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Chapter TWENTY
Carina
Now that we're driving en route to my house, I'm once again miserable with thoughts of the soon-to-be parting. I'm truly sorry that his mom is in a care home but, a little selfishly, I'm glad Jared will have to come back to town frequently and I might get to see him again. I really don't want to lose him. Even when he pulls up, down the block from my house like always, I sit in the car, not budging.
“Will you be coming by later?” I ask very softly.
“Of course, Darlin'. I'll be aching to see you every minute until then.”
“You promise, you aren't going to take off.”
“I promise. Where's this coming from?” He reaches for my hand and takes it in both his large ones.
“I just want to say goodbye before you go. No sudden departures.”
“I'm not going anywhere, Darlin'.”
I kiss him and climb from the car, exceptionally slowly. Like trying to emerge from quicksand, his magnetism holds me hostage. I already begged him not to come around to open the door for me in case someone sees us. This car is kind of an attention grabber.
“I'll rent a Prius next time,” he'd joked, making me think there was going to be more of me and Jared.
Next time.
He waited in the car, watching me as I walked slowly away from him, still tethered to his presence. The wrench in my stomach an indication of what was to come. Surely he'll have to leave the city soon. I have a return ticket to Boston in three days so there's the definite end to our undeniable passionate connection.
“Thank god you're here,” Mellie screeches, in a breathless panic. The kitchen looks like a bomb site. “I've been texting you the last two hours. Didn't Britnee tell you I called?”
“Um, no.”
I almost forget I told Mellie I was staying a second night with Brit. Jared doesn't like the endless social posting so I've been ignoring my phone when I'm with him. And I haven’t missed it at all.
“I'm here now,” I tell Mellie. “Why don't I start on cleaning up.”
Being New Year's, Dad comes home from the office early.
“Where have you been, Princess?” he asks, plonking himself at the island counter and pouring a coffee. “I've missed your pretty face and lively presence.”
“I was – um,” I really hate lying to my dad. Thankfully Mellie steps in.
“I told you, she had a second pajama party with Brit.”
“What is all this stuff, we have royalty coming tonight?”
Dad pops a shrimp in his mouth, ruining the symmetry of the giant ring and winning a pout from Mellie who starts re-arranging them to cover the gap.
“Is this -? Please tell me it's not because that jerk Jared Helmsley is joining us. Mellie?”
I notice my stepmother's cheeks have flushed just a little. What the -?
“Why do you detest him so, Todd?” she asks to distract her girly blushing from Dad's excoriating stare.
“Because he ruined my career is why?”
“He did?” I squeak. “How?”
“He did not,” Mellie interrupts.
“How did he ruin you?” I repeat, my heart doing a tango against my rib cage. My parents are acting like I'm not here.
