After dessert, Tucker and I leave my parents' house. My mama practically begs us to come back next Sunday, but Tucker informs her that he'll be in New York by then. I don't give my parents an answer. I simply tell them I'll think about it. I'm still upset about everything that has happened, and I can't help but partially blame them for it. It was my mother's lies after all that got me into this mess in the first place.
Once we're back at my apartment, Tucker goes around the front of his SUV and opens my door. I step out and he catches me in his arms, his hands at my hips. "I had a great time, Penny," he says, staring down at me. "I always have a good time so long as I'm with you."
I smile up at him. "Yeah, you made Sunday dinner at my parents…tolerable."
He chuckles. "I guess that's a good thing?"
I nod and bite my lower lip.
His eyes dart down to my mouth. "So will I see you sometime this week?"
"Sure. I'll be working at the bar almost every night."
"I'll be sure to stop by." He pulls away then and moves towards the driver's side. "Bye, Penny."
"Bye, Tuck."
I watch him leave. When I turn to go back to my apartment, I stop dead in my tracks. Colton is standing there, glaring at me. He looks upset, but at this point I don't even care.
"You were with Tucker Hayward?" he asks with a pissed off tone.
"So what?" I throw over my shoulder as I walk past him.
He reaches out and grabs my hand, spinning me back around to him.
"What happened between yesterday and today?" he asks with furrowed brows.
"You tell me," I say with an accusatory tone. When he says nothing, I shake my head in disbelief. "You're not even going to fess up? Fine. I went to your house last night, Colt, and I saw you and Ruby Sue on the couch kissing." I swallow hard. It's hard for me to even say the words out loud.
His eyes widen. "It's not what you think, Penny," he says quickly.
"I know she spent the night, Colton." I put my hands on my hips and glare at him. "You let her spend the night after what we shared together? I thought that meant something to you. I thought ---."
"It did mean something!" Then he quickly adds, "It still does!"
"Obviously not if you let her tongue in your mouth hours after you were with me." I take a few steps away from him, needing the distance. "Have you been downplaying your relationship with Ruby Sue? Have you been planning a future with her? Have you guys talked about marriage?" My questions spit out one after another, and I can't stop them. I don't want to stop them, because I desperately need to know the answers.
"She talked about the future. All girls do that," he says innocently.
"Did you ever talk about it together? Have you ever told her that you wanted to marry her?"
He shrugs, and I want to smack him. He's being so nonchalant, and to me the matter is almost as serious as life and death. "Colton, tell me the truth. Have you ever told her that you wanted to get married someday?"
"Someday. Maybe. I don't know." He runs his hands through his hair. "I don't remember every single word I've ever said to her, Penny." He turns to me, a mask of anger on his face. "What do you want from me? What the fuck do you want from me, Penny?"
"I want the truth!" I yell. "I just want the truth, Colt!"
"Maybe I told her those things in the past, but all couples do that! I didn't put a ring on her finger! None of that matters now anyway, because we haven't even talked about shit like that recently." He hesitates, and his anger seems to quickly disperse. "Not sinceyou'vebeen back in town."
I stare at him in disbelief. What did this even mean? What did I want it to mean? I put my face in my hands and sigh deeply. "I'm so stupid," I whisper.
He pulls my hands away and stares into my eyes. "You're not stupid. Why would you say that?"
"Because I am!" I cry. My vision blurs with tears, and I pull away from him. "I'm stupid for coming back here. I'm stupid for staying. I'm stupid for sleeping with you. I'm stupid for trying to hold onto something that doesn't exist anymore. And I'm stupid for trying to love someone who obviously doesn't love me!"
He takes a step forward, but I turn and run up the steps to my apartment. I can't bear his touch right now. It might just completely break me. I can hear his heavy footsteps behind me, but I don't turn around. I unlock the door quickly and rush inside. I turn to shut the door, but he's there, blocking it from closing. "Just leave me alone, Colton! I don't want you here!"
"I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me!" he yells, pushing his way through the door and slamming it behind him. The windows rattle from the force.
