AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not much changes in Pineville,” Roni said, except for the Riverwalk that was throwing a monkey wrench into their lives.
They walked toward his truck and she climbed in. Just like before, she was instantly transported back to high school. This was his dad’s truck where she’d had her first kiss and fell in love at the summer drive-in. He’d been everything to her, and then he was gone.
And she’d never heard from him again.
Suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to cry, she quickly jumped back out. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
Confusion filled his face. “Why? What’s going on?”
She turned and hurried away.
“What are you going to do, walk all the way back to your shop?” he called after her.
She couldn’t answer and just walked quickly toward the restaurant as she fought the urge to cry. She couldn’t let him see her tears. Couldn’t handle the humiliation. She’d go inside and call an Uber.
Suddenly, his hand was on her shoulder, stopping her.
“Roni, what’s the matter?” His voice was soft.
She turned and lost herself in the tenderness of his green eyes looking so much like they had when he loved her. When he cared.
“I thought I could do this again,” she admitted. “But I can’t.”
“Do what?”
“Be friends. Go back down memory lane with you and forget how much you hurt me.”
Something flashed in his eyes. There was a long pause. She waited to see how he would respond.
“What happened was a long time ago.”
“You happened,” she cried. “You went to Denver and never looked back. You ghosted me and I never heard from you again. You stopped calling, stopped messaging. It’s like you found someone else and forgot all about me.” The pain rising to the surface was so raw it broke her words as they rushed out of her mouth.
He looked stunned and, for a second, she was sure he would say something, would explain, but he didn’t. He just stared down at his shoes like a child. She turned and fled. She couldn’t go through loving and losing him again.
It was too much. He was too much.
She’d rather be alone than chance that pain again.
CHAPTER8
Jimmy’s stomach sank as he watched Roni walk away. He couldn’t let things end like this. “Roni, please. At least let me drive you home,” he called as he hurried toward her. “I’m not leaving you out here alone.”
She turned around and faced him, staring at him for a long moment, taking in a deep breath, obviously trying to keep herself together. He’d done this to her.
“It’s not true,” he blurted.
Her moistened eyes narrowed in confusion.
“I did come back.”
“What are you talking about?” she demanded, her tone sharp, her eyes shooting daggers.
“That Christmas after I moved to Denver. I did come back.”
“I didn’t see you.”
“I know. I came to your shop, ready to surprise you, but you weren’t alone. I saw you with another man. Kissing. You’d moved on. I… I was so upset, I turned and left. That’s why I ghosted you. I was… shattered,” he admitted. “It’s why I never called you again and why I’m not a fan of Christmas.”
