Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
The names Steven and Tracy flash across the screen, and I look from the phone to Lucca. “Apparently, they want to talk to you as badly as you want to talk to them.”
My finger trembles as I press the green answer key and bring the phone to my ear.
“Hello.”
“Oh my god! Is that you, Claire?” Tracy’s shriek of excitement makes me pull the phone away from my ear a bit.
“It’s me,” I whisper. “I’ve missed you guys so much.”
“We’ve missed you too, sweetheart. When Lucca told us he’d found out where you were, we were excited and scared.”
I hate I worried them. That I hurt them. I thought I was making the right choice, and I still feel like I did, but I miss them like crazy.
“I’m sorry if I worried you guys or hurt you. That wasn’t my intention at all.”
“Do not apologize, sweetie, we understand, and we were only worried because that’s what parents do. They worry about their children,” Tracy says.
My heart swells. They care about me so much, and I just left. “I was just about to call you, but you beat me to it,” I tell them.
“When we didn’t hear from Lucca last night, we got a little worried and called this morning. I’m so glad we did,” Steven booms.
I’m distraught, and the guilt I feel presses on my shoulders heavily. They took me in when they didn’t have to and helped care for me. They deserved more than just a text message from me saying goodbye.
“I’m going to come and visit soon.” It’s not a lie, I’m going to visit them. I just don’t know under what circumstances yet.
“Yes! We would love that. Are you planning to return home with Lucca?” It’s a question I had hoped they wouldn’t ask, mainly because I don’t have an answer.
“I don’t know,” I reply, letting sadness drain into my voice. “When I figure out what’s going on, I’ll let you know.”
“Of course, sweetie.” Tracy tries to make herself sound joyful, but I can tell she’s disappointed. “Yes… yes, hold on…” Tracy suddenly says. A moment later, a different voice comes through the phone.
“Hey, loser,” Carter greets.
“Hey, yourself.” I smile, only now realizing how much I missed that idiot.
“I was mad at you for leaving, so I farted on your pillow every chance I got.” His words make me laugh so hard, I hold my belly and gasp for air.
“Sorry, I just left,” I say when I catch my breath again.
“I know, but seriously, come and visit soon. Okay?”
“I promise, but I’ve got to go now. I’ll call again soon.”
“You better. Bye, loser.”
“Bye, loser,” I say and end the call.
My heart is tattered, a bloody pulp of nothing. I’ve hurt everyone I care about by running away, but I’ve freed myself too.
Now I have to decide if I want to return with Lucca and see what lies ahead for us or stay here? I look up and find Lucca watching me with a look I don’t understand.
“I’m not leaving without you, Claire. I’m tired of fighting us. This, whatever it is between us, is long overdue, and I’m ready to explore it.”
“I need to think about it,” is what I say, even though I want to scream yes at the top of my lungs.
36
Lucca
Claire has been so quiet since our talk. It was a kick to the ball-sack to hear her say she would think about coming back with me, but I wasn’t surprised. I’ve done her dirty, hurt her, and I know she needs time to digest everything that happened over the last forty-eight hours. It doesn’t mean I will enjoy it, though. I want to get back to Hillcrest and show her just how much she means to me.
Six months without her was the kick in the ass I needed to see that I couldn’t live without her. I am a bastard for doing what I did to her, and she’s right. I can’t call her my butterfly and then trap her in a cage. Even if it kills me, I have to ease up on the control.
I wanted to protect her against everything bad in the world, including myself, but doing that put us at risk. Funny enough, I didn’t even know there was an us yet.
Claire chooses then to walk into the bedroom, a towel wrapped tight around her body. It hides all the places I want to see, lick, and taste.
“I need to get ready for work,” she announces.
Teeth grinding, I stop myself from replying with the word no. She insisted she was returning to work, and as much as I didn’t want her to go, I didn’t want to risk pushing her away by saying no, and especially not after she confessed her feelings to me.
“Then get ready,” I say.
She blinks, staring at me like she can’t believe I just told her what to do. “Get out.”