With a population of barely 1800, it wasn’t like these streets were crawling with criminals. I’d be lucky to run into anyone at this hour, let alone someone looking to mug me.
“I promise,” I said, digging my phone out of my pocket and holding it up.
Clearly this conversation had worn him out because all he said in return was, “Get home safe,” before heading to the bar and disappearing inside.
Blowing out a breath, I turned on my heel and started down the sidewalk.
Jesus, what a fucking mess.
Out of any way I’d wanted to break that kind of news to him,thatwas definitely not the one.
Sitting down at a restaurant and holding his hand while I told him I was in love with someone else?
Sure, a good option.
Pulling him inside to sit on my couch to tell him instead of bringing him out into public where there was a high chance he’d feel humiliated?
Also a good option.
Hell, even breaking the news to him in my grease-stained uniform, bent over the hood of one of Avery’s car’s would’ve been better than what the hell just happened.
I was such an asshole.
Tomorrow, I’d try to call him or something and apologize once more. The man deserved better than whatever mess I had going on. Once he got over this, he’d come to realize that, too. As did everyone aside from Avery, who I already considered crazy.
The walk back home took less than half an hour and gave me time to clear my head while settling my own nerves.
This was all for the best. I’m sure once my sister found out, I’d get an earful but it was better than continuing to lead the poor man on when he was better off getting matched with someone way more stable than me.
And who knew what they fucking wanted.
Finally rounding the corner to my street, the last thing I expected to find in my driveway when I got there was a familiar Audi and an even more familiar figure sitting on my doorstep waiting for me.
CHAPTER 24
Avery
Showingup on Brandon’s doorstep was probably an impulsive decision on my part—which tracked for how this whole thing started between us anyway.
I’d driven straight from the hospital to here, stepping on the gas to an obscenely dangerous speed that I was lucky I hadn’t gotten pulled over for. I was chalking that up as a sign from the universe that coming over here to see him was what I was meant to do.
And who was I to ignore an approval from up top like that?
Seeing Brandon walking down the street alone with just the flash on his phone guiding him had me stumbling to my feet, startling him into stopping right at the bottom of his driveway. I couldn’t see his expression from here but judging by the way his chest moved, he was preparing himself before coming up the rest of the way toward me.
I didn’t want to take that as a sign that bad things were to come. That I was potentially walking into a situation where I wasgoing to go back to my family’s property with my heart shattered and Brandon’s words of regret ringing in my ears.
All of it was a very valid fear and one that I hadn’t exactly prepared myself to face when leaving the hospital. But so much could change in a matter of hours. Regrets could start worming their way in. Hell, sensibility could, too.
None of this was thought out in the slightest. Brandon and I were riding this damn rollercoaster by the seat of our pants and hoping like fuck we didn’t go careening off the ride on the way.
I stayed rooted to my spot as he drew near, stopping right at the start of the steps leading up to the stoop. He tilted his head back to look at me, slightly shadowed from the light he pointed at his feet.
“Hey... how did it go?” he asked.
My fingers itched to reach out and grab at him, pull him into my arms and bury my face in his hair. Fisting my hands at my sides was the only way to stop myself from doing that and being sensible for once in my life.
“Good. Carrie texted me on the way home that her daughter is awake and alert. The doctors said her vitals are looking really good. She came down with RSV.”
