Page 41 of The House Guest

Primrose

Since the moment Dorian left, I’d done nothing but pace. The coffee Benjamin had brought me was ice cold by the time I took my first sip. Despite nuking it several times, I still hadn’t managed to finish it. Nothing seemed to settle in my stomach.

At least an hour had passed, and Dorian hadn’t come back.

He might’ve been thinking better of further engaging with me.

Why come back and deal with me and my baggage when he had a beautiful, blonde girlfriend waiting at the mansion?

I imagined them enjoying their eggs while he thought about how to let me down easy. Over easy. Probably like their eggs.

Then again, that wasn’t the Dorian I knew. He’d seemed pained to see me.

I was still pacing when the door opened, and Dorian again stood before me. He looked incredibly handsome in gray track pants and a fitted T-shirt. His hair was wet from the shower, and the sight of him, along with his familiar smell, caused my nipples to stiffen.

“You came back…”

“Did you really doubt that I would?”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.”

Dorian stepped toward me. “I need to set the record straight.”

My stomach sank. His demeanor wasn’t exactly warm. Oh no. Pushing my shoulders back, I gulped and prepared for the worst. “Okay…”

“Obviously I wasn’t expecting this. So bear with me if I’m still processing.” He exhaled. “I made a decision that might seem rash, but I feel it’s for the best right now.”

Every muscle in my body tightened as I closed my eyes. In my head, I was already on my way home.

“I broke up with Liv.”

My eyes flashed open. “What?”

“The moment you walked back into my life today, all the things I felt when I last saw you came flooding back. I need the space to work through this while you’re here.”

“That was the last thing I expected you to say,” I admitted, letting out a relieved breath.

“This doesn’t mean I have confidence, Primrose. I don’t feel I can trust that you won’t go back to him and continue on with your life once you leave.”

I smiled sadly, opting not to try to convince him. It would be actions, not words, that made a difference.

“Something changed in me when after everything, you chose him,” Dorian said. “And even though I understand, it took away a level of trust I had in us that I’m not sure I can get back. ”

That was hard to hear, but it made sense. I was relieved, though, that he wasn’t telling me to leave. He’d chosen me, even if I hadn’t earned the right to be chosen. He’d chosen me—for now.

“All that being said…” He opened his arms as his mouth curved into a smile. “Please come here so I can hug you.”

The breaths I’d been holding finally escaped as I rushed forward and leaped into his arms. I let my body melt into his, feeling both comfort and fear.

This was it. The next seven days were our last chance.

These seven days would make or break us forever.

Still, despite the turmoil in my mind, it felt so very good to be held by him again.

When he pulled back, I looked him in the eyes. “I promise I’m not here to hurt you. And I agree, we need this time to figure it out. But I can assure you I followed my heart here. It was the first time I’ve done that since I left my heart in this very place more than five years ago.”

He patted my back. “Get your bags. Let’s go to the house.”

“Are you sure? I can stay here while—”

“Of course I’m sure. I’m not gonna let you stay with Benjamin—unless you want to be bored out of your wits.”

I laughed, still feeling jittery as I headed to the room where I’d put all my stuff.

Dorian waited as I gathered my belongings, and I texted Benjamin to let him know I was moving to the mansion.

Benjamin responded with a smiley-face emoji .

As I followed Dorian up the walkway to the main house, nostalgia washed over me.

Living here felt like forever ago and just yesterday all at once.

How was that possible? He opened the door, and I looked around.

The mansion looked much the same, except the furniture in the living room had changed.

Some of the same artwork hung on the walls.

I dropped my bag and walked over to the old grandfather clock, which I was pleased to see still ticking. “Hey, old man,” I murmured.

Then it hit me. The dogs.

“What happened to Tallulah and Tess?”

“When Benjamin and I left for Turkey, they were rehomed.” He smiled. “With Chandler and Candace. They’re still there.”

“No way!” I sighed. “Candace didn’t mention that.”

After I said it, my eyes widened.

“You’ve been in touch with Candace?” he asked.

I nodded. “Long story short, after I stalked her page online, I accidentally liked one of her photos, which prompted her to reach out to me. We talked once on the phone to catch up. That was it.”

“Well, that doesn’t surprise me. You two always got along. She loved you.”

He looked into my eyes. I wanted him to hold me again, to reiterate that he’d always loved me, too. But I knew that validation was something I’d have to earn. He’d poured his heart out to me in Ohio, and I’d thrown it away the moment I chose to move forward with the wedding.

“Can I ask you a favor?” I said.

“Okay… ”

“I know we have a lot to talk about. But can we put off the heavy stuff until tomorrow and chill for the rest of the day? Maybe enjoy some of the things we used to? I miss it. I miss her —the old me. Even if I can’t ever be her again, I want to live in that world again for one day.”

“We can do that.” He smiled, gesturing toward the stairs. “Can I show you to your room?”

“Yes. Please.”

To my shock, he led me to my old room, the main bedroom.

I turned to him in surprise. “You haven’t taken over this space?”

“Well, it’s kind of haunted.” He shrugged. “First because of Dad. Then because of you.”

Unlike the living room, this suite hadn’t changed a bit. Even the linens were the same. Dorian followed me around the room, his hands in his pockets, his body language just as guarded as his attitude had been back at Benjamin’s.

I walked into the empty closet that had once been my art room.

“Was she living here with you?”

“No. But she stayed over quite a bit.”

“I’m sorry my being here caused you to break up. I’m sure she was devastated.”

He arched a brow. “I thought we weren’t gonna talk about the tough stuff today.”

“There’s something about this closet that makes me want to purge my thoughts.”

“We did have some deep conversations in here, didn’t we?” Dorian cracked a smile.

“It all feels like just a moment ago.”

“Time is probably an illusion anyway.” He sighed. “It does seem like yesterday. And yet so much has changed. You’ve created a beautiful little human. You’re a mom. And I managed to drive my father’s business into the ground.”

“That’s a good place for it, considering it nearly got you killed.”

“That’s not all it did, right? You paid a price, too, even if you didn’t know it at the time.”

“For whatever reason, the universe planned it this way.” I smiled sadly.

“All of that, and we end up right here right now in the place it all started. I woke up this morning to get eggs and somehow by the afternoon I’m in the closet with Primrose. It’s like a dream.” After a long moment of silence, he said, “I need you to clarify something.”

“Okay.”

“You said you ended the engagement. Does he understand that you and he aren’t together right now?”

“Yes,” I answered emphatically. “He wanted to give me the freedom to make sure I was making the right decision.”

Dorian let out a breath, seeming relieved. “And little Rosie? Where does she think you are this week?”

“Visiting old friends.”

“Friends in quotation marks?” He winked.

“Massive quotation marks and a question mark.”

He nodded. “It had to be hard for you to leave her.”

“It would’ve been harder not to come to you when my heart felt ready to explode. I’m finally figuring out that I’m no good to my daughter if I’m not happy. ”

“In case I wasn’t clear in my absolute shock this morning, I’m glad you came, Rosebud.” He nodded. “So glad.”

His use of my old nickname sent a warm feeling through my body. Yearning to touch him, I reached out and ran my fingers through his hair, watching as he closed his eyes, letting out a low groan. But instead of returning the touch, he placed his hand on my arm, prompting me to pull away.

“I’ll let you decompress for a bit,” he said. “Come down when you’re ready, okay?”

Feeling a bit dejected, I cleared my throat. “Okay.”

After he left, I sat on the closet floor for a few minutes before forcing myself to go put my clothes in the drawers. I freshened up before heading downstairs.

Dorian was standing at the window, looking out pensively when I found him in the living room.

“Hey.”

He turned. “Hi.”

“What’s the plan?” I asked, feeling a bit tense.

“I want to show you something,” he said, leading me out back.

Dorian brought me over to a beautiful rose garden.

“Your mom’s garden is back.”

“Yep. I’d love to say I did it myself, but I hired a gardener to put it in.” He chuckled. “But I do maintain it. This is where I come now to think, meditate…to feel gratitude.”

“That’s beautiful.”

“ You’re beautiful,” he murmured. “Never thought you’d get to see this.”

“Is this where the rose you sent me came from?”

“Yes. ”

“I’d thought that package was pretty formal until I reached inside and pulled out that rose.”

“I wanted you to know I was still thinking of you.”

“I knew that.” I grinned. “Also, it was kind of you to send me Christina’s ring. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“No one but you should have it.” Dorian fell silent. “Can you tell I’m still in shock that you’re here?”

“Yes, but I don’t blame you.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Only if you’re not cooking.” I winked.

“Wiseass.” He chuckled. “I was thinking we could go down to the boardwalk.”

“That sounds good.” Maybe a change of scenery would lighten things up a little.

That evening, Dorian took me to one of my favorite restaurants in Orion Coast: Judy’s Oceanside.

During dinner, the mood gradually softened as we reminisced about the old days living together at the mansion.

He told me about the consulting work he was now doing, and I bragged a bit about my daughter, how smart she was for her age and her interest in art.

Every minute it felt more like old times.

“I’m glad to see you’ve relaxed,” I said.

He nodded. “I think getting away from the mansion was a good idea.”

Then my phone rang, and I looked down to find it was Casey.

Shit.