Page 11 of Summer Ride

“What’s brought this on?” he asked. “Was it because I asked you to move in with me?”

She wanted to tell him yes, that his request had broken their agreement. But in truth, she’d messed it up a long time before when she’d allowed herself to feel something for him.

After all, she’d dreamed of moving in with him since the moment that she’d seen the cute farmhouse.

So she shook her head from side to side.

“No, it’s a lot of things. I think what we have, physically, has fizzled.” She knew this next part would sting but said it anyway. “I’m ready to move on. I think it’s time you do as well.”

Carter’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you?”

Was he laughing at her? Did he see right through her on this matter as well?

“Yes,” she said firmly. “I’d appreciate your understanding.”

“Well, too bad. Because I don’t understand,” he said, shifting slightly.

Good. Let him get angry.

She knew she was hurting him, but it was necessary.

“Don’t be difficult. We both agreed to a casual thing,” she pointed out.

“Five and a half years ago,” he countered. “That time has passed.”

She tilted her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “I agree, it went on far longer than either of us planned. Which is why I’m ending it now.” She tried to hold in the tears, the pain. At least until she was alone.

“Kara,” he said, taking a step towards her with his arms out.

“No.” She backed up and shook her head. “We both know this is for the best.”

“Do we?” he asked. She could hear the strain in his voice.

Not trusting herself, she nodded and turned away. “See you around,” she called behind her. She forced herself to walk slowly back down the pathway.

When she finally locked herself in the bathroom in the pool house, she crumpled to the floor as her entire world shook.

That was the worst day of her life.

The pain she felt was so great that she doubted she could ever recover.

After that, whenever she saw Carter, she kept reminding herself what was at stake. It would cost too much if she truly allowed him in. If she did move in with him, she would slip up eventually, and he would find out just what kind of monster she was.

The fact that she could see herself happily with him forever scared her enough that it was worth suffering through the lonely nights of not being next to him, the dark times she ached for his touch, longed for his kisses and soft words.

She had watched in the past few years as all of her friends at the camp grew happier after finding loves of their own and getting married. Some were even starting their own families.

Which had her daydreaming of having children of her own someday. Her and Carter.

When the daydreams became so powerful that tears rolled down her cheeks, she knew deep in her gut that she’d done the right thing by breaking it off.

He was better without her.

She was better off alone. Pushing those emotions to the dark locked rooms of her soul, she carried on each day, determined to keep her distance.

She was destined to be alone and hold onto the thin threads of a lonely life that she deserved.

Her job was her one steady enjoyment.