“Why didn’t you want to keep seeing her? That’s the part I don’t get,” Jayden said, pinning Cael with a sharp look.

The men were over at Cael’s house, working on the new addition. He stepped over the stack of drywall and stood with his hands on his hips, huffing out a breath. On weekends, he worked to improve his house, still undecided whether to re-sell it for a profit or to keep it for himself. His friends would help when they could and today, they were all over to get the drywall up in the addition built onto the back.

The two-story addition included a master bedroom and bath on the second floor and a large family room on the first. They were almost finished with the drywall and then he would be able to do most of the work himself.

“At first, it was just fun. I needed a night to blow off steam.” Shrugging his massive shoulders, he said, “Then, it was…okay, I know you assholes will laugh, but it was pretty amazing. Not just sex, but more.” He glanced up, expecting to see smirks on their faces, but instead, saw understanding.

Rosalie walked into the house, bringing lunch from Grimm’s Pub, and quietly handed it out to the guys while they talked.

“I began to think in terms of longer, but then we visited Cindy that night and the weight of everything came crashing down. Cindy’s diagnosis…treatment…my sister and her husband’s needs.” Shaking his head, “I held her that last night and all I could think about was there was no more room for someone else. Then the next morning, when I woke up, all I wanted to do was tell her that I wanted her in my life.”

“And she never gave you any indication where she worked or what she did?” Zander asked, wrapping his arm around Rosalie, giving her a quick kiss.

“No, I mean yeah. Sort of. We never talked about specifics, but...” His head jerked up, his eyes working as a sliver of a memory came back. “Wait. We were watching old movies, she’s a Hitchcock fan too, and she made a comment about how it was sad that old films were disintegrating and how fascinating it was to restore them.” Stalking around the room, energy pouring off him, he said, “I can’t believe I never thought about that.”

Rosalie jumped into the conversation, excited, “I had my AP English class do a paper on comparisons of novels to movies, particularly the older movie versions. One student included in his research some of the work that is being done at VCU with the digitalization of old movies from film. Something about it being part of the Library of Congress, and they have grants for some universities to do the work on their campuses.”

Lifting his eyebrows as he picked up a large sandwich, Jaxon said, “Looks like you got a starting place.”

“But, I’ve got no name.”

“So, do a little stalking.”

“Fuck, you know how huge the university is…spread out all over the place.”

“She wouldn’t be in that many places. If she works for the University, you can find out where the film studies department is,” Rosalie said. Shrugging, she added, “It’s a good starting place and I certainly don’t mind helping you.”

Nodding, the squeeze around his heart loosened for the first time in weeks. He had a plan. Walking over, he kissed the top of Rosalie’s head before grabbing another sandwich.

Frustrated, Cael sat in his truck, for the fourth afternoon in a row, outside the Dramatic Arts building on the VCU campus. On the first day, he had wandered halls, finally finding an office with the door plaque stating it was Film Studies. Entering, he talked to the Dean’s receptionist, who had not been forthcoming with any information about a possible employee resembling Red, who might work in their department. He respected the woman’s dedication to employee privacy, but had no idea what to do next. Sit here every day and see who comes in and out? So far, that had been his plan. For an hour after work, but before he went to the hospital, he sat so that he could watch the street. Today, Miss Ethel was going to go read to Cindy, so he had extra time to sit and stare at the people coming and going from the building.

A coffee shop was across the street and he pondered going in and getting a cup. A late fall cold spell had hit and the idea of hot coffee sounded good.

Throwing his head back against the headrest, he wondered what he was doing when the memory of her blue eyes gazing into his hit him. Whether they had just made love, were walking down the street, were sitting in a booth eating, or laughing at a movie, her smile lit her eyes.

Just then, a woman walked out of the coffee shop, her tall, athletic build catching his attention. He narrowed his eyes as he studied her from the distance. With a long, confident stride, she was a little thinner than Red. She wore a knit cap pulled down low on her head with a bright red scarf wrapped around her neck. Her face was turned away as she checked the traffic before crossing the road so he could not see it. Even so, something snagged his attention…the familiarity of her walk maybe.

She came closer. Closer. Holding his breath, as though afraid the act of breathing would make her disappear, he waited until she was almost to the door of the building. His heart leaped—it was her!

Her hand reached for the handle, when someone from down the street called out, “Hey, Regina!” She turned toward the voice, a smile lighting her face. Regina. Her name is Regina. My Red. His hand hit the door handle, his body preparing to jump from the truck, when a man’s figure came from the left, hurrying toward her.

From his vantage point, he watched as she leaned in, her arms around the man, and he bent toward her. With their heads still together, they talked softly as they smiled at each other.

Removing his hand he sat back, his heart pounding as a sinking feeling hit his chest. She’s with someone.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Robert said, his arms wrapping around her. “How are you?”

Smiling up at him, her hands resting on his shoulders, Regina said, “I’m fine. I just came from the coffee shop, but my break can last a little longer. Do you have time for some?”

“I’m sorry, no, but I’m glad I got to see you.”

Nodding, she smiled, but her eyes were wary. “You look pre-occupied. How you are doing?”

Chuckling, he said, “I’m good…everything’s good. Work is a little crazy right now.” His eyes jumped to the building beside them. “Are you still on schedule to finish up here?”

“Yeah, this is my last week. Then, I officially get to work from home full time. Well, at least until I decide to come back. Who knows, I might like working from home.”

He lifted his hand and touched her cheek before pulling her in for another hug. She rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes tightly as their arms circled one another. Time stood still for several minutes as they held each other. Finally, bending to her cheek, he kissed and let her go. “See you soon.”

She nodded, blinking as the stinging behind her eyes hit. She cupped his jaw before waving goodbye and calling out, “See you later.” A little stronger and a little weaker at the same time, she stood for a moment, watching him walk down the street.

Cael watched, his mind in turmoil, as Red turned to go inside the building, hesitating before opening the door. Her shoulders slumped and she swiped at her eyes before taking a huge breath. Standing straighter, she threw open the door and went inside.

He sat for a moment, concerned, wondering why she looked so defeated all of a sudden, when the realization that she was with someone reverberated through him again, blocking all emotions save one. Betrayal snaked through him before settling, coiled in his gut. How the fuck could I have been so wrong about her? Scrubbing his hand over his face, he tried to reason through his emotion.

Could she have hooked up with someone new since I saw her? They looked too intimate…too familiar with each other. Nah…she knew this guy. Angry, he reminded himself it had been just sex…who gives a fuck if she was stepping out on her boyfriend. Slamming his hand on the steering wheel, he knew what made the difference. She was no mere fuck to him. She was someone he had feelings for. Shit…I took her to the hospital to meet my family.

Irrational anger pored through him and he started his truck, pulling out into traffic. At the next intersection, he sat at the red light trying to calm down, when his attention was snagged. The man Red had been with was waving toward another car.

The car slowed and he jumped into the passenger side, then leaned over, kissing the woman behind the wheel. Confusion and renewed anger hit him and with no real idea what the hell he was doing, he changed lanes and followed the car.

Staying a few cars behind, he followed them to a quaint neighborhood, just on the outskirts of the city. He parked several houses down, keeping his eyes trained on the car. The man alighted first, and to Cael’s great surprise, bent to the back seat, unbuckling a little boy. Gasping, he realized the man was a father. Staring, as his heart beat harder, he watched the woman step from the driver’s seat, and he was able to see her pregnant belly. As the man reached his hand down to hold the little boy’s, he saw the wedding ring on his hand.

Leaning his forehead on the steering wheel, he groaned. Red was seeing someone and that someone was married. The reality hit him…she not only cheated on her boyfriend with him, she was cheating on a cheater.

Cold filled the places in his heart that had burned warm for her.