Cael drove along the street, peering out the window at the rows of brick townhouses in an older, but revitalized, area of town. He recognized that the houses were over a hundred years old, but someone had done an excellent job of reconstruction. As he glanced up and down the street, he saw families pushing strollers, young couples walking by, several older people mingling with young professionals. Nodding in approval, he appreciated the renewal of the older buildings and neighborhood.

He slowed down, coming to her block. Passing one with a bright red door, he grinned as he saw her street number painted over the door. So like her, he thought, then, shoved that thought aside as he remembered why he was here. Will she talk to me or slam the door in my face? He parked and sat in his truck for almost half an hour, battling with himself. The desire to thank her for what she did for Cindy was still first and foremost in his mind, but his previous behavior sat heavily in his gut.

Finally, he jumped down from his vehicle, his steps sure. Approaching her door, he sucked in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. The name on the mailbox said R. Nunzel. Regina. My Red. Lifting his hand, he hesitated for a second, then knocked sharply on the painted wood.

After a few minutes, when he had not heard any noise from inside, he knocked harder. Finally, he heard a slight shuffling just before the door latch clicked. The door swung open and there she stood.

She was wearing yoga pants with a slouchy, long sleeved, light blue t-shirt. Her super-short hair was sticking up on the side like she’d just been sleeping on it. Her face was pale and her eyes appeared large as she stared up at him, her mouth slightly open.

Neither of them spoke for a second and, then, she visibly startled, as if just recognizing who he was. Her eyes jumped to his and, seeing him staring at the top of her head, she sucked in sharp breath, her hand instantly flying to her hair, fingertips rubbing through the shorn locks. “I…uh…”

“Hey,” he said softly, his gaze dropping back to her face. Now that she was in front of him, his words became stuck in his throat. The sadness in her beautiful eyes gutted him.

Licking her dry lips, she held on to the door handle with her left hand while her right hand dropped from her hair to fiddle with the bottom of her t-shirt. “Uh…how did you find me?”

Noticing her white knuckles clinging to the door, he rocked back a step. He did not want to overwhelm her or make her feel intimidated. He had used that tactic once, to his great shame. He would not do it again. And as much as he wanted to swoop in and hold her tight, he knew he no longer had that right.

“It’s kind of a long story,” he said with a chuckle, but the glare she gave him caused the hopeful mirth to die in his throat. Shoulders slumping, he replied, “How I found you doesn’t really matter right now, Red. It’s what I need to say that is important.”

She lifted her eyebrow, her face unsmiling. “I think that the last time we met, you said everything there was to say.”

“No,” he all but shouted, his hand thrown up to stop the door from slamming in his face. “I totally fucked up and need…I need to apologize.” He saw the doubt in her eyes as they narrowed and pressed his case. “I was wrong…so fuckin’ wrong, to say to you what I said.” She bit her lip and he added, “Please, let me talk to you. Let me apologize.”

She hesitated, her face full of indecision. Dropping her gaze to her bare toes, she heaved a sigh. “I have no idea why I would even consider listening to you. I don’t even know—”

He climbed back to the top step and thrust his hand out toward her, saying, “I’m Cael. Cael Holland.”

Regina stared down at Titan’s—Cael’s— extended hand for what felt like forever. Thinking over everything that had happened…offering forgiveness doesn’t mean I have to let him back in my life, and life is too short to carry anger around. But, putting my heart out there again? Not sure I want to do that. Without looking up, she slowly raised her hand and placed it in his. As he closed his hand around hers, she felt that familiar tingle, but pushed the feeling down. Lifting her eyes, she said, fatigue lacing her voice, “I’m really tired, Cael.”

Cael’s eyes searched Regina’s face, observing just how pale her complexion was, the deep, dark circles under her eyes and concern hit his gut. “Then let me in, Regina. Let’s sit down. I’ll fix you some tea. I just need to apologize. I’m not asking for anything. I just…I was an ass and I can’t believe I…you didn’t deserve what I said to you and I’d like to make it right.”

The look in Cael’s eyes was so sincere that Regina found herself nodding slowly, replying, “Then I suppose you’d better come in, Cael Holland.” Stepping back, she watched as he moved through her door, his large body seeming to fill the space. Closing the door behind him, she skirted around him and walked into her living room.

Looking around, Cael smiled softly, seeing so much of Regina in how she adorned her home. She had decorated in soft grays and blues, giving the space a clean, open feel. An exposed brick wall surrounded a fireplace, with a flat screen TV mounted above. On the opposite wall, between the tall front windows, sat an overstuffed sofa, with an abundance of purple throw pillows and a few purple blankets draped over the chairs. One was wadded up on the sofa as though she had just crawled out from underneath it. Two chairs sat at either end of the room and a large, braided rug brought the colors of the room together, while at the same time warming the hardwood floor.

She moved to one of the chairs, curled her legs up and wrapped her arms around her knees.

He observed her position, recognizing it for what it was—her protective stance. Walking to the sofa, he sat, sinking into the comfortable cushions. He wiped his hand on his jeans, all his practiced words leaving his mind.

“You wanted to talk…” Regina prompted, adopting what she hoped was an impassive expression, even while her stomach quaked.

Nodding, he said, “I…I need to explain. About so many things.” Looking down at his hands, he sighed, “Fuck. I don’t know where to start.”

She watched his bowed head and her heart squeezed slightly. Shifting her gaze to the window, she willed her heartbeat to slow. “Just tell me why you’re here.”

“Cindy—” At that name, her body jerked and her eyes darted back to his. He heard her gasp and rushed to say, “She’s fine…fine…well, as fine as she can be. Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” His hands twisted together and he shook his head in dejection. “Jesus, I’m fucking this all up.”

Seeing him so despondent, she did not want to feel sympathy, he certainly hadn’t offered her any when he was berating her outside her work, but, even so, she was unable to hang on to her anger, at least not at the level she had felt before. Anger took more energy than she had left in her. “Look, Cael. Just talk to me. If nothing else, we were able to talk to each other so easily.” Sighing, she added, “I let you come in, so I’m willing to listen. I won’t bite your head off, so talk and, then, once you get out what you want to say, you can leave and it’ll be over.”

Cael lifted his head, eyes on Regina, his heart aching at the thought of never seeing her again. But, he knew it was her call. He fucked up and had no idea if she would forgive him.

Nodding, he said, “You’re right.” Still leaning forward, he relaxed his hands and allowed the words in his heart to flow. “Cindy got her wig.” He watched as her eyes lit before she shuttered them again.

“Wig?” she asked, trying for ignorance, but failing.

“We know…the family knows it was you.”

Regina sucked in a quick breath and it was on the tip of her tongue to refute Cael’s claim. Her hand lifted involuntarily, her fingertips moving over her short hair. “How…um…how did you know? It was supposed to be anonymous.”

For the first time since seeing her again, he smiled. “Oh, Red, there was no doubt. I saw the thick hair, so many colors, just like yours, and I was sure. You’re the only one I know who has hair like that. It was like looking at you. I…I just knew. The sun was shining on Cindy’s bed and I saw the red and gold strands all mixed together and, then, when I touched it? I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt. Tom and Kathy said they looked up the company and they will make wigs for people either from their own hair…or the hair of a friend. Hell, even Cindy said it looked like you.”

She tried to look away but the light shining in his eyes held her captive. Sucking in her lips, she rubbed them together for a few seconds before finally speaking. “I’m glad she’s happy with it. I…uh…I never meant for anyone to…uh, you know…uh, know about it.”

His eyes shifted to the top of her head again and he said, “Can’t imagine it’s much of a secret in your life. It’s the kind of thing people would notice.”

“Oh, yeah…well, I just…well…” She knew she was stammering but could not think of anything to say when his presence seemed to suck all her reasoning out of her.

“You can’t imagine what it means to her…to the whole family. I needed to find you and let you know. Your gift was…Jesus, Red, why? Why, for a child you didn’t really know?”

Swallowing, she forced her gaze to move from him, staring out the window once more. “No child should…suffer like that.” She blew out a long breath, blinking furiously at the sting of unshed tears. “Every little girl should feel like a princess.”

“We’re all grateful…beyond grateful. There’s no way to repay what you did.”

She shrugged her shoulders as she stared into the distance. “Hair grows back eventually.”

Silence flowed between them, not uncomfortable, settling like a heavy blanket over the room.

Finally, gaining control of her rolling emotions, she smiled a smile that did not reach her eyes, and uncurled her legs from underneath her before standing. “Well, it was nice of you to come and let me know, but it wasn’t necessary…I really wanted it to be anonymous but…uh…whatever, it was nice nonetheless.”

“That’s not all,” he blurted, halting her movements. “Please, let me continue.”

Staring at him for a moment, deciding if she wanted to hear more, she eventually plopped back into her chair, too tired to keep standing. Cocking her head to the side, uncertain what else he wanted to say, she was sure of at least one thing—she did not want more of his previous censure. Looking at him now, she thought she could hear him out, let him get it off his chest, but she was wrong. She was too tired to deal with any of this. “Listen, I get that you wanted to say thanks, and I didn’t want or need it, but it was kind of you all the same. And I know you wanted to apologize about…what happened…and I’m willing to put it all behind us, but you said enough last time about what you thought of me and I’m not keen to hear it again, so, if this is about you feeling bad for yelling at me, I don’t need to hear it. It’s done. And we’re done. Now, I’ve got work to do—”

“I was wrong.”

She stared, her heart stinging anew simply from the thought of the words he slung at her the previous time he had seen her, but the anguish on his face held her attention. “Wrong?”

“Wrong about so much.” He inhaled deeply before sitting up straight and holding her gaze steadily. “What happened the night we met had never happened to me before. I’m not one to do a lot of picking up women in bars, but when I do, it’s just sex. Nothing more and everyone involved knows it. But, damn, if you didn’t capture me right from the beginning. I was in your presence for only ten minutes and I wanted to treat you to a night at a nice place. But it wasn’t enough. Nothing with you was enough.”

She tucked her legs back underneath her in a protective posture again, her heart beating quickly, uncertain she wanted to hear more. She wanted to be smart, to not fall into a trap, but with him here, now, looking and sounding so sincere, so honest, she couldn’t stop herself from giving him this chance to clear the air.

“One night led to a weekend, and by the time we had a few days together, I wanted more. Not just more sex, but more of you. More of everything with you…walks, talks, laughing, eating. Fuck, I wanted to know your name. Something so simple, but it turns out it means so much. But, we’d made that stupid agreement. The problem was, I had regrets. Not in being with you, but in pretending that we weren’t at the beginning of something great.”

Nodding, she was not sure she wanted to respond. He was right, about all that. But with how it ended…if they were going to finish this, she needed to let him talk.

“Taking you to see Cindy that night made me feel like you were part of us. It was just instinct to have you there with me, and I’m glad you came.” Taking a deep breath, he continued, “I admit, seeing everything I cared about it one room, I wondered if I had it in me to have it all…like I was being selfish by not devoting myself completely to her care and making sure she was alright.” His voice got a little tense as he added, “But it turned out I didn’t need to worry about that, because the next morning, you were gone.”

Surprised that he was laying that at her feet, she sat up straighter, her eyes pinning his. “I…” She paused, frustration building, before clearing her throat and starting again. “I heard you that night. You thought I was sleeping, but you said you had no place in your life for more than you felt you could handle and that you needed to give everything to your family. We made no promises to each other, Cael. I thought I was doing the right thing by you. I didn’t want you to feel you were letting her down by being with me. And, I don’t want to be with someone who feels guilty being with me. You never know what life’s going to throw at you. Your plate is full…I get that. So, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life and walked away. For you.”

Cael’s stomach sunk at her words. “Oh, fuck…fuckin’ hell,” he gasped. “I never meant to say that…shit, not where you could hear me. I was trying to think through everything…work it all out in my mind. By the morning, I knew the reality was that I wanted you and there was plenty of me to give to everyone. Sometimes we just have to work things out in our heads, you know. It doesn’t mean we really feel that way.”

Regina bit her lip, hearing Cael’s words, but there was still one thing that couldn’t be denied. “Okaaaay,” she said slowly, her voice low. “I get that. I was going through some of the same emotions.” She watched his square jaw tick, the muscles tight, knowing he was expecting her next question. “What I don’t get, is how you went from wanting to be with me to practically calling me a cheating whore in the middle of the sidewalk, outside where I worked.”

Cael’s gut clenched as her words hit him like a punch to his stomach. He wanted to refute them, take them away, make them disappear. His shoulders slumped at the pain in her voice and he wondered if there was ever really a chance to make things right.

Spreading his hands to the side, he replied, “I can’t take those words back, no matter how much I wish I could. Miss Ethel used to always tell me that words matter and to use them carefully.” Shaking his head, he added, “Regina, I wish you could know how unlike me that was.”

Lifting an eyebrow, she said, “Sure sounded like you. Pretty sure it was you standing on the sidewalk in front of me. Actually, towering over me, in fact.”

“I know…you’re right. But that’s not what I meant. I’m someone who rarely has to apologize for what I say because I’m cautious. With you, I went against everything that is me. I used my size to intimidate, and to do that with a woman, a woman I was seeing no less, was unconscionable. My words were hateful and judgmental, and I need you to know how sorry I am.”

Sighing, Regina stood and said, “You know what, Cael. It’s done. I accept the thanks from your family and I hope all the best for Cindy. I even accept your apology that you didn’t mean what you said…that you let your emotions spill over into anger and you said some things you now wish you hadn’t. We all make mistakes. Lord knows, I have too. It’s over…it’s done…it’s forgiven.” She started toward the door, hoping he would take the hint, follow, walk through the door never to be seen again, so that she could go back to crying over him again.

She turned to usher him out but he was still sitting on the sofa, his eyes on her. Obviously, her attempt to have him leave was not working. Standing for a moment, she thought of something else that she had ignored upon the surprise of his confessions. Cocking her head to the side, she said, “How did you find me? How did you know where I live?”

Cael did not think the day could get any worse but when she learned the next truth, he was afraid it would be the last straw for her.