“But you didn’t think that I deserved to know?” The corners of her eyes were moist. A few tears threatened to fall.
“No?.?.?. I?.?.?. I?.?.?.”
She sniffled. “I’m not the only one who was keeping things hidden.”
“But this is completely different.”
“How is it different?”
“Mike only offered me the job as I was leaving the stadium. You’ve known for weeks.” Tim glared at her. “Unlike you, I would’ve discussed it with you soon.”
“Would you have?” The tears were now free-falling. She swallowed the thick, salty droplets. “Did you not tell me just last week that you didn’t ever involve your friends or family when you make important decisions?”
“Damn it, Gemma, what do you think?” Tim’s lips quivered. His brow furrowed again, and he threw his hands wildly into the air. “Of course I would’ve talked things over with you. You matter. We matter. I don’t make decisions that are going to affect both our lives lightly.”
“I don’t know what I think anymore!” she cried. “You know, our problem isn’t that we don’t understand one another. It’s that we’re too much alike.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that we’re the opposite of opposites attract.” Her vision was getting fuzzy, obscured by tears. Nothing made sense to her anymore. “That means we’ll never work out. We might as well save ourselves the effort and call it quits now. You were ready to just walk away from me earlier. Well, I’ll make it easy for you?.?.?. go ahead. I can’t be with a person who doesn’t believe me or trust me.”
She turned and limped back toward the car, refusing to look back at Tim.
Chapter 20
Gemma slid into the car and slammed the door shut. She covered her face with her hands, her body wracked with sobs. Her heart was shattered into a billion tiny shards. Why was the world such a horrid, cruel place? Everything she thought she knew was a lie.
I never want to ever hear or see anything aboutCupid’s Arrowever again. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t ever want anything to do with men or dating ever again either. All it leads to is pain and heartbreak. I’m better off alone. I can’t trust anyone.
When she’d met Tim, she’d felt so giddy and full of hope. She’d thought that maybe he was the one. He’d treated her like a real-life princess. Memories of carving a pumpkin, seeing his haunted classroom, dinner at the Lucky Dog, and standing in his arms watching the thousands of butterflies take flight flooded her mind.
Our first kiss inside the forest, I felt like I was floating, just like the end scene ofSleeping Beautywhen Aurora and Prince Phillip are dancing in the clouds together. Where did it all go so wrong?
She cried harder until there were no more tears remaining. Using the back of her hoodie’s sleeve, she dried her eyes. Her face felt like someone had taken a sheet of sandpaper and rubbed it raw. Everything was dry and swollen. She hugged herself.
The last time my relationship failed, it was because I wasn’t giving enough of myself to it. Have I made the same mistake? I’ve been trying so hard to do small things for Tim to show him how much I care.
She sat taller in her seat. What had Tim said to her again? She closed her eyes and replayed their fight in her mind.
“And now you’re going to dump me?.?.?.”
“I thought this time would be different?.?.?.”
“Have I always been the fallback guy?”
“I don’t know if I can trust you?.?.?.”
Tim was so angry and sad. It was almost as if he were haunted by something. What happened to make him react like that?
As she continued to relive their late-night conversations and video chats with one another, she was struck with a sudden realization—Tim had never once shared anything about his own past relationships.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the driver’s side door opened, and a gust of chilly air filled the car. A paper bag crinkled, and she felt the weight of something warm sitting on her knees.
“Gemma, I know I’m probably the last person on Earth you want to see?.?.?.” Tim’s voice came out as a hoarse whisper. “But I wanted to make sure that, one, you got something to eat; two, your hip was okay; and three, I needed you to know that I’ll give you as much space as you want, but I refuse to let you go without a fight. Giving up is not a word in my vocabulary.”
She glanced down at the bag, then slowly lifted her chin to meet his gaze. The look of fear from earlier was gone, replaced by the glint of stubbornness and determination. It was a look she knew well. It was one that she saw every day when she studied herself in the mirror.
“You were right about everything. I’m so sorry for the way I treated you and if I hurt you in any way. I’ve never been more ashamed of myself for losing control over my emotions like that.” He took a deep breath. “Anyway, the tow truck driver just texted to let me know he’s almost here. We’ll be able to get out of here soon.”
