Bonnie: You have no right to message me like this. I’m blocking your number.
But before she could block it, the next text came through.
Unknown number: If you’re staying because you think you have a future with that boy from the gym, you don’t. There is no future for you in this town. You ruin families. You can’t be truly loved because you don’t know how to love back. For the love of God, leave.
Air cut off in Bonnie’s throat, the words hitting her like a kick to the gut, almost making her keel over.
For a moment she couldn’t move, just reading and re-rereading the words designed to hurt. She shouldn’t let them sink so deeply inside her. And maybe on a better day, she wouldn’t. But today already felt so heavy, with Shelley, then Sarah…and of course, Zane distancing himself from her.
You can’t be truly loved.
Why did that line hurt the most? Because she’d gone without love for so long? Years. She’d spent years never really allowing herself to get close to anyone.
“Bonnie.”
She jumped at her name and looked up to see Zane heading toward her. “Is everything okay?”
“I was going to ask you the same question.”
“Um…yeah, I was just helping one of the women.” She pushed her cell into her pocket.
He studied her like he didn’t quite believe her. “You sure?”
She nodded, not wanting to mention the text right now, because he was finally talking to her and they were alone. She stepped closer and touched his arm. “Is everything okay withyou?”
Something flashed in his eyes. It came and went so quickly, she almost missed it. “Yes. Why?”
“You just seem a bit…off.”
“Everything’s fine, Bonnie.” He kissed her forehead before heading back down the hall.
No. Something was definitely on his mind. The question was, did it have something to do with his past? Or her? And why wasn’t he telling her? Hiding things from her had already caused damage once. Why would he risk it again?
Could it be that he was having second thoughts about them?
The idea made her heart do a painful squeeze in her chest. Because even though they hadn’t been dating long, she’d started falling in love with him.
Everyone was back in the van, and they were halfway to the shelter when Chett started crying.
She looked at him through the rearview mirror. “What’s going on?”
Sarah glanced up. “He left his coloring book at the gym.”
“Well, that’s an easy fix.” She turned the van around. After parking in front of the gym, she raced inside, spotting the book near the back where Chett had been sitting in front of the office.
She frowned when she didn’t see Zane and Stetson.
She jogged over to the book and grabbed it. She was just straightening when Zane’s voice came from inside the office.
The door was ajar. She was moments from sticking her head in to say a quick hi, when his next words landed.
“There are no relationships in my life. My grandmother’s dead and she was the last woman I’ll ever love. So whatever you’re getting at, leave it the fuck alone. And don’t call me again.”
She flinched as if she’d been hit. For a moment, she was frozen, not sure if she’d heard the words correctly.
But she had. There’d been no mistaking them.
You can’t be truly loved.
