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COLTON
Istopped home to change out of my uniform and get my truck. I texted my neighbor, asking her to take out Scout tonight and tomorrow morning before she left for school.
According to what I found online, Austin lived in Richmond, Virginia. That’s where he’d grown up and where his family lived. I hoped he was home because every mile I drove farther away from Remi was slowly killing me.
I thought I should wait to talk to her until after I’d figured my shit out, but on the long drive, I couldn’t help but worry that my silence was doing more damage. It was late. She was probably asleep, but I needed to reassure myself she was okay, and let her know what I was doing.
Space between us after yesterday didn’t sit right with me. Dialing her over the Bluetooth, the phone rang. When it rang again, I worried that I’d wake her.
“Hello.” Her voice filled my car, groggy.
“Hey, it’s me.”
Silence.
“I’m sorry I called so late. I didn’t want to wake you. I just needed to hear your voice.”
“That’s okay. I wanted to hear from you. I came home, thinking you might stop by.” Her voice was stronger now.
“I had to get out of town.”
There was silence for a beat before she said, “Did you say you left town?”
“Yeah, but only because I needed to talk to someone from my past.”
“I don’t understand.”
The reasoning had been running through my head all day, but she had no idea where I was coming from. “I can’t be the guy for you.”
“Colton—” Her voice was filling with disappointment.
I rushed to add, “Not unless I resolve some things in my past. This is something I have to take care of. Then I’ll come back to you.”
“How long will you be gone?” she asked softly.
I hoped she understood. “Not long. I need to talk to Austin, my friend from college.”
“Do what you need to do.”
I couldn’t tell from her tone if she was mad. “You’re not upset?”
“If you feel like this is something you need to do, then I understand. Just come back to me.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “I will.”
I just hoped what Austin had to say didn’t make things worse. I wanted to believe that I was the man for Remi.
“We might have fallen back into each other’s lives because of chance, but I know we belong together. I love you, Colton.”
“I love you too. Go to sleep.” We hung up, and I hoped I’d be able to wake her in the morning with what she wanted to hear—I was the one for her.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled up to the address listed for Austin. It was a small home on the outskirts of the city. Taking a chance that he had the same number from college, I texted him.
If I didn’t hear back, I’d knock on the door. I wanted to get back to Annapolis, back to Remi. I wanted to slide into bed with her and hold her tight.
Then it hit me: maybe I wasn’t the one who needed to keep her safe. Maybe my role was to be her soft spot to land. Her safe space at the end of a long day and the beginning of another one. I’d lift her up and support her. Before I could fully flesh the idea out, my phone vibrated.
Austin: You in town?
