My Forever Valentine

by Melody Heck Gatto

  “Isaac didn’t say anything to provoke that kind of reaction from Spencer,” Harley complained. Something in her gut made her wonder if that was the kind of relationship she needed? She didn’t need someone always being macho and clearing the way for her. She was strong and determined and able to fight her own battles. She needed someone that loved her, not someone to own her—that was one reason why she left Isaac.

  Deep in her heart, she felt Spencer was not like that, and that maybe Lily was right. Isaac could’ve made anyone want to hit him.

  “You’re not thinking about breaking up with him over this, are you?” Lily gasped as if she were reading her mind. “Because, sorry, but that’s ridiculous.”

  “No. I don’t know.” Harley shook her head. “I honestly don’t know what I’m thinking right now.”

  Lily pouted. “Har.”

  “I’m supposed to move in with him next weekend, and now he shows this side of him—”

  “Maybe it’s not a side of him,” Lily suggested. “You’ll never know what he was thinking unless you ask him.”

  Lily was right, and she knew it. But Harley kept a poker face, not ready to give her roommate the satisfaction.

  They hadn’t signed a lease yet, so nothing was set in stone. But the fact that she was using moving in with him as her rationale, and that she was still packing, made her believe that she wanted a reason to make this all okay.

  “I have to go.” Lily grabbed her coat and purse. “I’m supposed to meet Zane. Will you be okay? I can ask him to come here if you’d rather me stay.”

  “No. Go. I just have to think.”

  “If it means anything, I’ve been watching, and you’ve been happier with Spencer than you ever were with Isaac. Your face lights up when you see him, and he makes you smile in a way you never have before. I really think you need to hear his side of things before you make any decisions. Spencer is no caveman. He’s more like a typical frat boy on the outside but with a cotton candy center.”

  Harley looked at her best friend, scrunching her face up in utter confusion and holding back a laugh at her comparison. “What in the world does that even mean?”

  “Well, the first part is self-explanatory. He looks like a typical frat boy, or jock, but inside, he’s sweet, and fun. Kind of like a trip to an amusement park, where everyone’s favorite treat is sugary cotton candy.” Lily grinned at her analogy.

  Harley simply shook her head, amused at her friend, and now craving cotton candy.

  “Talk to him,” Lily said, as she opened the front door.

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Lily grinned, confident she had won, and waved goodbye as she left.

  Maybe Lily was right. Was it possible she was missing part of the story? She knew Spencer wasn’t like she was making him out to be—she was surely making too much out of this.

  She continued to fold her clean clothes and stack them in a box marked CLOTHES.

  A knock at the door startled her. “Lil, did you forget your keys?” she called, as she casually opened the door.

  It wasn’t Lily.

  Her body stiffened, because standing before her was Isaac.

  “Hi Harley. I was hoping to talk to you.”

  “That was evident from all the voicemails you sent me that I didn’t bother to return.” She scoffed. “Apparently, you didn’t get the hint.”

  Isaac nodded and pushed his way into her apartment, then closed the door behind him. “That’s why I waited until Lily left. I needed to talk to you alone.”

  “How’s your jaw?” she asked without looking at him. Instead she went back to packing her clothes.

  Isaac moved in front of her and sat on the coffee table. Rubbing his jaw, he said, “I’m fine. But he sure does have a mean right hook. I never pictured that you’d go for such a thug.”

  Spencer was hardly a thug, but she smiled at the mean right hook comment, knowing Spencer’s time at the gym was well spent.

  “I’m kind of busy here. Can I help you with something specific?” she asked, making it known how annoyed she was at his presence.

  “Sugar, don’t be mean. I’ve missed you,” he said, with a fake sweet tone that made her stomach turn. “Harley, what are you doing with that guy? He’s all wrong for you.”

  “Really? Please, tell me more,” she said sarcastically, and added an eye roll for good measure. Of course Isaac thought he knew what she needed in her life.

  Isaac stood up and grabbed her hands so she couldn’t continue to fold the pair of pants she held. “Stop. Hear me out. That Neanderthal is all wrong for you. There’s no way he can give you the kind of life you deserve. You belong with me. I can give you things he can’t. What do you say?”

  Jerking her hands out of his and ignoring his words, she finished folding the pants and set them in the box. Her only response was, “Are you high?”

  Just hours ago he was criticizing my clothes and calling me names. And now he thinks I would want to get back with him?

  “You’re moving?” he asked, as he finally looked around at all the boxes, ignoring her question.

  “What gave it away?” It was as if she couldn’t help the level of sarcasm that she spewed. She didn’t like his tone and she made that no secret.

  “With him?” he asked flatly.

  “It’s really none of your business.”

  “What do you see in that guy? I just don’t get it. He isn’t right for you. He can’t give you a stable home, and in that dead-end job, do you really think he has a future? He might as well be a manager of a gas station. That joke of a company has no potential.”

  A dozen things ran through Harley’s brain to respond to Isaac’s insults. She bit the inside of her cheek, narrowed her eyes, and pursed her lips. But eventually her quick temper won out, as she swiftly spouted out, “Don’t be a jerk, Isaac! That’s just plain rude to say. A job is a job, no matter what the title. I’ll have you know that managing a gas station is still a full-time paying job, and not as easy as you’re making it sound. And, by the way, I never once said I cared about a title. And I would love him even if he did work at a gas station. Manager or attendant. It wouldn’t matter to me. He could have a part-time job at a fast food restaurant, and I would still love him the same.”

  “Yeah, right.” He scoffed. “But what should matter is how quick he was to react. Assaulting me in broad daylight in public. That wasn’t very smart. But I didn’t expect anything different from him. And you’re not fooling anyone. You can talk all day about not caring about job title, but Harley, you like to spend money. Just look at what you’re doing. Instead of getting a job and earning for yourself, you went back to school for two more years on Mommy and Daddy’s dime. You’ve always been a trust-fund baby, and you always will be.”

  She really hated when people assumed that she spent her parent’s money like some spoiled little girl. Every miscellaneous payment they sent her was put into an account and she didn’t touch it. Their attempts to buy her love fell flat. Harley never wanted to turn into her parents. They were cold and uncaring. She’d made it a point to survive on her own, and Isaac knew this. And she didn’t need to justify anything to him; nor did she need to explain to him how she has been working two part-time jobs in addition to school. “How dare you say that! You don’t know anything about me.” Her temper took over, and she raised her hand to slap him.

  Isaac grabbed her wrist, stopping her hand before it could connect to his face. He shook his head with a devious laugh. “Maybe you two really are meant to be together. Both hot-tempered with zero ambition.”

  She jerked her arm out of his grip and walked a few steps away, turning her back to him. She couldn’t stomach looking this man in the face; the man she used to think she loved. “Do you have a point, or did you just come here to trash my boyfriend and me?” she asked. “Because I’m busy.”

  Isaac chuckled. “I don’t have to try very hard to discredit him. He tends to do that all on his own. Assault and battery for one. I
should file assault charges on both of you. I’m sure there were cameras, maybe even a witness or two.”

  Spinning on one heel she glared at him.

  “Speaking of that,” he said, while he rubbed his jaw. “Your boyfriend should learn how to control that temper. It is going to get him in trouble someday—if not sooner.”

  “Thanks, I’ll be sure to not pass that on.” She sneered.

  He scoffed. “Look, it’s not my fault that he can’t stand to hear the truth about his girlfriend.”

  Titling her head, she asked, “What do you mean by that?”

  “Oh, he didn’t tell you about our little chat at the office? I found it enjoyable. Probably not him so much. I’m actually surprised he didn’t deck me right there.” Isaac shrugged with a stupid grin on his face. “Well, no surprise he finally did, holding all that aggression in.”

  And that’s when she knew Spencer wasn’t being a jerk or reactionary—he’d been defending her honor. He had managed to stay professional at the office and had brushed Isaac off, and apparently he had held back long enough. That moment outside the café was the last straw.

  Lily was right. And her own gut instinct was right. She should’ve trusted Spencer. He was only being a good boyfriend.

  “It’s time for you to leave,” she demanded.

  “Gladly. You two have wasted enough of my time. I don’t know why I thought I needed you back. Too much time with these college kids has changed you, and not for the better. You’re just like the rest of them now.”

  Her blood boiled at his words, as she slammed the door behind him. Maybe she had changed, but it was for the better. She hadn’t liked who she was when she was with him.

  Chapter Ten

  SPENCER

  Spencer turned his Range Rover onto Harley’s street. A box of her favorite cookies from the bakery near campus sat on the passenger seat, and a six-pack of her favorite pop. Yes, it was lame, but he knew that she would love it.

  Things had been strained between them since he’d decked Isaac, and he needed to set the record straight. He didn’t want to shake his ass and tell her he was being a tough guy to defend her honor when he hit Isaac—even if that was the truth. He also didn’t want to disclose the things Isaac had said about her. He would never understand how Harley could embarrass anyone. Her sense of style belonged on a Paris runway, not to mention, Harley was led to believe that the work function Mr. Lame was referring to was actually a couple’s weekend away. Spencer was positive that Harley would be happier never knowing what a true jerk her ex was.

  Isaac had no right to come into a place of business—his place of business—and talk like that about his girlfriend. And Spencer had really tried to not let it get to him. But Harley didn’t deserve to be spoken about like that.

  Spencer had seen the blouse that Mr. Lame was referring to, and it was not only very expensive, but looked very nice on Harley. Everything looked nice on her. Isaac just hadn’t liked the idea of not being able to keep her covered up and under his thumb at all times.

  It wasn’t his place to blab any of those things to her. He wasn’t trying to look like a hero; he was just doing what was right. And he didn’t need any praise for that.

  But it seemed as though keeping that from her had caused more issues than just telling her would have. So here he was, with cookies and pop for the woman that he loved and couldn’t wait to move in with.

  “What in the hell?” He slammed on the brakes a few houses down from Harley’s apartment. Luckily, there was no one behind him as he sat in the middle of the street, staring at what appeared to be Isaac’s car.

  He was sure he was seeing things, or maybe some other pretentious stick-in-the-mud had the same car in this neighborhood. There was no reason Isaac would be at Harley’s apartment.

  But when Isaac stepped out of her apartment, Spencer could no longer deny what was going on. It might not have made sense, but it was happening. Even after everything Isaac had said about her.

  Slamming on the brakes, Spencer jumped out of the SUV and raced onto the sidewalk. Now Isaac was harassing Harley at home. This needed to stop. “What in the hell are you doing here, Isaac?”

  “Oh...” An evil grin filled Isaac’s face as he met Spencer, toe-to-toe on the sidewalk. “Spencer, you have no idea what you walked into.”

  “I have a pretty good idea. You’re harassing my girlfriend.” Spencer’s heart thudded against his chest as anger filled his veins. “I suggest you go home, Isaac.”

  Isaac laughed. “Thanks for the advice, but I’m actually just running home to change. You missed all the fireworks, sorry to say.”

  “Why would she let you into her apartment? Haven’t you done enough damage for one day?” Spencer replied.

  “Well, because I told Harley that she was better off with me, because you’re obviously going nowhere in that dead-end little company, and not surprisingly, she agreed. That’s why I wanted to meet with her for lunch today. But that’s okay, an afternoon quickie works just as well. Now, maybe you’d better run along home and wait for her breakup message.” Isaac sneered. He slid into his car and left without another word.

  Spencer stood frozen, flabbergasted. Confusion ran through him, as though he wasn’t sure of what he’d just heard. As the words sank in, anger and hurt replaced the confusion. He thought he might throw up. The implied ‘quickie’ hit him right in the gut, and he was unsure what was causing him the most discomfort, hurt or anger.

  Slamming himself back into his car, he hit the gas and sped home. He arrived home in record time, breaking all the speed limits and not caring.

  Spencer never would’ve imagined that Harley would go back to Isaac. She was the first woman that he had ever truly loved. Harley had his heart.

  He slid his key into the lock and walked into his empty apartment. A lump sat in his throat. What just happened?

  Zane’s boxes were stacked everywhere, neatly, of course.

  Making a beeline for the kitchen, Spencer grabbed a six pack of beer and took it to the living room.

  How could she go back to him? Mr. Lame.

  He clenched his fist, and then winced, because his knuckles were bruised, and his hand still hurt as a glaring reminder of what had gone so wrong.

  Maybe it was because Harley agreed that he couldn’t provide as much for her as Isaac. His paycheck was comfortable, but admittedly not in the same realm as Isaac’s. But she’d known that before they got together. And his decking Isaac? He wasn’t in the habit of using his fists versus his words, but then, nobody had ever implied the things about Harley that Isaac had. Spencer wasn’t a caveman, but he would never stand back and let any other man insult her. Surely she knew him better than that.

  He frantically searched his brain for a reason when and why things had gone so wrong. Besides the fact that he’d punched her ex-boyfriend in the mouth.

  Little did she know how justified he was in doing that.

  If Harley knew the things Isaac had said about her, there was no way she’d be running back into his cold arms. Anyway, could you run into someone’s arms who barely hugged in public because it was too much PDA? That was a question he hoped to never learn the answer to.

  Flopping down onto the couch, he popped open his first beer. All those chugging contests he had taken part in during his college years paid off, as he finished his beer in seconds, not wasting a single drop.

  Onto can two.

  He knew that the more he drank, the less anger he would feel—and that was the goal. How could she do this to him?

  Soon, can three was gone and sitting beside the other empty cans.

  Staring blankly at the television, Spencer opened his fourth consecutive beer. His phone buzzed with a call, and Harley’s photo lit up the screen.

  Man, she was beautiful.

  Too tipsy to deal with a breakup over the phone, he sent her call straight to voicemail. That was the third call from her that he’d ignored. Why was she even bothering to call him?

&
nbsp; He downed the beer.

  Glancing at his phone, he saw the many missed calls from Harley displayed on his screen.

  How could he be so stupid? As different as they were, what kind of future did they have? Harley was looking for stability and a family—a two car garage, dog and cat, two kids, white picket fence kind of family.

  He was more of an order a pizza for dinner, tacos for a night out, and a condo overlooking the city kind of guy. Maybe a cat. He could deal with a cat; they were very self-sufficient. She knew all of this, and she had chosen him anyway. Maybe she had realized her mistake. Or maybe Mr. Lame helped her see the error in her ways?

  Not much had changed over the last year, except they were moving in together. It was an apartment versus a two-story house. There was no picket fence, no kids, no garage. It was not what she had talked about so often or dreamt of as a child. Yet.

  He hadn’t wanted those things either, before Harley, but as he’d fallen for her, he’d also started falling for her dreams of a family. Or at least, he was halfway there. It would be an apartment for now, and the option of the white picket fence was there for the future. That is, if they even had a future now...

  He was really a fool thinking she could love him and be content with their simple life.

  His eyes fluttered shut, but he forced them back open, trying to focus on the television.

  In his compromised state, all the carboard boxes piled around the room seemed to be closing in on him. A few of his boxes lingered among Zane’s. He had barely begun packing for his big move, and in retrospect that was a good thing, since he might be unpacking them soon.

  But staying in this big apartment all by himself? He wasn’t so sure about that. He needed a backup plan. Maybe a studio apartment, something close to work, or maybe...

  His eyes fluttered shut, as he continued to debate what the future held for him, until finally he fell asleep.

  “SPENCER, GET UP.” ZANE’S voice pierced his brain as his cousin shook him. “Dude, how much did you drink last night?”