AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey, that reminds me. Delilah said she needs next Friday off. Oh, and Randy said he’s all set and doesn’t need help unloading his truck later.” I hesitate as I slip into an internal debate.
The scared part of me wins, so I gather my purse. “Thanks for offering to drive, but I’m fine going up there on my own. A little solo windshield time will be good for me. I need to process.”
As usual, he sees right through me. “Hey, don’t overthink this, Gem. Let’s just see where it goes.”
That might be his style, but it’s not mine.
“It’s strange,” I say, as I lift my crumpled leggings off the floor and deposit them in the trash. “I’ve been a licensed therapist for years. I’m used to helping people expose stuff so it can heal. But I guess I never bothered to do that for myself. It feels good, letting some old wounds breathe a little. See the fresh air. Get some first aid.”
I walk up to him and give him a peck on the cheek. “Thanks for letting me come clean. Thanks for listening, and for apologizing. That meant a lot to me.”
“Anytime, Gem.”
“I really do feel better.”
“I’m glad. Hey, I’ll be done here in a couple hours. I’m taking tonight off. What do you say we head back to the tennis courts for another round?”
“Another round of me kicking your butt?”
He laughs. “You wish.”
I smile at him from the doorway. “I’d like that. I’ll meet you at the high school.”
“Cool. Let’s say four. I’ll bring that racket for you… and you’re already looking pretty sporty.”
“Yeah, sporty, but maybe not season-appropriate.”
“Here.” He rummages through the duffel again, then walks up to me and presses a giant sweatshirt into my hands. Then he lowers his lips to mine and gives me a kiss much sweeter and longer than the quick peck I gave to him. “Good luck finding that ring,” he whispers.
It’s difficult to walk away from him, but I force myself to do it.
After pulling the sweatshirt over my head, I look back. Down the hall, he’s in his office doorway, leaning against the frame and watching me.
I raise my arms to show off how the huge garment hangs off me like I’m a human tent. “It fits!” I call.
He laughs. Even from here, I can see his look is dark and smokey.
I turn and push through the swinging double doors, aware his eyes are still on me.
Out in the bar, Delilah’s standing on a bench, dusting picture frames. She looks over her shoulder at me. “How’d it go? Get what you needed?”
Let’s see…
Bandaids on both knees: check.
Caffeine in my bloodstream: check.
The feel of Parker’s warm lips still lingering on mine:check.
“Yeah, I think I did.”
I got something else, back in that office, too. He said he was sorry for ditching me like he did. It’s wild what a difference it makes, hearing that a person is genuinely sorry for an action. Forgiveness is a powerful thing.
All this time I thought he left me because he didn’t care about me. Now I know that I was wrong about that.
He ended it because he wanted us both to be happy. He couldn’t think of any other way for us both to go after our dreams. I didn’t know I needed Parker to apologize, but I did.
Now that he has, what’s going to happen between us?
