The Devil's Trail

51- Type of Man

I did as he said and removed the contacts before I left my car. Standing at his front door, I turned and placed my hand under the waterfall he had put in, smiling to myself as the cold water splashed over my hand and into the fountain below. I missed silly things about his home, the water feature, the hot tub, the balcony where you could overlook the entire garden and Vegas skyline, the metal framework on the doors and most of all, I missed calling it my home too.

Knocking, I stepped away from the front door and watched as he came to the door with a smile. "Hey."

"Hi." I replied.

"Come in."

I entered the house and felt the nostalgia, I loved this place. The feel of it and how it reflected parts of his character throughout.

"So..." I draw out waiting for him to speak.

"Do you want a drink? I want one. I could use a drink." He says before heading off towards the kitchen.

Of course I comply and follow him because why wouldn't I? A piece of me is glad that as I walk through his home, nothing has changed. But I tell myself not to get my hopes up, that woman was there with him today. He has moved on. But where is she now?

"You took your contacts out." He motions on his eyes as he says it.

I nod "You said—"

"I know. But it's just nice to see those eyes." He replies placing a bottle on the counter before me.

"Gracie with your mom?" I guess not seeing her in the house.

"Pool. It's a little hot for her. You know how she is." He laughs slightly before looking at his bottle.

"How are you, Zak? Truthfully."

He thinks the question over before nodding "I'm... Okay. Yeah I'm okay."

"But not good or great?"

"Well I'm better for seeing you." He responds making my heart lift in my chest. He always knew what to say...

I want to leave, to avoid whatever this is becoming because things between us were never awkward. There had never been silences between us until now.

"I had so much to say to you, but it poof!" I spoke making him smile.

"Yeah, it happened to me. I guess I was just too caught up in the little things to really make my brain work."

"What little things?" I reply cocking my head to the side.

"The colour of your hair in the sunlight, the shape of your lips, how you wring your fingers together when your nervous.."

I parted my fingers and held the bottle instead.

"The fact you had a shield back up."

"I had to.." I whispered causing him to nod.

"I know, I get that. But you hide behind a fabricated Delilah when the real one is pretty fucking amazing."

"She's a disaster."

"But she was my disaster." He argued making me bite the inside of my lip.

He sighed, taking my silence as it came. I was figuring out that this was the awkward breakup moment that I wanted to skip. Here was I, thinking we had managed that, but I postponed it. Now he was going to do it his way, and rightly so...

"Pool?" He suggested.

"Oh I didn't bring any clothes—"

"I meant a game of pool, on the pool table."