Married to the Devil

Chapter 39

Was I being stupid?

Cass thought I was.

She rarely had an opinion on anything in my life so it was surprising that she had one now.
And it completely threw me. I thought I made the right choice. So sure that I  was one hundred percent positive that it was the correct decision. But with Cass' new insight on the situation, I wasn't so sure anymore.

It had begun as a mere question. Now it was turning out to be a flocking session of self-doubt. I couldn't sleep. Couldn't eat.

'Was it the right decision to get a divorce?', seemed to be the only thing on my mind since Cass complained about it yesterday.

The doorbell rang.

I froze, unable answer.

If it was Derek, I would slap him for ever setting foot near this house again, especially with the possibility that my parents could be home-and he knew how they felt about him.

If it was Cass, I would probably slap her too for messing with my mind and making me have these crazy thoughts.

If it was Evelyn, boy, all hell would break loose.

When I opened the door and between all the three that I least wanted to see I saw someone that I wanted to see even less, if that was possible.

Josh. Yes, ex- boyfriend Josh.

"What do you want?" I barked.

He took the pleasure of letting himself in, "I just want to talk."

"What about?" My tone coarse and clipped.

He smiled, oblivious to my obvious bad mood.

Josh moved to the couch and sat on it. He placed his hand on the blood red cushion beside him and patted it.

"You should sit down."

I crossed my arms in response.

"Please?" He asked, still smiling. It was obvious he was over the moon about something and I just wasn't sure what.

Reluctantly, my legs moved over to where he sat. I was trying hard to be angry with him, for when he revealed to Derek and Evelyn that I had kissed him and thus lead to more cryptic things. It was hard to stay angry with his big, puppy- dog blue, ocean-colored eyes lovingly looking at me with an admirable expression.

He clasped his two hands in my cautious ones that I lent him.

"I love you Kate, you know that and so do I. "

"Um-"

He held up a finger so I couldn't interrupt, his sincere smile still on his face.

He chuckled like we had spent hours together when in fact I hadn't seen him in forever. He had texted and called of course but with all the Derek drama I at least had the sense to ignore him.

"I think we should get married."

What? Too surprised to speak, my mind turned blank and my mouth formed a perfect 'O'.

Josh moved off the couch to the Arabian carpet underneath us. He bent down on one knee and reached into his pocket to pull out a small black box.

Oh no, no, no, no, no.

Josh smiled so heartily that I was almost afraid of what he was going to do next.

"Kate Williams, will you marry me?"

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When I woke up Derek was gone. His side of the bed was cleaned up too. The sheets were smoothed and the pillows had been fluffed. It was almost as though he had disappeared off the face of the Earth. Almost as if I had imagined him as he carried me up to my room last night.

Sadness enveloped me like a harsh, rough blanket that pricked at the touch.

He was gone.

And this was my first time.