39
Atlanta
Present
“Hey, Mars.”
Derek Ballentine stood outside of my door in Atlanta. And he looked… good. He looked f*****g great. He had on chinos and a white button-up with the top button undone and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. None of the fatigue I saw on my own face from our breakup was visible on him. His pouty lips were upturned and his hazel eyes so bright and endearing. He looked more like a Greek statue in that moment than a man at all.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted out.
My friends rustled around behind me. I had no clue what they were doing, but clearly, they were trying to be stealthy and failing.
Derek shot them an amused look. “Mind if I come in?”
“I…” I blinked at him in confusion. “Sure.”
I pulled the door open wider and let him in. That was when I f
