Chapter Thirteen
The next morning,after a strong cup of coffee, I called Edward. I’d been up all night thinking through our relationship over the last year. Was the entire relationship a lie? In the beginning, Edward had more time to spend with me, but then things changed. It hadn’t been good for a while, but did I run away from a relationship? Did that make me like my father? No, not when he’d lied. Not when he’d left me behind at aparty.
The phone rang a few times before Edward answered. “Hello. When will you be home?” He sounded rushed, as if I needed to get to himquick.
“Home? To my dorm?” I asked. “No thanks. It’s not exactly my favorite place for the holiday season. I thought we were supposed to go on vacation together? Of course, I also thought that you wrote all those notes to me, too.” I pushed up my sleeves to really dig into him. “How many other things have you lied to me about in the lastyear?”
There was a pause, and then Edward cleared his throat and changed his tone to calm, speaking slowly. “Zoey, what has gotten in to you? Now calmdown.”
“I won’t calm down. You abandoned me at that party. I only hope you didn’t do it intentionally. That would be a horrible way to treatme.”
“I don’t appreciate your tone. And as far as how I’m treating you, I asked you to marry me, didn’t I?” he asked, but the tone of his voice made him sound like he’d done me afavor.
“No, you placed a ring on my finger and announced we’d get married. Then you left. What man in love with a woman would want to leave her side to race back up to school to tell the powers that be that he was getting married? I’m nothing more than a tool in your arsenal to rule the universitysomeday.”
“You’re being ridiculous. Childish,” Edward said. “Let’s talk about this in person. I’ll meet you at our lunchspot.”
“Why? So I can wait an hour for you to ditch me at some party with a man who was handsy? A man who, if I thought about it long enough, I’d think you knew how he was and still abandoned me there.” God, was that the truth? My stomach churned with the realization that he’d sold me for a chance at a job. “That you thought that my sacrifice would better your career. No. I don’t want to meet you in person. I’ll mail your ring back. I’ll at least take the time to address it myself, instead of my secretary doing it forme.”
Silence. I’d finally made Edward speechless. I hung up the phone thistime.
Avery clapped. “Now that, dear sister, was a proper breakup. I only wish I could’ve seen his face. I only have one question for you… What aboutKevin?”
I shook my head. “He’s leaving. I’m not marrying Edward, but Kevin isn’t right for meeither.”
“Why? How do you knowthat?”
“Because my chest aches, and I feel like I’m lost and alone. I’ve been queasy and nervous for days. I don’t want to go through having my heart broken again. It hurts too much. I won’t let another man walk out on me, but I won’t let another man use meeither.”
“I’m afraid it’s too late. You’ve already fallen in love, and your heart is in pieces. The good thing is that I know a great contractor who’s good at putting things back together.” Avery winked. “Take a chance like I did. Trust me. It’ll payoff.”
My hands shook at the thought of chasing after Kevin. “But he wants to leave. I can’t stand in his way. And he lied to me. He knew how I felt about our father leaving us, and he still led me to believe that he was staying here, and the entire time he was goingaway.”
“Oh honey, you can stand in his way, and if he doesn’t stop, go with him. But I have it on good authority that he never intended toleave.”
“Really? Who told you that?” I eyed my keys and thought about it, but life was better without a man in it. It would besimpler.
“Kaley.” Avery grabbed my upper arms. “Go after him, or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. At least hear what he has to say before you write him off for lying to you. Edward’s the liar, notKevin.”
“But I don’t even know where Kevin is rightnow.”
“He’s at home packing. According to Kaley, he’s miserable. So miserable he wants to get out of Magnolia Corners for the holiday.” Avery held out my coat to me. “Go gethim.”
“Then he should go. I can’t stophim.”
“He isn’t leaving for good. He’ll be back after you return to school. Sounds like he can’t live here right now, like you’re not the only one with a brokenheart.”
“Are yousaying—”
“That he’s as miserable as you? Yes, if not worse. Love has two sides. Try to see that he’s scared, lonely, and wishes more than anything that you’d tell him how youfeel.”
I looked at the ring on my hand, slid it from my finger, and set it down. “What if heleaves?”
“What if hestays?”
Avery’s words of possibilities made my breath catch and my pulse rev. Did I dare take a chance on someone promising to love me? No, but I’d take a chance onKevinlovingme.
I raced to the front door, ran to my car, and drove to his house. His truck was still parked out front. My pulse raced, and my palms were sweaty. I ran to the front door and knocked, but I thought I’d faint by the time heanswered.
