“Yes, ma’am,” he mutters again.
Over the next half hour, there’s no more funny business from Tim. We managed to carry each piece of furniture out to the truck, he wished me well, I said the same, and now I am on my merry way back to my parents’, fully prepared to leave tomorrow and get home the following day. I’m ready to be home. I don’t miss a single thing about living down here.
Before I head into my parents’ house, I pull my phone out of my purse and stare at it. The guilt is eating at me about Tim trying to kiss me. I can’t keep that from Jesse. Not after what happened last time, keeping the engagement a secret for too long. He really didn’t like that, and I just want to keep trying to be better. I want him to be able to trust me.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Jesse’s gentle, comforting voice fills the truck cab.
“Hey.” I sigh, heavier than I meant.
“Uh-oh,” he mutters with a laugh at the end of it.The line between us goes quiet as I try to figure out how I wanna say it. Jesse beats me to it, his tone steady.
“Ella? What’s the matter?”
“I need to tell you something.”
His voice sharpens a little. “What happened?”
I exhale slowly, searching for the words I want to use. “Tim tried to kiss me.”
The silence is actually deadly.
“Did you?” His voice is still calm, still steady.
“No.”
“Did you want to?”
“Of course not.” My voice cracks. Unnecessary tears brimin my eyes and start down my cheeks.
“Then why are you upset, babe?”
“Because. I don’t want you to be mad at me.” My voice cracks.
“You didn’t try to kiss him.” He’s soft spoken, “why would I be mad?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know.”
“El, I think you’re just tired, baby. I’m not mad, promise. You’re still leaving tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So get a good night’s sleep, okay?”
“I will. I just wanted to tell you. I’m trying to be better, remember?”
“I appreciate that, I’m proud of you.” His words make me smile.
“I miss you,” I confess.
“I miss you too. I love you.”
Feeling my chest tighten with warmth, I breathe. “I loveyou.”
Chapter 22
Jesse
Ella is on her way back from her trip to Texas. I’ve been waiting outside her apartment building for about an hour. I’m getting antsy. She said she’d be home by now when I talked to her two hours ago. Obviously, I didn’t love the idea of her seeing her ex; it had me on edge basically the entire time she was gone. When she told me he tried to kiss her, I wanted to climb through the phone and go pay him a visit, but I didn’t let her know that.
