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“I’ll walk you out,” she says, her feathery brown curls bouncing as she lugs that big basket.

“Give me the basket and you can carry my bag,” I say, handing her my laptop bag as I take the basket off her hands.

“How was your Christmas?” she asks as she holds the door open for me and I step outside into the snow-covered parking

lot.

“It was pretty quiet. I spent Christmas Eve with a friend in Carolina Beach then went to my parents house in Wilmington on Christmas Day.”

“Ooh, how was everything with your dad?”

“Well, we didn’t talk at all on Thanksgiving, but it’s hard to be a complete dick in front of company, so he was civil on Christmas. How was your Christmas? Buy yourself something nice online?”

“You bet I did. Bought myself a nice pair of Chanel boots and John got a new snowmobile,” she says as we arrive at the parking space where her silver SUV is parked crooked.

“Wow. That’s a nice gift,” I say as I wait for her to unlock her door. “I hope you didn’t spend your entire bonus on it.”

“I didn’t,” she says as we exchange the basket for the laptop bag. “I’ve been saving up to get him a snowmobile for four years, ever since Janelle went off to college. He loves the snow.” She places the fruit basket in the trunk of her car then climbs into the front seat. “Have a good weekend, kid.”

I stand still as I watch her pull out of her parking space and drive out of the parking lot. It’s funny how a simple phrase can put things into perspective. “He loves the snow.” Sometimes you have to give someone something they love in order to show how much you love them. It seems simple, but sometimes the thing they love has nothing to do with you. And that’s okay.

As I walk to my car, I think of the things I love most: the ocean, surfing, and my family. Claire used to be one of those things, and I still love her, but it’s been a month since she moved on; since we both moved on. Spending Christmas with Lindsay and Kaia only solidified this feeling of closure. I love Kaia. Sometimes I wish I didn’t love her because she’s not mine, but most of the time I don’t know what I’d do if Lindsay were to suddenly stop needing me. All I know is that I’m glad neither of us is ready for a relationship right now. It means we have time to regain each other’s trust before we do anything stupid to lose it again.

And there’s one other thing I know: Lindsay and Kaia are coming with me to Australia in January and March. I hope that, by then, Lindsay and I have figured things out.

Climbing into my truck, I stare at my phone for a few minutes as I try to think of what I’m going to say to Claire—if she answers. Finally, I send the call and wait as it begins to ring… one ring… two rings… three rings….

“Adam?”

I didn’t even think of it until now, but she probably deleted my number from her phone. She probably didn’t recognize my number right away. I don’t know why this feels like a punch in the chest, but it does.

“Yeah, it’s me. Do you have a minute?”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, well, sort of. I’m calling for Cora—actually, I’m calling for Tina. She called me this morning to say that Cora wants to see us—and Senia. Her daughter is putting her in a full-time care facility in Idaho and Cora wants to see us before she leaves.”

She’s silent and I don’t know if this is because she’s upset about the news or upset that I contacted her.

“When is she leaving?” she asks softly.

“Friday, January 2nd.”

“In one week? I’m leaving the 29th and I won’t be back until the following Sunday, the 4th.”

“So… what does that mean?” I know she’s probably going with Chris to California to see her father, like she said she was, but I need to at least try to get her to visit Cora before she leaves.

“It means that the only time I’ll be able to go is tomorrow, and this is really short notice. I’ll see what I can do. I really want to see her. Thank you for calling.”

“Yeah, no problem. You can text me your answer if you’re more comfortable with that.”

“That sounds good.” She’s silent for a moment, then, “I hope you’re doing well.”

I let out a deep sigh to ease the anger building inside me. “Yeah, you too. Take care.”

I hang up before she can say anything else that I may interpret as a patronizing remark, when I know she only means well.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Claire

“What was that about?” Chris asks as I end the call and set the phone back on the coffee table where it was before Adam called.

“Cora. She’s moving into a care facility in Idaho, where her family lives. She wants to see me and Senia before she leaves.”

Chris looks even more worried now than when I was on the phone. “And he’s going to be there?”

“I don’t know. I can ask him to go another time. I can call Tina myself.”

“But you told him you were going to text him. And now he knows the only day you can make it out there is tomorrow.”

I let out a frustrated sigh. “Right. Well, I’m going with Senia, and you could come, if you want.”

He smiles weakly as he shakes his head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

My nerves are buzzing as I try to think of how to handle this situation gracefully. I want to see Cora, but I don’t want to have to do it under the pressure of what Adam and I will say and do when we see each other. And I especially don’t want Chris to worry about that. But I know that I need to settle things with Adam as much as I need to see Cora.

I climb onto Chris’s lap and grab his face. “I know you trust me.”

He leans his cheek into my hand as I brush my thumb over the two days of hair growth on his face, then he grabs my hand and holds it against his chest. “This means something, doesn’t it?” he asks, indicating the ring on my finger.

“It means everything.”

He smiles again, a little wider than the last time, but it still doesn’t reach his eyes. “Then you should go. I trust you. I know I said that the last time you went to Cora’s, but I meant it then and I mean it now. I know you were sort of asleep at the wheel before, just trying to get from one day to the next. But you’re awake now.”

I wrap my arms around his neck and squeeze him tight. We sit like this for so long, feeling totally at peace, that I actually start to fall asleep in his arms.

He rubs my back and whispers in my ear. “Wake up, sleepyhead. You have a text to send.”

I tighten my arms around his neck and smile as I breathe in the scent of his skin. “I don’t want to.”

“Come on, babe,” he says, grabbing my sides and pushing me back. “Just get it over with so you can call Senia.”

I reach behind me and grab my phone off the coffee table then I hold it in front of me where Chris can see as I type.

Me: Okay. I’ll be there tomorrow at noon.

“Happy now?” I say as I send the message then dial Senia’s number.

“Not really. I actually think that made me a little sick to my stomach, but I’ll survive.”

I lay a soft kiss on the corner of his lips as Senia answers the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey, we’re taking a little road trip tomorrow. Cora’s leaving to Idaho next week and she wants to see us before she leaves.”

“Tomorrow? I can’t go tomorrow,” she replies.

“Why not? It’s a Saturday. You don’t have class.”

“I can’t go. I’m introducing Tristan to my parents tomorrow.”

“You’re telling them about the baby?”

My heart starts racing as I remember the inner turmoil I experienced last night after realizing my period is late. I can’t tell Chris. I can’t bear to get his hopes up; especially since we’ve used protection every single time we’ve had sex except the time we had sex in the shower two days ago, and there’s no way I could get pregnant the day my period was supposed to begin. This is probably just a false alarm. But I need to find a way to sneak away from him soon to take a test. That’s the problem when you live with your fiancé and both of you are on a break from school and work. We spend every waking minute together.

“No, I’m not telling my parents yet!” Senia squeals, and I can hear Tristan in the background asking Senia who she’s talking to. ?

??I’m just introducing them to Tristan so I can go to Vegas with you guys next week without them bitching.”

“Oh. But what about Cora?”

“Well, when is she leaving?” she asks.

“Next Friday.”

“I’ll go see her on Thursday.”

“But I won’t be back from Vegas on Thursday. Chris and I are staying a few more days.”

“I’ll go with Tristan and you can go tomorrow with Chris.”

“Chris isn’t going.”

“Why not? It’s not as if Adam’s going to be there.” I’m silent as I wait for her to catch on. “Wait… is Adam going to be there?”

“Yes.”

“Oh….” Her voice trails off and I wait for what seems like an eternity before she finally continues. “I’m sorry, Claire. I still can’t go. I already made the reservation for the restaurant and my dad rescheduled his appointments. Do you hate me?”

“Yes, but not anymore than I did yesterday when you told me about your craving for pig’s feet.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

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