Page 5 of Autumn on My Mind

I shouldn’t care. I shouldn’t care if we look different or similar. But I do.

And I know it’s partly because Dominic is here. Maybe even watching me right now.

A painful memory flashes through my head, words we said to each other that could never be unspoken—and a quiet, damning suggestion that still haunts me.

You realize you’re just like her, don’t you?

The migraine that’s been forming behind my eye begins to throb more painfully as I bite back tears.

I’m not like Alvina. I’m nothing like her. I blink forcefully, just in time for my mother to turn back and look at me. Her penciled gaze gives my face a quick once-over, and then she frowns.

“You should never wear these in public,” she says as her red lips curl down. She points to the corner of her mouth, the same place Dominic pointed to his. “They’re meant to be worn overnight, you know.”

With a frown of my own, I reach to my face and brush my thumb over the spot⁠—

Only to find the pimple patch I forgot to take off when I got up this morning.

After I excuse myself from next to my mother and rush to the bathroom, I spend a full minute staring at that pimple patch on my face. Then, once I peel it off and die a thousand deaths knowing Dominic saw it, I wash my hands and step out the back door for some fresh air.

I just need to breathe. Normal, regular air that does not smell like my mother’s perfume or Dominic’s cologne or even the delicious maple scent that permeates the bar. So I slip out and sit down on the curb, inhaling and exhaling slowly.

“Dominic,” I murmur to myself. Even the pimple patch snafu can only live in my mind for so long when it’s competing with Dom’s reappearance.

I knew I would run into him, obviously. But what are the chances it would happen while I was sitting here stressing about it? Is he psychic? Is this town playing a joke on me?

You’re going to have to give him the letter now.

The little voice in my head is grudging but firm, and I sigh. It’s true; I have a note ready and waiting for him, and although I dread handing it over, part of me is excited too. That letter is my best and final attempt at owning up to my part in where things went wrong. Apologizing for the things I need to apologize for. It’s the key that will lock the door to the past for good.

No loose ends left, no unsaid words. Just me trying to let it all go and get on with my life.

I should probably figure out how to breathe normally first. It doesn’t help that my heart still knows how important he was to me back then. My pulse hasn’t totally calmed down, and the knot in the back of my throat lingers.

My phone is out of my jacket pocket and in my hand two seconds later, because I need to tell someone about this or I’m going to explode.

Me

SOS

I repeat, SOS!

It takes my best friends a full minute to respond, but I forgive them because their lives are crazy right now too.

Liv

What’s wrong?

Do you need me to come get you?

I can be wherever you are in ten minutes, twenty tops if my bodyguard shadow is weird about the speed limit.

Me

I love you so much.

And I don’t even know.

I just ran into Dominic.