I twisted to look, but Derek was working again.
“You haven’t been around much.” My eyes went to the bed of his truck. It was full of boxes and a duffel bag. I frowned, alarm flooding my body. “Are you leaving?”
He wouldn’t meet my eyes, instead glancing at the last streaks of sunset sinking beyond the trees. “Yeah.”
“But why? What about your job?”
“I just need to get away from this town, ya know?”
No, I didn’t know. I’d never even considered a life beyond this town. I didn’t want him to go. I needed him. He couldn’t leave me.
“Don’t go. Please.” My eyes filled.
He stood in the open door of his truck; one arm looped through the open window. He shook his head. “I need to.”
“Why?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Why not?” He shifted like he was about to climb behind the wheel, and my hand shot out to grab his arm.
“Wait. Please. You’re not going now, are you? Tonight?”
He shrugged.
“Can’t it wait until morning? Can’t we talk?”
“About what?”
“You said you’d always be here for me. Now you’re leaving.”
“I’m sorry.”
I stared at the house, and a crazy idea filled my head. Maybe not crazy, maybe it was an answer to my prayers. “Take me with you.”
Shock filled his face. “What?”
“We can leave together. Go somewhere different. I could get a job.”
“Six. No.”
“Why not? You think I’m happy here?”
He stared at his feet.
“You kissed me.”
“I shouldn’t have.”
“Didn’t it mean anything?”
“Yeah, it meant something.”
“Then don’t leave me.”
He sighed. “You’re only seventeen. Your brothers would kill me. Your father, too.”
I felt as if a vise was squeezing my heart. This couldn’t be happening. My whole world was falling apart. How would I survive if Sully wasn’t here?
