Reginald
He watched her go, hating himself for touching her, for loving her and for everything in between. What he hated the most was hurting her, of all things, he never meant for her to hurt. He had sworn to not even bring up Simmons, to not say or do anything to let her know he was bothered by him, but it had been too much, and now he had basically pushed her towards him.
There had been no intention of touching her either, but that had been thrown out the window quickly. She had given him that look, and stood up to her father for him. Seeing her on fire like that had pushed him over the edge and he was drawn to her, more than ever before. What he felt for her was more than he could put a name to, more than he could really handle.
He poured himself a drink, swirling the amber liquid around as he thought about her with him. There was something about her, a glow she seemed to carry every time he saw her that ripped into him like fire. For more than an hour he sat there, lost in his own thoughts. He had been the first to touch her and he damn well wanted to be the last. He also knew he was a coward, and he wasn’t made for commitment. Hand picking a few women to have fun with, that was more his style. At least it had been before, Chelsea had come into his life on a night he had never seen coming. He knew the first thing he needed to do was work things out with Ben, and do his best to explain. Then he would talk to her, explain why he can't be more for her.
He smiled as an idea came to him, he quickly dialed the number in the file he found. Once that was done, he smiled to himself as he left the building. He made his way to Ben’s house, knowing she may be there, hoping in fact that she could be there and make him feel better. Knowing she was safe. The steps he took to the door were some the hardest he could remember taking. He knocked twice and waited.
The door came open in a short burst. “What do you want Reggie, haven’t you done enough?”
“I know your pissed Ben, hell I’d kill you for less. Can we talk, please?”
Ben moved aside, letting him into the foyer of the house. He glanced around quickly.
“She's gone, if that's what you're doing… looking for her?”
He frowned. “What do you mean she is gone? Gone where?”
Ben sighed, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “Back to her mothers, I guess. Wherever she is going it’s your fault. She was fine until this afternoon, then she packed her things, tossed them in her car and was gone.”
“Damn it!” He stood again once more thinking about how he could find her quickly. “Where is her mother? I mean literally, Ben, it's important.”
“Why the hell would I tell you that?”
Reg took a deep breath calming himself. “You're right, I owe you an apology Ben. I met her and it was all a mix up. I didn’t know who she was and then when she showed up that day…”
“Why didn’t you stop it, why did you let her fall in love with you, the player that you are. I mean only a couple months ago employees were dropping like flies, because of you.”
He felt his temper rising, but the truth was there, right out and open. “You're right Ben, but it's not like that with her.”
Ben snorted. “Why because she is fresh and new and young. We both know you Reggie, you don’t change.”
“I love her Ben.”
They both stopped, each surprised for different reasons. Ben slumped down in the chair at the kitchen table, taking a long drink from the glass sitting there. Reg followed suit, pouring a drink for himself in the glass Ben handed him. He took a long drink, thinking about her and what would happen when he found her.
“She loves you too you know, in case you missed that part earlier.”
“I don’t know how to do this Ben, I mean I love her I want to be there… I want to protect her and… I just don’t know what to do next.”
“Not much else you can do except tell her.”
He glanced up at Ben then, his face a mask of concern. “She loves you, it would kill her if you didn’t approve.”
Ben sighed loudly. “You know today, when she left I think I would have done anything to keep her safe. That’s the part of being a father you will have to learn to get used to. Then I realized there was something more, something bigger that she needed. The man in her life wasn’t me anymore.” He took a drink. “She is in town at the Braymore Hotel. She is heading to Fauquier to her mother’s tomorrow. She needed a place to go think.”
Reg jumped up grabbing the keys he had tossed on the table a moment before. He turned to go, pausing only once.
“Wait, what did you say?”