After 4 | ✓

Chapter 31

Hardin's POV:

I'm standing in the doorway of Tessa's apartment, with a black duffel bag hanging on my shoulder. Is it the right fucking apartment? Did Landon gave me the right number? And if not, he did this just to play with me, it's really fucking stupid. No, he wouldn't do that, he knows me too well that I'd be really pissed.

I should knock now. Or I did it? Fuck. I'm so nervous. I knock on the door and wait. I run my fingers into my hair to set, they're probably messy. I should've a ‌haircut. Fuck.
Why am I so nervous? It's just her.

Because you haven't saw her or talk to her for months and you don't a fucking clue that she'd like your presence or not.
My subconscious adds. He's talking way too much when it's involving her. Shut up, I tell him.
And the door opens.

What if it's her, what am I gonna say? But it's Landon, with only a towel wrap around his waist...and followed by...his fucking ex, Delilah. Oh, did I disturbed them?

My eyes goes to her then at Landon and I raise my brow. "Well, hello, Landon. Delilah." I walk past them into the apartment. I put my bag on the couch and a minute later Landon walks in.

I ask him, "Why was she here? I thought you were fucking the other one?" And look and wandering around the room.

"I need some advice," he says. I stop at the chair and touches a pair of Tess's pajama pants. My fingers run over the fuzzy fucking material, tracing the edges of the clouds. I'm not so fan of this fucking thing but it's feels so good. Like touching my angle's grace.

"Put some clothes on first. I don't give advice while someone's naked. Not with you, at least." I say and he walks back to his bedroom.

I'm debating that I should look around the apartment, especially her room, but I'm trying not to invade her space. Just one look wouldn't hurt anybody. I open the door of her room walk inside.
What the hell? This room is so fucking small, how could she managing in this mouse-trap of a room.

I walk out in the living room and sit on the couch, open my laptop and pen, my manuscript.

After fucking ten minutes or so Landon walks out from his room and asks, "Already working?" I put the manuscript away so that he can't see, what I'm working on.

"Yeah. It took you long enough to get dressed," I complain. Why am I complaining? He can take his time to do what he didn't finishes with her ex with his hands now.
He tosses a pillow at me, and I call him an asshole under my breath.

"Where's Tess?" I ask him. I thought for a that she would be the one who'd welcome me with a warm smile and a kiss. Not the kiss that would take a time, so that she could trust me again to open up with me.

"Working. She's staying busy while you're here." He says and I let out a huff in annoyance and stay quiet. I'm not going to say anything to fucked up my chance to stay with her in this few days here, or it will be a back track on my progress I made with my fucked up mind.

"What time does she get home usually?" I ask. He hesitate but finally says.

"Tonight she'll be home around two." I close my laptop and lean toward him.

"Two? In the morning?"

"Yeah. She's closing tonight. And working a double shift during the
day."

"Two in the morning is ridiculous. There's no reason for her to be working until the fucking morning."

"I can't control how much she works. Neither can you." I sigh and nod. I'm not going to control her at anything, not anymore. Because of my controlling shit, I made a lot of problems between us in the past.