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“Sure,” I offer, scrambling to think of what to say. Why the fuck didn’t her parents tell her they are moving in a month? “We can definitely work something out.”
“We? Kai, what are you talking about?”
I shore up all my courage and give her the news I know will break her heart.
“Your parents sold their farm.”
She’s quiet. Too quiet. I peer over at Oakley, only to see her blinking rapidly. Tears gather in her beautiful eyes, but she pushes them back, swallowing hard.
“What?” she manages to choke out.
My stomach sinks, and I wonder if I just made everything between us even more complicated.
“Um…”
“What sale, Kai?” Oakley asks more firmly.
“Your parents have had their land on the market for almost a year now,” I hedge, wondering how much she knows. From the gasp and wide eyes, I’m guessing she didn’t know any of this. “I’m sorry, baby,” I rush to say. “I swear. I thought you knew,” I start.
“Who did they sell it to?”
I open my mouth but no words come out.
“Who, Kai?” she snaps. I take a deep breath.
“Me.”
SEVEN
Oakley
I see red.
How could they do this to me? How couldKaido this to me?
I thought I finally landed on solid ground after a lifetime of floating around, trying to stay out of my mom and dad’s way. And then the ground cracked beneath my feet, opening up and swallowing me whole.
A rational part of my brain knows that Kai didn’t know about my plans. Still, he never mentioned the sale. Never said one thing about buying the house I grew up in, the land I love so much. It’s true, we’ve only spent a handful of hours together, and about half of those we were tangled up in each other, unable to do anything but feel each other and succumb to our desires.
Kai is deathly quiet as he drives us the last few miles home.Home.Something I don’t have anymore.
My anger grows as I think about the time we spent in the car, on the ferry, and sitting on the beach before Kai confessed his feelings. He had the opportunity to tell me, to at least mention it, but he didn’t. He listened to me talk about not liking school and how I don’t love being back in my house, but I’m excited to work the land again.
The real blame lands on my parents, though. I switch gears, letting my anger spill from my heart into my veins, my cells, my lungs as I breathe it in. All I talked about in high school and before I left for college was taking the right classes so that I could come home and run the farm. I told them over the phone about what I was learning while I was away, hoping they would take it into consideration and get things started before I came back.
Hell, I’ve been back in town for a week now and they haven’t even hinted at selling the place. When were they going to tell me? When the moving truck showed up?
They knew what my plans were. They knew what I wanted, and they just ruined everything.
A cold sweat breaks out on my forehead and upper lip, my jaw aching from how hard I’m clenching it. I ball my hands into fists to stop them from shaking. Now what? Was my education all for nothing? Did I battle my dyslexia in every class for four years just to come back jobless and homeless?
Tears sting my eyes and start falling before I can stop them. An endless stream of anxiety, heartbreak, and rage pours from my eyes, and I bury my face in my hands, not wanting Kai to see me like this. I wish I could curl up in a ball and disappear.
Did they not trust me, not believe in me that I could handle the farm? Why would they do this? Why didn’t anyone mention it? What the hell am I going to do with my life?
I turn and glare at the man who just broke my heart and see his brow furrowed in concern. Brown eyes capture mine, and I can see the anguish deep in his soul.
Too bad. I’m hurting too, and I can only deal with so much pain and betrayal.
