I know the boys would find this beyond funny, Ruin being given the run around by a woman. But she is not just any woman, Ellis was my dream woman. I still have to remind myself that our relationship was a long time ago. Now I wonder if too much has changed, and if I’m not the kind of man she’d want any more. Or maybe she has changed beyond what I knew her to be. But from that night we had, she felt the same.

Back in school, and even now given my career, women come to me without much effort. Something about the “bad boy” vibes with the dark longish hair and dark eyes, I guess. I knew the image I was giving off and I ran with it. But El didn’t fall for that bullshit. My leather jacket was just a jacket to her and my smirk only made her arch her brows. From the minute I met her I knew I was smitten.

Getting my degree was not at the top of my priority list back then; all I had cared about was getting to the draft. But as soon as I spotted her tall frame from across lecture hall 320 for our first business seminar I knew I was going to start showing up to class more. It was my mom who made me promise to go to college and I could never break a promise to her. Meeting Ellis just made the promise a little bit easier to keep. Knowing I would see her if I turned up made waking up early worth it, even if I did it hungover.

I didn’t approach her vying for sex or follow her around campus, I just knew I only had one year left with her in my life each week and I wanted as much of her as I could to tide me over for the rest of time. Dramatic college mind set aside, I was basically right. As soon as we graduated, she couldn’t split us up quick enough and I knew it was going to happen. El was never quiet about her intentions to date me until I was drafted, but I had convinced myself I could change her mind. But there is no changing Ellis Ainsley’s mind once she has it made up.