Second Chances | Grooms #2 | Slow Updates #WattyLonglist

【 xvii. morning visitors 】

Maahi groaned as she sat up in bed at the relentless knocking on her front door. "Who the hell is it so early in the morning?" She muttered to herself.

She didn't expect an answer back, so when she did hear a voice, she shrieked. "It's almost noon."

Her head turned sharply to her left. Kristen was sleeping next to her as dead weight and Liam fully awake beside, thanks to the constant knocking. She placed her hand on her chest to catch her breath, recalling last night. Kristen had made quite a fuss and so instead of taking her all the way to her apartment, Maahi had let her crash at her place. As for Liam, it had been quite late and after seeing how he had genuinely tried to help her get her friends back from the club, she'd decided they were friends, and let him crash as well.

She pushed the covers aside and got off the bed to answer the door. "I would've thought you'd have left by now."

"I would have if I knew where you'd kept my car keys."

"They might still be in my purse." She quickly answered walking out of her bedroom. Seconds later, she opened the front door. Her lips parted in surprise and eyes widened seeing the person in front of her. "Parth?"

He let out a sigh of relief seeing her in one piece in front of his eyes.

She questioned in confusion, "What, what are you doing here?"

At once he took her in a hug, "You weren't answering your phone. I got worried."

"Phone?" She mumbled, her hands lifting to come to his back but still in half of a daze. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that he was there, in front of her, in reality and not just a dream.

Pulling back from the embrace, he scolded. "You were supposed to text me when you got back last night, remember?"

It instantly came back to her. He had asked her that, and she had said she would. Her eyes closed for a second at the memory and answering feeling guilty. "Oh. Yes, that. I'm so sorry, Parth. I forgot, I..."

She began to explain but his eyes flickered past her shoulder at the man walking out of her bedroom. He cut her off, "And now I know why you forgot."

"Huh?" She followed his gaze and twisted around to Liam walking out half dressed. "What, no. This isn't..." She instantly went to defend.

Again, he interrupted, "...what it looks like? No, I think it's pretty clear. Sorry about coming up here unannounced. I obviously shouldn't have."

She was at loss of words hearing the venom in his tone. He had never quite used it towards her. More than that, her mind was blanking out on her, betraying her.

When she just stood there, opening her mouth but not saying a word, he shook his head trying to not spew out his hurt and turned around to leave. For the first time in his life, he didn't have one foot out the doorway in a relationship, just waiting for a chance to leave. He actually wanted this, but seeing what he just had...

He felt silly for worrying and caring about her so much that he ditched his family brunch to drive over to check up on her because she hadn't been answering her calls. He had held himself back the entire night as he had spent it waiting for her text.

Liam cleared his throat, sensing a problem, and suggested, "Aren't you going to go after him?" He didn't know who the guy was, but hearing the last statement he had, he had the intelligence to assume it was someone important for her.

Maahi finally blinked to realize Parth had walked off and she'd just stood there. "Yeah," she answered aloud and without caring about putting on a jacket or slipping on a footwear, she ran out to catch him before he'd take off.