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He continued, “We are going to different schools, worlds apart. We’ll grow to resent each other. Time and distance are both our enemies. We need fresh slates. Unlimited adventures. Nothing holding us back. Find your forever.”
“You are my forever, you asshole.”
Aiden shook his head. “I’m not. And I won’t hold you back. Meet new people and have new experiences before you commit to anyone. Find that special someone, that person for you. You will.”
Bex sobbed as he reached for her doorknob. He turned and said, “I’m sorry, but it has to be this way. I can’t hold you back.”
Then he was gone.
Aiden broke her young heart and walked out of her life, for what Bex thought would be forever.
* * *
Bex woke late in the afternoon. For a second, she thought it was all a dream and Aiden was still in her life. She collapsed onto her pillow with the disappointment that their breakup was real. God, what wouldn’t she do to have Aiden and Julie back like that? Her time with Aiden had been perfect. She would never have chosen to break up with him.
Shouldn’t she be missing Blake right now?
Strangely, she didn’t. Jade was right. Blake wasn’t forever. After she’d found out about the cheating, Bex had mentally moved Blake out of the “serious” category.
She climbed out of bed, determined to do something useful with her day.
Bex set up her music stand and fiddle. One thing she didn’t realize as a kid was that the violin and fiddle were the same instrument, but the difference in names came from the different styles of play. For her punk band, Bex definitely played the fiddle. But for practice, she didn’t mind a good violin piece.
From memory, Bex played a slow song, Julie’s favorite, Swan Lake. Bex perfected it over the years, though she never expected to play it for Julie. They no longer had that connection. But Bex wanted to at least say she could do it if asked.
Bex drifted. She practiced, watched TV, bought her plane ticket, packed a bag, practiced some more. But she couldn’t focus. The “what-ifs” kept coming to mind. And she felt guilty that none of them involved Blake. What-if Aiden was single? What-if he was still in town? What-if they’d never separated?
She missed Aiden. What would it be like to have him back in her life?
She would allow herself a few days of this insanity, but she promised herself that once she left for the airport, this was done. Logical Bex only from then on. She could stick to that... Right?
Chapter 4
Bex
“Don’t worry about renting a car. Uber everywhere. Or borrow our car. You’ll save money,” Bex’s mother said as they pulled away from the curb at the airport.
“Okay, thanks, mom,” Bex said, adjusting her duffle bag at her feet.
“Now, we’re thrilled that you’re home and want to spend time with you,” her mom said, turning her head to merge into traffic. “I’m telling you in advance, your dad and I will have to be away one night. We have an overnight symphony event that we booked months ago that we’ll have to attend.”
“Okay. That’s no problem.”
Her mom nodded. “Good. I knew you’d understand.” She sighed. “I really hate this airport traffic.”
Bex glanced around. It didn’t look that bad to her. And they were moving, not stopped. “I guess I’m used to New York traffic. This seems light to me.”
Her mom laughed. “If this seems light, Main Street back home will feel deserted.”
Bex laughed. “Probably.”
Half an hour later, Bex’s mom pulled into the driveway outside her two story brick home.
“Welcome home! We’ll have so much fun while you’re here.”
Bex and her mom climbed out of the car. Bex grabbed her duffle bag and they walked up the sidewalk to go inside.
“Bex!” her dad shouted from the kitchen. “Come try my new vegetable juice!”
