“Consider it done.” I hung up before he could demand anything else of me.
I packed everything I could into my Jeep while Jones was sleeping. With every single sound I made, I was sure he was going to wake up, ask me what I was doing, and beg me to stay. I would have, if that happened. I would have done anything Jones asked me, but he never stirred.
My father texted me that he would send someone to clean up the balloons, roses, and leftover food as long as I got out of the house. He also told me a new phone would be delivered to me once I returned to Boston and the one I was currently using was going to be shut off. And that there was a one-way ticket waiting for me at the airport. I was not to return to North Carolina, to cut all ties with Jones, and never speak of him or to him again.
Once I had showered and changed, leaving nothing behind in my room, I stood over where Jones slept peacefully. His blond curls covered his eyes, and my fingers itched to push it away. To touch him one last time. I couldn’t chance it. If Jones woke, I would never leave, and his life would be ruined because I was selfish. I had a brief moment where I considered climbing back into the bed to hold him one more time. To touch his soft skin, feel his body against mine, but I resisted the urge.
Instead, I leaned down so my lips were inches from his ear. “I love you, Jonesy. Nothing will ever change that. I will find a way to come back to you. I promise. Please don’t forget me or hate me. I’m doing this for you,” I whispered as my heart cracked. “If you find someone else, someone you can trust again, don’t be afraid to love them. I only want you to be happy, Bashful.”
He still smelled like the pool and the sweet body wash he used. A soft snore escaped him before I heard him mumble a response.
“Love you, too, Charlie.”
In that instant, I hated my father more than I ever had. He had treated my mother like trash, pretended I didn’t existunless it was to somehow make him look good, and now he was now making me break the boy I loved, breaking me in the process. I vowed to somehow get my revenge, no matter what it cost.
I hurried from the room before I did something stupid, like wake Jones, and climbed into my vehicle. I glanced over at the passenger side, where Jones had sat not that long ago, and remembered the shy smile he gave me the first day I picked him up. How those hazel eyes begged me to kiss him. The moment I had realized I was falling for him.
Tears streamed down my face as I drove to the airport, and when I finally arrived home to my mother, I had deleted, blocked, and removed Jones from my life. Just so that I could protect him.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jones
Everything came to me in waves as I slowly woke up. Memories of last night drifted through my mind like petals on the surface of a lake. The tender words Charlie had whispered to me. How caring and gentle he was as he slid his length inside of me while my hips arched up toward him. The lust in his eyes. The feel of Charlie’s warm mouth against mine. The roughness of his scruff against my jaw. I smiled as I twisted my body toward the man who had taken my virginity, only to find his side of the bed empty and cool to the touch.
“Charlie?”
I sat up. When I didn’t hear anything, I threw the blanket off my body and flung my legs over the side of the bed.
“Charlie, where are you?”
The sound of silence echoed throughout the room. I climbed to my feet, grabbed one of his shirts and a pair of shorts, then I went on the hunt for my boyfriend.
Only the house was empty. Last night’s balloons, rose petals, and the remnants from our dinner were gone. I opened the front door to find that Charlie’s Jeep was missing, too. My stomach lurched. Had he gone to get breakfast and thought maybe I wouldn’t wake up? I rushedback upstairs to find my phone in hopes of a message. I didn’t find one.
Jones:Where are you? The house is empty. Did you go to get something to eat?
Error:This message was not successfully delivered.
What. The. Fudge.
Jones:Is something wrong with your phone?
Error:This message was not successfully delivered.
Bile filled my throat. Everything I had eaten last night threatened to come back up as I rushed to the walk-in closet where Charlie kept his things only to find it empty. My stomach twisted into notes as I quickly only the Facebook Messenger app on my cell so I could message him that way. But his name didn’t show up when I searched my conversations or my friends list. It was the same with my Instagram. My legs gave out beneath me, and I felt like my heart had been ripped right out of my chest.
Charlie cared for me. He’d given me a promise ring. He’d said he was mine and he would wait for me. Why would he do this to me after everything we did last night? He couldn’t just disappear and ghost me like this. Was this just a joke for him? A way to pass his time while he was here?
“No.” I shook my head. I refused to believe it.
I tried to call Charlie a few seconds later, but an automated message told me the number was out of service. Tears welled up in my eyes and slipped down my cheeks, then loud sobs wracked my body.
Hard, angry wails left my mouth. How could someone be so cruel? Why would someone do this to another human? Had this been Charlie’s plan all along? Was this somethinghe did often, or was this the first time? Maybe he was in love with Beverly but wanted to sow some wild oats before he settled down with her. The least Charlie could have done was tell me. I dropped my head between my legs as I prayed for the hurt that had crept inside of my bones so suddenly to stop. I reached for my phone that had fallen to my side and somehow managed to dial my best friend.
“I’m surprised to hear from you this morning.” Ollie’s cheerful voice boomed through the speaker. When I didn’t answer, I heard him whisper something to his brother, Travis, my other best friend. “Jones, everything all right?”
“No,” I whispered.
