I took a shuddering breath; I had already cried tonight about leaving, and I was determined not to break into tears now.
“What are you going to tell Adam?” Rose whispered as she stepped back.
The broken pieces of my heart shattered even smaller. I rubbed my eyes. “I don’t know.”
Rose shrugged. “He might move to New York?”
I shook my head, stopping the thoughts before they could form. “He loves his life here. He has fought hard for that peace. I refuse to be like his ex, requiring more and more sacrifices from him for my pretend happiness. I won’t even ask. There is no point in us both being miserable.” I looked at the pattern on the linoleum floor. “I haven’t even told him about my name change. We talked about the life I lived, but not the specifics.” I shrugged. “Things felt too new, and now it almost feels too late.” I chuckled as I wiped a stray tear off my cheek with myshoulder. “I think I might wonder for the rest of my life if, given more time, we could have worked.”
“You sound a lot like you don’t think you are coming back.” Rose grumbled.
I really wanted to. I hoped I could make my parents see me. The real me. And that they would help, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Rose sighed. “When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow morning,” I whispered.
She raised her brows. “Look, I don’t care who your parents are, if they trap you in a life you aren’t happy in, just know I will be on the next flight to give them a piece of my mind.”
I laughed and cried, because I knew she meant it. “I don’t deserve you.”
Rose scoffed. “You’re wrong. They’re the ones who don’t deserve you.” Rose placed her hands on my shoulders. “Just because someone is family doesn’t mean they’re right; if they can’t see the amazing person you are, they don’t deserve to be in your life.”
There was no stopping their tears now. They flowed freely from a space that bounced somewhere between happiness and sorrow.
“Sometimes the family we choose, the ones who will stand by us and fight our battles, that’s your true family.” Rose dipped her head to make sure I was listening.
The tears streamed down my cheeks. I took a deep breath.
Rose nodded back to the kitchen. “All right, what are we making?”
I shook my head. “You hate cooking.”
She shrugged. “What has that got to do with anything? If you’re cooking on your last night here for who knows how long, then I’m cooking right beside you.” She picked up my phone from the counter and handed it to me. “But first, you are going to call Marissa and Adam and tell them to come bake too.” She searchedmy eyes. “I won’t let you disappear, like you did from your old life. You have people here that love you and need you.” Rose gave me a sad smile. “You would never forgive yourself if you disappeared on them.”
I sighed, Rose was right. I owed it to them to let them know I was leaving tomorrow. I planned on telling them, but I was also avoiding the pain as well.
Rose unlocked my phone that was set on the counter, and scrolled down to Marissa. “Maybe start here.”
My jaw flexed, and I cleared my throat. “Okay.” I nodded.
Rose hit the call button and retreated to her room to give me privacy.
Chapter Thirty-One
ADAM
Irubbed my forehead, trying to stop the oncoming headache. Faith had finally called me back. She had ignored several calls after the meeting, and then she called all serious asking if I could come over. Mom agreed to take Danny for me, and I was sure that whatever was coming, it was going to hurt.
I leaned my head against the back of the seat and stared at the ceiling of my truck, taking a cleansing breath.
“Well, no time like the present,” I muttered as I opened my truck door and rang the doorbell. I could hear music blaring inside. I tilted my chin to the side. Strange.
No one came.
I knocked.
I waited, but all I could hear was women screaming a song I couldn’t make out.
