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“Not tonight.” Celia raised her head to face him, looking so pale. Her fingers plucked at her rubber band. He’d noticed she did that when she was trying to stem her emotions.
He could do nothing but nod, backing up to give her room.
She passed him, shrinking into herself as she did. The shutting of her bedroom door seemed final. He’d talk to her in the morning, he promised himself.
“She’s here,” he texted Malcolm.
The response was swift. “Fuck off.”
Trenton had no idea how to make things right. It didn’t even matter that she had misunderstood his words. He’d been so focused on himself that he’d completely ignored how she’d likely been feeling. He lowered his head. Somehow, he’d explain. He had the whole night to find the words.
In the morning, Celia was already gone, her duffel bag with her.
Chapter 31
Thereweren’tmanyplacesopen in the early hours of the morning. It turned out even the community center was closed. Celia shifted her full duffel bag on her shoulder, staring down at her phone. She pressed the ‘Talk’ button, moving it to her ear.
Malcolm answered on the first ring. “How are you doing?”
“I’m—” Celia swallowed the word ‘fine.’ It wasn’t true. “Better.”
He paused, and his voice was soft when he asked, “Can I come get you?”
She closed her eyes, picturing the younger Malcolm who had been at her bedside when she’d woken up in the hospital. His expression had been so anxious. She had done that to him, and she kept doing it. “Why do you let me do this to you?”
“You’re not doing anything to me,” Malcolm said. It wasn’t his normal gentle tone, and he paused. “Are you at the condo?” It was as if he was careful not to say Trenton’s name.
“Are you sure about this, Malcolm?” she asked.
“Stop worrying about me. Are you?”
“No,” Celia admitted. “I left already. Can you pick me up at the center?”
“I’m on my way. And Celia?”
She swallowed at the soft way he said her name. “Yeah?”
“I’m always going to care about you. You can’t get rid of that, so stop trying.”
A part of her pain faded as she sat on the steps to wait. She didn’t deserve Malcolm, but she was still so thankful to have someone like him. It didn’t take him long. When he got there, he jumped out of the truck, hurrying over to take her bag before she could completely stand up.
“Come on,” he said, leading her to the truck. He placed her bag behind the seat, waiting to close the door after she climbed in. He put the truck into drive, easing away from the curb.
“You didn’t go straight back to the condo last night. Where’d you go?” he asked.
She still couldn’t believe she’d gone to Daniel’s like a crazy ex the night before. “I just needed some time.”
He nodded, and they drifted into silence. He had always been good about letting that happen.
When they stopped outside of the house where they’d lived back when they were teenagers, she was surprised. “Why here?” She didn’t want to see her aunt and uncle, not in her current state.
“Don’t worry, my parents moved into a smaller place after Katie moved out. I bought this one from them.”
“Oh.” She studied the house, feeling surprised and also a bit guilty. “I didn’t know.” Malcolm always checked in with her, but she asked very little about his life, she realized.
Malcolm ran a hand over his neck. “Well, I was worried talking about it would bring back bad memories. My parents weren’t always the best toward you.”
“That’s not true, they—”
