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“Don’t touch me!” Casey jerked away. “Why are you even here?” Her voice echoed down the deserted hallway.
Austin sank, his butt falling to the floor beneath the staircase. He dropped his head against the cinderblock wall and sighed, pulling a Chicago Cubs ball cap off his head. “Because Josh told me you were graduating today. Iwantedto be here.”
Her body trembled as shivers materialized along her skin, snaking up and down as a chill gripped her core. Hugging her legs into her body, Casey snorted. “Well, then, by all means, Austin, if youwantsomething, you shouldhaveit. Where’s your precious Mavis these days, huh?”
He sighed, his gaze falling to the floor. “You have every right to be angry with me.”
A laugh burst forth from her belly, competing with the sobs wracking her soul. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she allowed a smile to consume her lips. “Angry?You think I’mangrywith you, Austin Templeton?”
His eyes widened, cringing as her words left her lips. “Umm...”
“I’m fuckingfurious!” she roared, slapping her palms against her thighs. “You fucking destroyed me, you asshat!” Her hands reached for the railing, and she pulled her body upright, planting her heels firmly against the tile floor. “You know what, just get the fuck out of here. I don’t ever want to see you again.”
“Casey!” Austin flew to his feet and stumbled up the small staircase. “Please!” he begged, reaching forward to grip her hand.
She batted him away as a fresh wave of tears released from her eyes, dripping down her cheeks.Just leave! Walk away! He has no right to say anything!But the ache in her heart stilled her feet, the memory of love holding her in place.
“Please, Casey. I’m begging you...” He reached out again and squeezed her palm. “Please just hear me out?”
She rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you go find your princess? Maybeshe’llwant to hear whatever garbage you’re about to spew.” Her foot stepped forward as her knee seared with another bout of pain. She winced, bending forward to peel the nylons from the bloodied split in her skin.
“Please, let me see it,” he whispered and dropped to his knees. He tugged at her gown, frowning as his gaze raked over her injury.
It’s not my knee that’s broken, Austin.
He swallowed and released a breath as he examined the wound. “Did you drive here?”
Casey closed her eyes and forced her brain away from the pain in her knee. “Why does that matter?”
“I put a first-aid kit in the trunk last spring.” He looked up, his blue eyes finding hers as he bit his bottom lip, the corner of his eye catching in the fluorescent lighting as the white tips reflected.
She shook her head. “Of course, you did,” she muttered.
“Let me walk you to the car, and if by the time we have a bandage on your knee you still don’t want to talk to me, I’ll go, all right?”
You’ve had five months to find an excuse for what you did. This should be good.
“Fine.” Casey pulled away and marched down the empty hallway to the east side of the school. They trudged through the crowds, pushing and sidestepping the excited graduates and their families until the cold air of winter blasted them. “I parked over here,” she murmured, limping down the stairs. Each step forward numbed her slowly bruising knee.
Casey yanked open the door to the Ford Fiesta and dropped into the driver’s seat. With a groan, she pulled the latch to open the trunk. The car rocked as Austin searched, digging through the contents until he slammed the hatch closed and sat in the seat beside her with a little white plastic box on his lap.
Ramming the key in the ignition, Casey turned the engine on and unconsciously adjusted the vents in his direction. Ripping the heels from her feet, she tossed them to the floor in front of Austin.
He watched them fall to his toes and shivered. “Forgot how cold it was here,” he mumbled, popping open the lid.
Oh, please.“It snowed once the entire time you lived here.”
A grin tugged at his lips. “Well, it was still cold.”
“You belong in L.A., California boy.” Her stomach dropped as the nickname rolled so easily from her tongue.
Austin frowned and pointed at her knee. “You should take those off.”
Casey tugged at her nylons, pulling the material away from her bloodied knee. “Turn around then.”
Austin rolled his eyes. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. Face the window.”
