to marry me."
"That's too quick considering you two aren't together in a relationship but it's a gutsy." Mitch rubbed his chin. "What did she say?"
"She rejected me but it gets worse," Tate warned him. "I also told her that she needed to change herself."
"Why?" Mitch looked ready to strangle Tate.
"I don't know!" Tate sat up. "I want her back but at the same time I don't feel like I deserve her. Not after what I did. So I purposely screwed it up again. It's like verbal vomit comes out of my mouth instead of the words that I want to say."
"What happened two years ago wasn't your fault, Tate."
"That's not the point. I had a decision to make. As a man, I had to make a choice." Tate stood up and began pacing his room. "I thought I was protecting her. It's the only reason I broke up with her. I thought she'd be much better without me. That she wouldn't have to suffer from—"
"Tate—" His father sighed. "I want you to be happy. It's why I'm pushing you about Nessa. Not because her father is my best friend. She made you so happy."
"But things are different now and no matter how much I tell myself to stay away from her, I can't. I thought I could settle for Petunia, but I can't. Nessa has always been this pulling force for me. I want her to be happy but I want her to be happy with me."
"Then tell her. Explain what happened two years ago and stop being a wishy washy ass with Tuna in your corner."
"What if she doesn't forgive me?" Tate asked softly. "I don't know what I'd do if I told her the truth and she still didn't forgive me. If she doesn't understand."
"Son, I never told you this...but after you broke up with Nessa, she was devastated. She had to go into therapy. Her parents almost cut off communication with your mother and I. I had to explain what was going on for them to forgive us. They promised not to tell Nessa but it took a toll on her. She loved you so much. A woman doesn't love that deeply and then forget it. She'll forgive you."
"I'm not so sure about that," Tate said. "What if I scarred her for life?"
"It's possible but that's another reason you need to tell her the truth. You need to help her heal."
Tate nodded. "You're right. I'll break up with Petunia tomorrow."
Mitch made his way to the door before turning around and giving his son some final advice. "Be careful about that Knox Marsden. In business, he's a ruthless man. I've heard rumors about him. Don't let him steal Nessa away. Don't let him steal your happiness away."
"Don't worry. I won't let anyone or anything stand between us. Not this time."