Complications

Chapter 3

2 and a half years ago

The first 6 months after the breakup had been the hardest. There was a gaping hole in her life where Ty used to be. She'd been with Ty for nearly 6 years and now it felt like half of herself was just gone.

She'd even had to deal with the mess of ending the lease that they had signed for the apartment that they should have been living in together. Last summer, they made the decision to move in together. Sure they'd spent the night at each other's places hundreds of times, but they'd always gone home to different places. Annie's school was around 2 and a half hours outside of Atlanta, and she stayed in the dorms during the school year. In past summers she would get an apartment with a month to month lease closer to the city with her friends, to be closer to Ty. Ty had wanted to ask her to move in with him for a long time, but he wanted to let her bring it up first. He was constantly on the move for baseball, and he was ready to settle. He wanted to make sure Annie was too, without being pushed. With this year being Annie's last in college, they had signed a year long lease, planning to finish out the baseball season before buying any place permanently.

It had been awful. Ending the future that they could have had. Even after everything though, Annie still had things to look forward to. Nine months ago, Annie had submitted her photographs into a competition being held by a gallery in Atlanta, and 3 months ago she'd found out she won. She'd been keeping herself busy by putting together a full show, and tonight, was the opening.

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Ty had been supportive of Annie entering the competition, and even persuaded her to do it when she almost didn't. If he was honest, he forgot about the whole thing. Between the breakup and raising a baby, his mind hadn't had a lot of free space. He was out walking with Trevor when he saw a flier pinned to a bulletin board in his favorite coffee shop. He agonized over whether he should go or not for 2 days. On opening night he was buzzing, anxiously watching the clock. The showing closed in an hour. Her family was sure to be gone by now right? The last thing he needed was a run in with Ronnie and Dana Sue. He shot up from the couch where he had been sitting, showered and put on a suit, kissed a sleeping Trevor and left him with Lexi. The gallery was less than 15 minutes from where he lived, so he made it with time to spare. He turned off his car and looked inside through the glass doors.

He could see her. She was standing with her back to him, holding a champagne flute and looking at her work and chatting with a couple who looked like they were hanging on her every word. She wore a fitted, silky black dress with a scooped neck that stopped around mid-calf and tall black heels. Annie didn't dress up often, but when she did, she was even more irresistible than she already was. Especially in black.

(Recommended Listen - Dress by Taylor Swift)

Ty opened the door to the gallery and held it for the couple that Annie had just been talking to as they walked out. She was standing alone now, her back still to him.

The gallery had tall brick walls and moody lighting. Contemporary light fixtures hung from the ceiling, casting shadows and creating ambiance. The exhibit would be closing in the next 15 minutes, and as far as Ty could tell, he and Annie were the only ones there. He had seen a staff member walk into a back office and he let out a breath of relief. Whatever happened next, he didn't want an audience.

He walked towards her, like he was hypnotized. She was a magnetic force he was being drawn to.

"Annie."

Annie whirled around, not that she needed confirmation of who had spoken. Ty had become an extension of herself. She knew him inside out. She would recognize his voice anywhere.