Can't Fight Fate

Chapter seven

Raegan

The one thing I’m proud of is I try my hardest to take care of myself without my parents' help. Throughout most of my teenage years, which wasn’t even that long ago, I have been deemed daddy’s little rich girl. People have looked down on me while being fake to my face to get on my good side because of who my dad is. I was determined to do things on my own after I came home one day bawling my eyes out because I got accepted into college and people thought it was because my dad bought me the acceptance. Little did they know I already had an associates degree because of all the advanced classes I took in high school. I bought my first car at 17 on my own after saving all the babysitting money and part-time job I had at the animal shelter. I took care of school on my own. Granted, most of it was due to scholarships, but the rest was a loan that I am paying back myself. My parents might have helped buy my house as a graduation present, but I took care of everything else.

I may have money. I may have my trust fund, but it’s something I don’t like using. My parents have taught me the value of a dollar. They taught me about hard work and dedication and the rewards that come from that.

I took pride in my house. The deal with the purchase was that the house had to be a fixer upper so I could make it into what I really wanted. My dad tried so hard to convince me to just get one that was already finished, but when I saw the layout of this one, I instantly fell in love. It took about eight months for it to be exactly what I wanted, but I did it on my own, with my own money that I earned through working as a student teacher. I might only be twenty, but I’ve accomplished a lot in my life so far.

I was sitting on my back patio with my sketchpad and a glass of wine. It was a secret pleasure of mine that no one really knew about except for Summer and the only reason why she knew was because she accidently found my pictures. Everything about art, sketching and painting, relaxes me. The pencils, oils, paints, pastels, the contrast, shading, how a picture in my mind becomes a reality, it’s a part of me that I never wanted to get rid of. I never took classes. I started when I was going through a period of depression and it just stuck. Ever since then, it’s been my outlet.

I took a look at my ringing phone and noticed it was a group video chat and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Mom. Hannah. Riley. What a surprise. Are the guys there too?”

“Nope, just us girls. We need to talk.” Mom said, and the other two nodded their heads.

“If it’s about a secret vacation you’re planning for my 21st birthday, I really want to go to New York City?”

“Good try, but no.” Hannah laughed.

“First, this engagement.” Mom started and I froze. That straining sensation overpowering my chest, making it hard to breathe. Understandably, I didn’t want to really get into this right now. “I need to know the truth. We need to know the truth. Is this real?”

“Why would it not be real?”

“Well, we asked you to house Dylan and three days later you’re engaged. It’s suspicious.” Riley said

“The timing is just weird.” Mom said after, making me just roll my eyes, “Are you sure this isn’t about Dylan?”

“Why would it be about him? I haven’t seen him in four years…” I said softly.

“I’ve known Levi for years, since you both were young. I know you recently started seeing him, like what? A few months?”

“I’ve been seeing Levi for a while, mom. Plus, we’ve always been friends. Something has just developed. What is the meaning of this call?”

“First, we want to start wedding prep. Did you guys pick a day yet?”

I froze and my eyes went wide as my mouth seemed to dry up. Of course, they would want to start the wedding prep. I had three busy bodies in my life that would want to take control of every aspect of something that was supposed to be my big day…supposed to be. “Um, no we haven’t really talked about any of that yet. We just got engaged.”

“No worries. We will pause on that, but it may be better to do it sooner rather than later. The ballroom at the Belmont has some openings coming up in about 2 or 3 months. I can hire a wedding planner and get it expedited.”

“Mom! Can I talk to D-Levi first please?”

“What was that? What did you almost say?” Riley piped up, making me groan. I almost let it slip out my mouth. In my mind, my dreams, the visions of what my dream wedding would be came forward, but the groom was always the same person. I would never admit to that out loud.

“Nothing. I’m gonna go.”

Before I could hang up on the three of them, Hannah finally said something, “Raegan.” She paused as I looked at her. “I know this is hard. I know that he broke your heart four years ago, but you must understand where he was coming from.”

“I know now. I really do understand. I was too young, but I stand by what I said. We could have made it work. I would have waited…I love him. I loved him, but I’ve moved on and I’m happy.”

“I never told him this but I need to tell you. Two years ago, when he got hurt and he was in the hospital recovering from his surgery, before he became fully conscious, he was having what seemed like a dream. He called your name out a couple of times before he came to.”

“It was just a dream, a coincidence. I’m sure that meant nothing.”

“Last year, remember when Austin and I were gone for almost a week?”

“Yeah, Archer was home and he was upset when you guys left. He didn’t tell us anything.”

“Dylan got into another accident and he was hospitalized again, this time, much worse. I can’t say much to what happened, it’s not my place to tell you, but before he woke up, he called for you again.” I paused. What I wouldn’t have done to hear that years ago.

“Why are you telling me this now? I’ve moved on.” I lied to myself. Truth? I was still hung up on him, but I wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction.

“Do you love him? Levi? Is this real? Tell me, tell us that this is all real and we will drop the topic. We won’t bring up you and Dylan out of respect for your engagement.”

A stray tear escaped my eyes. The guilt was getting to me. I knew part of me needed to fix things before it was too late. I needed to talk to Summer. I know she would understand or at least help me, but telling the three closest women in my life the truth? I couldn’t. There was more to this than just Dylan and I and I couldn’t do that to Levi. I made a promise, a commitment, and I am not one to back down from that. “The engagement is real. I’ll let you know when we set a date.” I said softly.

“Understood. With that said, we will be hosting an engagement party, Saturday, 7pm. Let Levi know and make sure he brings his parents.” Mom said.

“I uh-yeah, okay.” We disconnected the call and I sent Levi the text letting him know about next week.

Me: Hey um…engagement party, Saturday at 7. Bring your parents.

Levi: I’m not ready for this Ray. We need to talk about all this.

Me: I’m sorry. Please. Just do this for me. For us.

Levi: If only I can bring one of my friends. You understand, right?

Me: Done. No questions asked. Are you going to be okay with your mom and dad there?

Levi: Not like I have a choice. Hopefully, everything works out. Thanks Ray.

Me: Thank you.

I stuck the phone in the pocket of my shorts and put my sketch pad in the outside ottoman storage and my head snapped up. I heard tires slowly crunching on the loose rock in the driveway I have yet to have paved and my heart sunk. I knew he was coming today but I didn’t know when. No one told me a time, but a part of me knew immediately. The slow crunching of the tires sounded hesitant as they came to a slow stop. I freaked out, grabbing my engagement ring and slipping it on before rounding the corner of my house to the front.

I saw him staring back at me through the window. His green eyes were even more mesmerizing than I remember and his dark brown hair, not too long but not too short, long enough for me to run my fingers through his hair. He got out of the car and slammed the door, making me jump a bit, breaking me out of my trance. His six foot two height stood tall against my five foot seven. He looks amazing, even better than I remember. He took care of himself, that much was evident. A fuzzy feeling went through my entire body and concentrated on my core. Damn, who knew one look would turn me into mashed potatoes. He came up to me, standing just a few inches away, so close I could smell his bodywash and it did things to my body I never expected to happen. The need I had to go on my toes and kiss him just one more time to see if that spark was still there. The want that overcame me, wanting to push him into my room and have him make me scream his name.

“Hello Dylan.” I finally spoke after staring into his eyes. His deep green, emerald eyes. God, I could stare at them all day.

“Raegan.” His deep, husky voice sent shivers down my spine.

“It’s been a long time.”

“It has.”

“Are you okay with this?” Was I? Was I going to be okay sharing my house with him for the next two months?

“Are you?” we both paused “You look beautiful. Congratulations, by the way.” His eyes shifted from my head to my toes, checking out my body and back to my eyes, and a smile crept on his face. That panty-dropping, heart-stopping smile that I grew to love and hate.

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Don’t smile at me like that.” He took a step towards me, freezing me where I stood. I couldn’t move. I wanted to, did I?

“I can’t help it.”

“Why can’t you?” I was getting slightly aggravated and started to raise my voice. His eyes shot down at my hand where my fingers fiddled with my ring.

“How long have you been engaged, Raegan?”

“Why does it matter?”

“How long have you been with him?”

“The same question applies to this one.” I clapped back. Growing up I was always sarcastic and that hasn’t really changed and it’s not going to now.

He came closer to me and placed both his hands on my waist, his thumbs caressing the sides gently. My breath hitched and I looked up at him. I didn’t know how to feel. I was confused. It was like all those old feelings I’ve been denying for years came rushing back throughout my entire body. “I don’t know why, but something tells me that fate just gave me a second chance.” He pulled me into a hug and whispered in my ear, “Thanks for the room, roommate.”

He let go too soon for my liking and went back to his car and grabbed his bag and headed to my door. I stood there, frozen as he made his way through the front door of my home. The home I would be sharing with him for the next two months.

I gathered myself and made my way inside behind him. “Don’t do that!” I said with a slightly raised voice. I tried to keep my composure as I even out my breathing. I couldn’t let him know that he had any effect on me.

He turned around and, with his hands in his pockets, c****d an eyebrow at me, “Do what?”

“Don’t come in here and say that fate just gave you a second chance. You don’t have the right to come in here and say that. Plus, I don’t believe in fate!”

“I agree, there is no fate, but I think you got me all wrong Ray.” He snickered as he took a couple steps towards me, “You’re reading into what I’m saying way too deep. This is a second chance for us to be friends.”

“Friends?”

“What else would we be? You’re engaged, right?”

“Uh-yeah. Engaged.”

“Then us being friends shouldn’t be a problem, right?” He brought his hand out of his pocket and rubbed my arm as he stepped one more step closer, inches away, bringing his face down to my cheek and placing a soft kiss on it, “Congratulations Ray. He really is a lucky guy. Now, if you don’t mind, I want to go unpack and relax before I head over to mom and dad's place.”

I froze in spot with a warm feeling that heated as soon as his lips touched my cheek, “Um…yeah, upstairs, second door on the right.”

I was confused. It was like seeing him for the first time in 2 years since I saw him at that game brought back that warm fuzzy feeling in my heart, the butterflies in my stomach, and that ache in my chest that told me I wanted him. But yet, he said he wanted to be friends. Friends! Could I do friends? His eyes told me that he wanted more but his mouth said something different. It’s not like he came right over, ran to me and claimed my lips with him confessing his undying love for me and his need to have me in his life. If he did that, things would be so much easier to understand, but he didn’t. I couldn’t tell what was going through his head. The kiss on the cheek. I’ve done that with guys before as friends. They’ve done that to me and meant nothing by it.

But I was engaged. I am engaged to Levi and I care about him. I shouldn’t be feeling like this, it wasn’t fair to me and it wasn't fair to Levi. I needed to talk to Summer. I needed her advice. I needed to hear what I should do in this situation. As I watched him go upstairs, I headed to the kitchen and slid open the porch door and headed off my patio to the end of my yard where I had the inground pool. By the pool was a patio set that I had built to give me a woodsy, cabin feel to go with the rock waterfall that was at the end of the pool.

I quickly dialed Summer, begging and hoping that she would pick up and thank god she did.

“Hey you. How is everything?”

“I messed up Summer. Big time.”

I can feel her eyeroll from the other side of the country, “I swear, you call every day to tell me about something you messed up.:

“What am I supposed to do when you’re not here making sure I stay out of trouble?”

“Did you forget who the bad influence is between the two, miss goody two shoes.” She laughed, “How bad could you have made things since the last time we talked?”

“He’s here.”

“Declan?”

I rolled my eyes, “Dylan.”

“So, tell me how it feels to be with him again? To be close to him?”

“Confusing.”

“What’s so confusing about it? You loved the guy your entire life.”

“I’m engaged.” Silence enveloped the line. I could hear her breathing but the silence was scaring me, “Summer?”

“ARE YOU INSANE! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU ENGAGED TO AND WHEN THE f**k DID THAT HAPPEN?”

“Stop yelling at me!” I screamed back. It must have been loud enough for Dylan to hear me as I watched him stand at his bedroom window, looking out to where I was standing with his arms crossed over his broad chest. “I can explain everything.”

“No need. I’m booking a flight and I’m coming home.”

“You don’t need to.”

“Obviously, I do if you’re doing something this stupid.”

“It’s Levi.” More silence and then I heard her sigh. She knew everything I knew and at that moment, I knew she understood.

“f**k. There are other ways to go about this, Ray, and he knows it too.”

“I know I know.”

“I’m still coming home. Booking the flight now. Pick me up at the airport tonight at 11.” And she hung up on me before I could protest. What the hell did I just do?