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“Don’t do this.” He’s running his fingers through my hair, caressing my hand and telling me that this is wrong, that he and I can make our relationship work. He tells me that I make him happy, that losing me won’t do him any good.
I almost break down. I almost tell him that this is irrational on my part and that I would like him to take me out to dinner and tell me everything I don’t know about him, but that wouldn’t change anything.
“I need to be on my own, Carter,” I say, moving out of his lap. I grab my dress and put it on. “I’m sorry.”
He doesn’t move. He sits there stunned, and when I force myself to look into his eyes, I see a world of hurt.
“Yes,” he says, as he moves to the front seat. “I think this conversation would have been better over the phone.”
I remain in the backseat as he puts the car in drive, as he takes me back to my grandparents’ house. I honestly expect him to say, “Bye,” and wait for me to get out of the car myself, but he doesn’t.
Ever the gentleman, he holds an umbrella and opens the back door, reaching for my hand. As he leads me up the driveway and onto the porch, he holds me close to his side—letting his fingers touch my body one last time.
When we make it to the front door, he sets the umbrella down and sighs. “Is that what you really want, Emerald? Are you sure?”
I nod.
“Is this a clean break or am I still allowed to call you?”
Tears are welling in my eyes again. “Clean break.”
He swallows and takes one step forward, pulling me into his arms, kissing me exactly like I knew he would. As he pulls away, I know that there’s something else he wants to say, something else I want to say, but neither of us says a word.
He steps back and motions for me to go inside so he can leave.
I push the door open and look over my shoulder wanting to say goodbye again, but I don’t see a point.
I’ve hurt us both enough.
Chapter 18
Five weeks later...
“Roll Tide!” Virginia shouts for the umpteenth time today.
She and Henry are walking me around the University of Alabama’s campus, pointing out everything that has to do with the Crimson Tide—the university’s football team.
I’ve never been a huge fan of college football, but I do know that the mere mention of the words “Crimson Tide” in Blythe was enough to make people lose their minds. There wasn’t one business that didn’t bear the University of Alabama’s red and white flag, which is actually quite sad because Blythe is two hours away from the university.
“You haven’t lived until you’ve gone to a football game in the South, hun!” Virginia claps. “Henry and I will come back up and we’ll all go to your first one together. What do you think about that?”
“I’d like that very much,” I say and I mean it. I’m still a loner and I know it’ll probably take me a long time to make friends here.
As Henry links his arm in mine and tells me about last season’s championship game, we start to head to my apartment.
It’s three blocks from the main campus and totally overpriced, but they insisted on getting it for me. I’d told them I didn’t want to live on campus or have a roommate and that I was perfectly capable of apartment hunting on my own, but they’re friends with the man who owns my complex and he was more than happy to let me in at the last minute.
“Well...” Henry sighs as he readjusts the AA meeting schedule on my fridge. “We’re going to miss you terribly, Emerald. Please don’t hesitate to call us if you ever need anything.”
“I won’t. I’ll see you in like four weeks, right?”
“Roll Tide!” Virginia laughs. “We’ll be here early! We’re tailgating and all!”
“Looking forward to it.” I can’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm.
The three of us awkwardly move towards one another—embracing for several minutes. When we finally let go, I tell them both that I love them and that I will call every weekend with updates, no matter how mundane they are.
This makes them smile, and I walk them to my door.
“Oh!” Virginia reaches into her purse and pulls out a black box. “I forgot to give you this. It came to the house yesterday, but we were all too busy packing your stuff up that I forgot to mention it.”
I eye the box, noticing that there’s no label on the box, no return address. “Thank you. Drive safely.”
“We will.” Henry steals another hug from me before they walk out into the night.
I watch them walk down the path and past the small pond that borders the apartment complex. I watch until they make it to the parking lot, and then I step inside my new home.
