Did I expect Atlas at the door? Absolutely not. Was I shocked? Completely.
For a moment, I just stood there, frozen in place. His presence hit me like a sudden shift in the air… sharp, disorienting. A dozen thoughts rushed in all at once. Maybe he was here to throw me out of his beach house… though I knew Jared would never allow that. Maybe he was here to confront me, but for what? I hadn't done anything wrong. If glancing into his car was such a crime, then fine, charge me for it.
My thoughts scattered the second his gaze dropped.
It was brief, barely a flicker, but I caught it. His eyes skimmed over my chest before returning to my face, and that's when it hit me.
I was half-naked. I had just taken off my wet shirt.
My breath caught in my throat as awareness rushed over me all at once. The cool night air brushed against my damp skin, sending a shiver down my spine, raising goosebumps along my arms. I could feel everything… the chill, the lingering heat beneath it, the way my body reacted despite myself.
And then there was him.
Standing right in front of me, still soaked, dressed in black, his presence heavy and unmoving. There was something about the contrast… the wet fabric clinging to him, the stillness in his posture, the intensity in his gaze, that made the moment feel… weird.
My stomach tightened.
No! The moment was gone as fast as it came. My cheeks flushed. What the hell was wrong with me?! How can I be so disgusting? I swallowed hard and shook my head, forcing myself back to reality, pushing the thought away as quickly as it had come.
I didn't have the energy, or the patience, to deal with him. I moved to slam the door in his face, not caring that I was standing in his own beach house. But before I could shut it, he was faster. His hand came up against the door, stopping it cold.
I tried to force it closed once, putting my weight into it, but his grip didn't budge. It was firm, unyielding, almost effortless. The more I pushed, the more ridiculous I felt, struggling with both hands while he held it in place with just one, like it took no effort at all.
Heat crept up my neck, a mix of anger and embarrassment. I let go.
"What?" I snapped, my voice sharp. I was furious at him, yes, but even more annoyed by how easily he'd stopped me, like I hadn't stood a chance in the first place.
"Sorry."
He didn't stutter. He didn't look embarrassed, or even the slightest bit uncomfortable. The word came out clean and steady, like he had no trouble saying it at all. His face remained blank, but he didn't hesitate.
The frown on my face eased, just a fraction.
"What?" The word slipped out before I could stop it, the only response I could manage.
He heaved a small sigh, "I shouldn't have done that," he continued. "It was my mistake. I forgot Jared had friends staying here. I'd seen you twice before, so I assumed you were a stalker. But I shouldn't have taken matters into my own hands. I should have talked to you first." He paused briefly, though his expression didn't change. "I'm sorry for putting my hands on you. I was completely at fault. I'm really sorry… so tell me how I can make it up to you."
The words came out almost mechanically, his tone even, his face still unreadable. I didn't know how to react.
His apology left me confused. I was completely thrown off. I hadn't expected one at all, let alone something this immediate… this thorough. A second ago, I'd been ready to tear into him, to give him a piece of my mind.
Instead, I just stood there… speechless, while he apologized like he actually meant it.
When he finished speaking, the air between us went completely still.
Neither of us moved.
He stood there with his hand braced against the door, holding it open just enough to keep his place, while I remained frozen on the other side, fingers tight around the doorknob. The metal felt cold against my palm, grounding me, because my mind was still scrambling to catch up with what had just happened.
Seconds stretched. Or maybe it was longer. It was hard to tell.
I narrowed my eyes at him, studying his face like I might find some crack in it, some sign that this was a joke or a trick. "You're… apologizing to me?" I asked slowly, the words coming out uncertain, almost disbelieving.
One of his eyebrows lifted, just slightly. "What else did it sound like?" he replied, his tone edged with faint sarcasm.
I exhaled through my nose, shaking my head. I didn't like the attitude, not after everything that had just happened, but right now, that wasn't the point. I let it slide.
"It's just…" I hesitated, then gave up on softening it. "You don't seem like the kind of person who would accept their mistakes and apologize." The words slipped out before I could stop them.
For a split second, I braced myself… half-expecting him to snap, to grab me again, to prove me right. Normally, I have trouble keeping thoughts like that to myself. I'm the type to say things out loud without really thinking about how someone might react.
That's probably why I don't have a good relationship with my parents, why I barely made any friends after high school, and why my relationships never seem to last more than a month. Maybe I really do need to work on my bluntness. But I didn't. Not this time.
I did what I always do, spoke without thinking. Maybe I should start hesitating more, especially when it comes to the man standing in front of me, the same one who had nearly knocked me flat in his own driveway.
Atlas didn't respond to my assumption. He simply sighed, as if I were wasting his time. With every second I dragged it out, the faint irritation on his face became more noticeable.
To be fair, he had apologized. I didn't really have a reason to hold a grudge anymore. I was still angry about how he had handled things, but at least he owned up to it, and that was rare these days.
I let out a quiet sigh and gave a small nod. "It's okay," I muttered. "Next time, maybe hesitate before making assumptions." That was a bit rich coming from me.
Judging by the way Atlas raised an eyebrow, he was thinking the exact same thing. Still, I pushed on.
"I wasn't stalking you. I thought I made that clear at the gas station. Seeing you twice…" I paused, then corrected myself, "…three times now… was a complete coincidence. I didn't know you'd be at the café or the gas station, and I definitely didn't expect you to be Jared's uncle."
Atlas kept his eyes on me the entire time, listening without interruption. Even after I finished, he let a few seconds pass, as if making sure I was done. Then he simply nodded. "Okay." That was it.
Right. He was incredibly dull, and I was done standing there, shirtless, trying to have a conversation with him.
"Anyway, it's fine. Just… don't try to kill me again," I added, half-joking.
"That depends," he said quietly.
The response caught me off guard. I barely had time to process it, let alone ask depends on what?... before he turned and walked away.