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I can only assume that Remi and Conner succeeded in their mission to get Hadley to spend the holiday with us, and the thought of walking into the house and finding her making herself at home is almost enough to stop me returning. But I know I can’t hide forever.
Somehow, I need to figure out how both of us are going to continue forward with our lives interlaced as they are.
With the empty bottle in my hand and the sun rising behind me, I make my way home. Ellen is already potte
ring around in the kitchen, but I don’t go in to see what she’s doing. Instead, I head straight upstairs.
The guest room door is closed when I get to the top, and my heart jumps into my throat. She’s in there. I can feel it.
My fingers flex, my need to push it open and to find out if I’m right almost getting the better of me.
I’m still hovering when a door opens behind me and a sleepy looking Conner stumbles out of his room with his hair all over the place and wearing only a pair of boxers.
“Mornin’,” he mutters, heading straight for the bathroom. He doesn’t close the door behind him. Instead just stands there in front of me while he takes a piss.
“Are you going to do the right thing at last?” he asks, looking between me and the closed door.
“I am doing the right thing.” Spinning on my heel, I push my own bedroom door open and quietly close it before falling back against it.
Every muscle in my body aches to go and find her. To crawl into bed with her and feel her warm skin against my own.
But I can’t.
I’ve already caused her enough pain.
I can’t do it anymore.
For the first time in my life, I’m going to put someone else first and do the right thing.
Even if it kills me.
Chapter Eleven
Hadley
I shouldn’t have come here.
But when Conner found out I was staying on campus alone over Thanksgiving, he invited me to join the Jaggers for the weekend.
I’d said no, of course, but then he called Remi and the two of them had persisted until I’d finally caved.
I didn’t really want to be alone, but now I’m here, hiding in the Jaggers’ guest room, and Cole is avoiding me.
He’s done the same all week, barely looking twice in my direction and dodging me at every turn. He missed all our shared classes, and if he saw me in the hall, he doubled back and went the other way.
My family doesn’t want me.
Cole doesn’t want me.
And I’m stuck spending Thanksgiving with a family I don’t belong to... and probably never will.
Heavy footsteps in the hall catch my attention, and I hold my breath. I don’t know how I know, but I know it’s Cole. I sense him. Feel his pain and torment through the door.
The footsteps slow, making my pulse speed up. I can imagine him on the other side of the door, at war with himself over whether to barge inside or walk right on by.
My heart sinks when the footsteps keep going. He’s digging his feet in and staying true to his stubborn nature.
I let out a heavy sigh. Today we have to face each other. We have to sit at the table with his family and say thanks for all the things we’re grateful for.
