Always You.
Chapter One: Take Me Back
March 2017
Reba exhaled deeply and smoothed the black satin fabric against her petite frame. She turned to the left and then to the right as she took one final look at herself in the mirror. She had to admit, she looked damn good. The dress accentuated her curves perfectly, the a-line style hugging her chest and flowing out from her waist. It didn't matter how many times she put on a gown, she always felt like royalty.
She adjusted the sequin belt around her waist and it glistened in the light of her hotel closet. What was a dress without a little sparkle, anyway? She smiled at herself. The dress just wouldn't be her without a little bedazzlement.
This was it. Tonight was the night. Her first Celebrity Fight Night event in over eleven years, excitement and nervousness fought hard against each other in her chest. She had stopped going when she ended things with Chris. She had no choice but to distance herself from him, whether she wanted to or not. She couldn't be around him and not want him. Not long after that, their show came to an end. She tried hard not to blame the ending of their show on herself, but she knew deep down she was partly to blame.
If she'd never ended things with Chris, maybe it would've lasted a few more seasons. Heck, if she never even started something with Chris, everyone would've been better off, including the show. God, she remembered it like it was yesterday. They didn't look at each other, they didn't talk, didn't touch, just… nothing. It was the worst thing she'd ever experienced. One second he was her entire life and the next, he was gone. Just like that. Not only did she lose a lover, she lost a best friend.
It was that loss of chemistry, that crucial component which was the back-bone of the show, that caused it to end so suddenly. No one could ever put a finger on the sudden shift in the show, but she could and so could Chris.
He had been so angry with her, but part of her knew he understood. He had to. He had made a commitment to his wife and so had she to Narvel. She chose the man she had been with for almost twenty years over the man who changed her world in a short while and look where that got her. She was sixty-two years old and single once again – two failed marriages tucked under her belt. Her life might as well have been a soap opera.
Had she known what she did now back then, she would've divorced Narvel right then and there. But that's life, there's no way to predict the future. She couldn't even be angry with Narvel when he told her he was divorcing her for the young, blonde she once called her friend, for they'd cheated together before they got married and then the whole crap-storm with Chris. She could try and tell herself that she was better than him, but she wasn't. They were the same person and they'd both committed the same crimes.
Reba leaned closer to the mirror and smacked her lips together, making sure her gloss was perfect. She tilted her head from side to side, inspecting her hair one last time. Her bangs fell perfectly against her forehead and the rest of her medium-length curls were pulled back into a side bun, showing off the features of her face. No fly-aways were spotted and everything was exactly where it was supposed to be. Brett had done a fantastic job as per usual.
"Reba, honey, the cars here – let's move it!" Brett shouted from outside of the closet door. She was as ready as she'd ever be. She grabbed her clutch from the shelf beside her and headed out the door. Here goes nothing.
She clicked the heel of her sliver stilettos against the floor of the car. She hadn't seen Chris since their last day of filming and her nerves were getting the best of her. For all she knows, he might not even be there tonight. Maybe he had stopped going just as she had.
Melissa reached over and placed her palm on the redheads bouncing knee.
"It's going to be fine." She gave her friend a soft smile. She was the only one who knew about the affair and she helped Reba pick up the pieces after it ended all those years ago. They'd always asked her about one another, but she never told either of them that. There was no use in making the pain worse.
Reba softened under Melissa's touch. She was right, it was going to be fine. She just needed to be calm. "Yeah, okay. You're right." She blew air out of her lips causing her bangs to dance for a moment. "It's going to be fine. Cool. Cool. We're good. I'm good. Yeah."
Melissa watched her friend ramble on, trying her best to push away the smirk she so desperately wanted to show. She was the queen of country music, yes, but when the woman was nervous, lord was she ever nervous.
The car came to a halt in front of the red carpet and Melissa looked forward for a second before looking back at Reba who was continuously rubbing her sweaty palms against her dress.
"Let's walk this carpet as quickly as we can and get you a drink, girl." She patted Reba's knee one last time and turned to the man who opened her door.
It's fine. Everything is fine. She repeated to herself underneath her breath, knowing full well she was lying through her teeth.
Melissa watched hesitantly as Reba exited the vehicle and put her game face on. Just like that, her nerves were gone and her smile let everyone else know that she was okay. She moved from marker to marker, posing for pictures and talking to interviewers like the pro she was. There was noise all around her and flashes went off like lightening in the sky. She missed this. Walking a red carpet for a charity event like this one made everything feel like so much more. She almost forgot all of her concerns from before.
That is until she spotted him, smiling that smile she had missed for so long.
His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his navy blue suit as he moved to the next marker. Reba felt her breath catch in her throat and the heat rise from her neck to her cheeks. No, she was not ready for this. Eva was nowhere in sight. Was she there or had she stayed home with the girls? All these questions were running through her mind at full speed and she felt her head jumble.
Chris laughed at something and turned in her direction. Their eyes locked immediately. She told herself to look away, but she was stuck. The corner of his mouth lifted further than it had just moments ago. But just as quickly as the moment started, it ended. Chris shifted his eyes to the floor and turned, walking towards the building.
Reba felt her heart sink into her stomach, but quickly forced a smile when she felt Melissa's hand on the small of her back. The blonde's eyes asked her if she was okay and Reba nodded, turning towards the cameras with her friend. She needed a drink or two.
Chris's smile vanished from his face almost immediately, once he was sure he was out of sight. He hadn't expected to see Reba here. He had gone all of these years in hopes of seeing her again and he had all but given up. But there she was, at the end of the red carpet, looking breathtakingly beautiful. He wanted to turn around, to catch a glimpse of her once again. It had been such a long time, she felt like a phantom, nothing but a memory.
But she was real and she was right there.
He threw caution to the wind and turned on his heel. The flashes from the camera lit up her pale skin and made her glow. He watched as she smiled and posed for pictures. She looked absolutely stunning. The black dress fit her perfectly, showing off each and every one of her assets. Suddenly, just like that, he'd never loved an article of clothing more.
She lifted the skirt of her dress up an inch and she walked to the next marker. He felt his heart stop. She hadn't changed a bit since the last time he had laid eyes on her. Perhaps she'd lost a little weight and the crow's feet around her eyes were a little more pronounced, but it only added to her beauty. He'd heard about the divorce, of course, but he wasn't surprised as awful as that sounds. Narvel wasn't the love of her life.
Chris was brought out of his thoughts as his date called his name from behind. He turned and followed the sound, glancing over his shoulder one last time. He hadn't stopped thinking about her since the last day they had spoken.