She smiled sadly. "I'll be gone, Trey."
*******
Kris looked around as she and Sam entered their apartment. She waited for the feeling of homecoming that embraced her every time she was back after a long period of being away. All that came was a deep sense of emptiness and a huge chunk of regret.
Did she do the right thing by refusing to speak with Trey? Sure, this whole saga started because he didn't want to talk to her, but did she have to perpetuate the cycle? He had looked utterly devastated.
"You okay, Kris?" Sam asked, looking at her with concern.
"Yeah," she said with a small smile and walked to her bedroom.
The big panoramic print of Sydney Harbour hanging on her wall greeted her. A silent gasp escaped her, followed by soft sniffing, until she gave in and wept with deep, heart-wrenching sobs.
Sam was instantly beside her. "Hush, sweetie."
"Oh, Sam. I love him," she cried.
"I know, honey."
"I miss him."
"I know."
"What should I do?"
"I don't know," Sam said. "You're asking someone who couldn't even snare a man who knows his way around a woman's body."
Kris chuckled despite her tears. "It's only because you've always been too conservative. You go for the ones who look too safe and you end up getting bored with each other." She sniffed. "While I always go for playboys and get burned every single time. Why do I do that?"
"Why don't we switch preferences next time? You go for the safe, boring ones, and I'll go for the dangerous players," Sam joked. "Maybe we'll have more luck then."
Kris hugged her cousin. "Thank you for making me laugh."
"Anytime."
"I think I'm going to have a bath then go to bed," she said.
"You don't want to have dinner?"
"No. I'm not hungry, just tired."
"Okay. I might order some Chinese. I'm kind of peckish but I don't feel like cooking. I might even order enough for tomorrow," Sam said.
*******
Kris knew she should get out of the bath soon. She'd been in there for too long and she was getting thirsty—even hungry.
Gingerly, she stepped out of the tub, dried herself and donned a robe. She now felt like having some of the Chinese food that had been delivered. She'd heard the security buzzer go off five minutes ago.
She walked out to the living area and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw who was sitting with Sam on the couch.
Trey.
"Hi," he croaked, getting to his feet when he noticed her.
She forced her lungs to function as she grappled with the tidal wave of emotions that threatened to engulf her.
"I'll leave you two alone," Sam said, standing up and walking toward her bedroom. Then she stopped abruptly and looked at Kris. "You know, it might be better if you talk in your bedroom, Kris. Then you won't get interrupted when the food arrives."
Kris didn't respond; she couldn't move.
Sam gave Trey a gentle nudge in her direction. "Go."
Trey moved slowly toward her while she remained frozen. She stared at him, unable to look away, and noticed the strained look on his face and the moistness of his eyes. Her heart beat wildly, and her lips parted to take in more oxygen.
"Which one's your bedroom?" Trey asked softly.
Silently, with arms folded across her chest, she turned and walked, and he followed.
*
"What are you doing here?" she asked as she stood by the window, looking out.
"To say I'm sorry," Trey said from behind her. "And to ask for another chance."
She took a deep breath. Yes, she missed him so damned much. Hell, yes, she loved him, completely and utterly. But she was still hurting.
"I shouldn't have shut you out when you wanted to explain what happened," Trey continued softly when she didn't respond. "And I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. I'm so sorry, Kris."
Trey gently grasped her arms and turned her around. She looked up and fresh tears sprung to her eyes at the sincerity and vulnerability in his expression.
"I haven't opened up to a woman the way I've opened up to you, Kris. Before I knew it, my whole heart was already in your hands. When I saw you with Blake at the restaurant that night, and he intimated you were on a date, I felt like you'd just mangled my heart and threw it right back at my face. All my defence mechanisms rose. I tried to protect myself from further pain and made stupid decisions in the process."
Trey tenderly swiped away the tears that streamed down her cheeks with his thumbs.
"I know you wanted to explain, but when I saw Blake brush something from the corner of your mouth, and you allowed him, I—"
"What?" she asked in surprise. She knew it. That guy she saw hastening away from the coffee shop was Trey.