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“Always.”
“Do you feel like you’re ready to be with him again?”
Nodding slowly, I say, “Yes, I do. I mean, I have no idea what it will look like, and we’ve got plenty to work through, but I want to do the work. I’ve learned a lot since we broke up. Hell, I even know what I’d do differently if I could do it over again.”
“What’s that?”
“I wouldn’t have left. Wouldn’t have let him keep trying to break up with me. I would’ve forced him to talk. Told him we’re in it together, and I’d sew my skin to his if that’s what it took to make him understand that.”
He laughs as he veers to the right at a fork in the road. “That’s a horrible visual.”
“Well, it should show how serious I am,” I say with a laugh.
“Not gonna lie, it’s good to see.”
“I’m trying to do my best and have faith in our future, even if I have no idea what’s coming next.”
“I don’t think it’s about seeing what’s coming. It’s about trusting the person you’re walking with to catch you if you fall. You two just need to start walking the path together again.”
“Thanks, Miles.”
He doesn’t say anything, just shoots me a wink.
After a few peaceful moments, I ask, “What do you think? Do you want the big, epic love story someday?”
Miles glances at me, his hands shifting slightly on the steering wheel. “Yes. And no. I mean, watching the hell you guys have gone through, even how hard my parents have to fight… I don’t know. It’s all worth it in the end, right? But it scares the shit out of me. Putting your heart out there is terrifying. But, at the same time, opening your heart, being willing to fight, and put in the work… that’s some of the strongest shit you can do.”
I’m trying to do that again, but sometimes the fear still takes over. It’s not easy trusting someone who has hurt you. It’s not easy trusting yourself when you’ve hurt someone. But I also know if I don’t, I risk losing the man I love.
Aaron
“Hey, sorry I’m late.” I sit down next to Joel and look around the table. “Where are Rae and Miles?”
Sarah glances at Joel, then says, “Didn’t you see the texts?”
I whip out my phone. “Shit, no. I put my phone on silent while I was working with Jamie. Everything okay?”
I read the texts between Rae, Sarah, and Joel. And later, one from Miles, saying something “came up” and he couldn’t make it.
I’m not stupid. None of us are. He’s with Rae.
My stomach twists. She seemed fine—happy even—last night. I hope she’s okay. And I hope even more that she would text me if she’s not.
“Is Rae okay?” I ask Sarah, wondering if she knows the truth.
She shrugs. “I read the text, same as you. She was still in bed when I left this morning.”
Joel glances at me and says, “I’m sure she’s fine. Besides, we don’t need them here. Just going over a general plan for driving tomorrow. Miles already agreed with me that we’ll draw straws for who drives first and…”
Joel keeps talking, but I don’t hear any of it. Because I don’t care. I don’t give a fuck how we get to Charleston. We can walk, ride a fucking camel. I don’t care. I only care about Rae. I care about checking on her, making sure she’s okay.
As soon as we finish breakfast, I haul ass out of Marion’s and start up the street toward the house.
“Hey! Want some company?”
I glance to the side and see Mackie hurrying to catch me.
“Only if you can keep up.”
