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“Got a buyer and everything. I’ll be out on my ass in a few weeks, if I can’t come up with something. Oh, those are our coffees.”
I reached for mine. “Thanks.”
Clint took a sip of his. “Anyway, it is what it is.”
“Will you please let me help?”
“There’s nothing you can do to help. It’s just a shit scenario.”
“All I’m asking you to do is let me back in. We don’t have to date. We don’t have to see one another. Just let me help you. When have I proven to you that I can’t help?”
“This isn’t your issue to deal with anymore, Rae.”
I sighed. “Then why passive-aggressively bring it up like that?”
He paused. “What?”
“If it wasn’t my issue and you didn’t want me worried about it, then you wouldn't have brought it up at all. But you did. Which tells me you at least want to talk about it. So I’m here. You’ve already bought me coffee. Why don’t we sit, or take a walk, and at least talk about it?”
His eyes danced between mine. “Are you taking a psychology class or something?”
“Michael is.”
“Ah.”
“That’s beside the point, though. Are you going to let me back in long enough to help you? Or are you going to silently suffer and then proclaim the world’s against you?”
He grinned. “Did you just call me out?”
“Yes. I fully and completely did. But only because I want to help.”
“Rae, it’s just—”
My glare shut him up. “You don’t get to make choices for me, Clinton. If you push me away one more time, it’s because you want to. Not because you’re protecting me. Because the only thing you’ve caused me is heartache and sleepless nights. Don’t you dare fool yourself on that.”
And with a heavy sigh, I watched sorrow rush behind his eyes.
“Want to take a walk with me?”
I nodded. “I’m more than happy to. Come on. You lead the way.”
17
Clinton
I opened the door for Rae. “I don’t really know where to start.”
She walked out the door. “Well, you can start from the beginning.”
“You already know the beginning. Kind of.”
“Then, start from what happened after the last time I came to your house.”
“You mean where you almost killed yourself jumping over the porch railing?”
She shrugged. “I would’ve done anything to get away from you in that moment.”
Her words struck me hard. “I’m sorry.”
