Love's Destiny (Love Trilogy #2) (24 page)

I had never heard any of this before. Mike and Katherine had always seemed so perfect together, so meant for each other I couldn’t imagine either one of them with anyone else.

“I came back home for your parents wedding and that’s when I saw Katherine again. I was still living with Elle, she was actually with me at the wedding, but one look at Katherine and I knew she was who I was meant to be with. I had never loved Elle, our relationship was something that just kind of happened over time, but not something lasting. I ended my relationship with her that night and spent the next several years trying to track Katherine down.” He finished.

We sat silently for a minute while he let the story sink in, I still wasn’t sure why he was telling me this.

“Destiny never loved Steven.” He finally said “Their relationship was just something that happened over time.”

His meaning finally struck.

“She should have told me about him.” I said defensively

“Yes, she should have.” He agreed “But I can tell you that I’ve never seen her look at anyone the way she was looking at you these last few days. And I’ve seen you look at her that way for some time now.”

“How could she say she loved me when she was with someone else?” I asked exasperated.

“Sometimes everything can be right about a situation, except the timing. I can tell you that I’ve seen Destiny with Steven, and her heart has never belonged to him. If she told you she loved you, that means something.”

“There was a woman here last night.” I admitted as my shoulders slumped. “She came to me and found me with another woman. It was nothing, just some girl a friend brought over, but she left before I could explain.”

He nodded sympathetically.

“No one ever said love was easy. It certainly wasn’t an easy road for me, but well worth the journey to get there. You two still have some things to work through, but don’t let pride or shame stand in your way.” He advised.

“Thanks Mike.” I said standing to shake his hand. He grasped my hand and pulled me in for a hug.

“You know I think of you as a son Tyler. Your father was my best friend and you will always be family no matter how this turns out with Destiny.” He assured me.

I nodded but rather than feeling reassured his words only left me feeling nervous at the implication that things might not work out.

I couldn’t lose her, I wouldn’t. There was no one else in the world for me but her. And there was no one else in the world who would love her as much as I did. I just had to prove that to her now.

I cried almost the entire 2 1/2 hour drive back to San Diego. I had left for the marine base almost as soon as Steven had left for the airport. I had plenty of time to think while driving up to Twentynine Palms. I was going to start by apologizing. I should have told Tyler about Steven from the beginning. I would explain to him that my relationship was already essentially over before I’d even come home, but that it was definitely over now. Most importantly I would tell him that I loved him. That I wanted to work things out with him. I would come back to California after graduation in a few months. I could even get a place near the base so that we’d be close while he finished out his time in the Marines.

I was prepared to put my heart on the line. I was prepared for his anger over the situation with Steven. I was prepared to make compromises and sacrifices so that we could be together. I wasn’t prepared for the redhead I found wrapped around him when I came to his room.

I felt my heart shatter again as I fled for my car. Obviously he wasn’t as upset as I’d thought. Had what we’d shared meant nothing to him? It hadn’t even been 24 hours since we’d made love on the beach and now he was practically having sex with some random woman. Or maybe she wasn’t random. Maybe they were together. Maybe he had a girlfriend too. I couldn’t really be angry at him for keeping that from me, hadn’t I done the same thing? But obviously they weren’t over. Far from it! They were probably having sex right now, laughing over the whole thing.

I had to pull the car over to the side of the road while I sobbed uncontrollably. Finally composed again I pulled back onto the highway and made my way home, silent tears running down my face the whole way.

It was late when I finally got home. My parent’s surprised faces met me at the door. They hadn’t expected I’d be back tonight when I’d told them I was going to talk with Tyler.

They saw my tear streaked face and Mom instantly wrapped her arms around me and led me upstairs. She ran a bath for me and then left me to soak. I wallowed in self-pity and cried unrelentingly until the water turned cold. Eventually I pulled myself out of the bath, dried off and pulled on some sweats before climbing into bed to cry into my pillow.

Everything was ruined. I didn’t know how to fix it. Tyler must hate me now, and was obviously already moving on. Images of him with that girl on his lap brought on fresh sobs. How could this have ended so horribly? Two days ago I had been so happy. Everything had been fall
ing into place, everything had
been perfect, and now… what? Where did we go from here?

Was I just supposed to go back to school and leave him behind? See him on the holidays and at family functions and pretend that nothing had happened, that it wasn’t awkward. I didn’t think I could bear it. I loved him, irrevocably, unconditionally loved him, and I’d ruined everything!

Why hadn’t I told him about Steven? If I had none of this would have happened. He wouldn’t have been so hurt when Steven showed up. It would have been awkward but he wouldn’t have been taken by surprise, he wouldn’t have felt so betrayed. And he wouldn’t’ have left and ended up in the arms of that… girl.

And then I’d lashed out at him when he’d chased after me. He had chased after me, he had left her behind and followed me to the car. Maybe that meant something, I thought with a small shred of hope. But I hadn’t given him the chance to explain. I yelled at him and left him standing there. Left him to go back to her.

I felt sick at the images of them together, try as I might I couldn’t stop thinking about it. What could I do now? Call him? Tell him, okay I’m ready for you to explain?

No, first I needed to explain. I needed to explain about Steven, after all that’s what started this whole thing. And then, maybe, he’d explain about her. Maybe it hadn’t been what it had seemed. I thought of the red lipstick I’d seen smeared across his neck and knew whatever it was it hadn’t been innocent.

How could he have done that? How could he have turned to another woman so quickly? After asking me to declare my feelings for him to my family, essentially asking for a commitment. How could he turn away so quickly, so easily? I was torn between anger and regret. I tossed and turned all night, barely sleeping.

Finally sometime after noon I made my way downstairs. The house was quiet and seemed empty. I made a bowl of cereal and sat at the kitchen table alone milling over all the thoughts and fears I’d had the night before.

What if Tyler was just some kind of ladies’ man now? A bachelor who bedded every girl who came his way. It would explain his disregard for the redhead he’d left sitting on the floor when he’d chased after me. She had meant nothing to him, just a way to pass the time. Is that what I’d been too?

This was Tyler, I argued with myself. I’d known him my whole life, that’s not who he was. But did I really know him now? I hadn’t seen him for several years. Could he have changed that much?

I thought of the childhood friend who I’d shared secrets with. But he wasn’t that boy anymore. I thought of the sullen teenager I had again befriended so many summers ago. Automatically that made me think of the first kiss we’d shared. The first time I’d pushed him away. That’s when everything had changed.

It was the following summer after his parent’s death that I first recognized my feelings for him, but they’d scared me then. I was preparing to leave for college and couldn’t face what he was bringing to life inside me.

Things were awkward between us after that, strained. I realized now that all along it was because we were fighting what we felt for each other. Well I was fighting it. Tyler declared his love for me the following summer, and again I’d pushed him away. I had always pushed him away.

All these years he’d loved me and I’d fought it, denying my feelings for him. And now after all this time I had finally admitted my love for him. Finally let it take over and felt it through every ounce of my being. Was it his turn to reject me? Had I hurt him too many times? Would he ever forgive me?

I heard the front door open, I carried my cereal bowl to the sink and walked to the foyer to see my dad climbing the stairs.

“Hey Dad” I said walking into the foyer.

“Oh Destiny, I was just coming to look for you.” He said walking back down the few steps to where I stood.

“What’s going on?”

“He came to see me.” I heard Tyler’s voice and turned to see him standing by the door.

“Oh” I breathed as my heart began to race.

“I’m going to leave you two to talk.” Dad said as he began to climb the stairs again.

I didn’t take my eyes off Tyler. I wasn’t sure what to say and I couldn’t read his face. He stood staring back at me his expression blank.

“Can we talk?” he asked and I nodded then followed him to the living room.

He sat on the couch and I sat with him, my mind racing with all the things I wanted to say but unable to decide where to start.

“That girl last night, she was no one.” He started to explain. “My roommate Bennett brought her over, but I was trying to get them to leave.”

I nodded again, my throat tight as I tried to hold back tears.

“Nothing would have happened, even if you hadn’t shown up.” He assured me, and I believed him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Steven.” I finally managed to say “He was just… it was already over with him… before you… before we…”

“I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain.” He said “I shouldn’t have left like that.”

“You were upset. I should’ve told you about him. I’m sorry I hurt you again, I never meant to.”

“I know.” He said sliding closer to me on the couch so that he could reach out and take my hand.

“Destiny, I love you. I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life. When I saw him I was just afraid, afraid that you didn’t feel the same way.”

“I do! I love you Tyler! I love you with all my heart! I always have and I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to realize it.” I exclaimed as the tears I’d been holding back poured free.

“Please don’t cry.” He whispered wiping away my tears.

“I never loved him, not like I love you. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.” I cried as he cradled my face.

He bent forward to kiss the tears away from my cheeks and then placed a soft kiss on each of my closed eyelids and then another on the tip of my nose. I opened my eyes to look at him as he brought his mouth to mine, kissing it just as softly.

I moaned against his mouth opening to him and wrapping my arms around his neck. His tongue swept out to glide along my lower lip and I opened my mouth to invite him in. Our tongues tangled together in a passionate kiss as we held onto each other, relief and desire washing over me as I felt his strong arms pull me against him.

“Tyler you’re back!” Chance’s voice came from the door behind us and Tyler immediately pulled away to turn and face my brother.

He scooted away from me breaking our embrace as he looked nervously between my brother and me.

“Yes he is.” I said scooting after him and taking his hand in mine again.

He looked at me questioningly, and I smiled back as I leaned forward to kiss him once more.

“And he’s not going anywhere.” I said after breaking the kiss and turning back to my brother.

“Cool!” Chance said “It’s about time you guys finally got together.” He added before turning to leave the room.

“You’re telling me.” Tyler murmured as he pulled me back against him and brought his mouth down to mine.

I knew I had to tell her, but I didn’t know how. I didn’t know how to tell her that I was leaving and didn’t know when I would be back, didn’t even know where I was going. I wanted to put it off as long as possible, to enjoy each and every moment up until the moment that could possibly change everything. Would it change everything, could it?

It had taken us so long to get to this point. For her to realize that she loved me, for her to admit it. Now we were finally here, finally declaring our love for each other openly and I was leaving. I didn’t know how she would take it. Would she wait for me? Would she understand?

I only had one more week. I considered waiting to tell her, I wanted to, but knew that would be wrong. She had a right to know all the facts, and then make her decision. I told myself I was confident about her feelings, about us, but I was terrified by that little part of me that was unsure what her decision would be. So many times she had turned away from me. Would she do it again?